Perhaps it’s not surprising that NMPolitics.net readers had widely differing reactions to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address — and U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich’s response.
Heath Haussamen / NMPolitics.net
The U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
Heinrich, in a statement NMPolitics.net ran following the speech, praised the president for articulating “the strength and spirit of the American people, and that diligence and optimism can break down barriers to create the future that all of our children deserve.” And he said our challenges “will require pragmatism, ingenuity, and commitment to creating a brighter future for the next generation.”
In a presidential election year largely characterized by what divides us, the discussion NMPolitics.net facilitated reflected a high level of emotion and disagreement. Debate was spirited, to say the least, and I had to call some people out for name-calling.
“Wow…..he has his head stuck in the sand,” Susana Rubio McGonnell of Las Cruces wrote about Heinrich, who like Obama is a Democrat. “Obama has failed on so many levels.”
On the other hand, Mari Doino of Santa Fe wrote that Obama “was amazing.” And Del Hansen of Las Cruces called his speech “excellent.”
“Made the harbingers of untruth squirm,” Hansen wrote.
Others disagreed.
“Not sure what fantasy land he lives in, oh DC,” Thomas Jackson Sr. of Grants wrote about Heinrich.
“What speech was Marty watching?” asked Mike Johnson of Santa Fe.
There were tense and sarcastic exchanges. Like when John Lanning of Deming shared his opinion.
“One can only hope that the next POTUS will be able to clean up the mess this guy has made of things,” Lanning wrote.
The reply from Michael Clay Mills of Albuquerque: “Yeah dude, like expanding that national security state all crazy, a health care law based on private insurers with no pricing regs on meds, appointing Wall Street execs all over federal regulatory agencies, a military Empire ever expanding, 53% of the budget still is for Blowing Things Up . . . the dude is ineffective in so many ways.”
Robert Paquette wrote that Obama “is purposely inciting feelings of what we USED to be as a Nation before he is destroying it in order to instill some false HOPE about the future.”
On the other hand, Carol Schwendimann of Santa Fe was pleased with Obama’s speech.
“My president, wish he could run again,” she wrote.