Every centralized form of government in every region across the world has a way through which it communicates within itself and also with the citizens or the subjects who look up to it for leadership and guidance. This is one of the ways through which important information such as policies, new legislations and general information is sent from the government to its subjects, after which the concerned people take the necessary measures. Within the government, communication is important because it enables the concerned parties to know what measures to take in various conditions, the new set strategies by the government as well as the far it has come in achieving some of the goals that it had previously set. This communication can be done through conferences and meetings for example, which are held periodically for example annually, monthly or even weekly through select committees. One of these meetings includes the United States’ State of the Union conference.
During the State of the Unions’ conference, the meetings are attended by both houses, whereby the president addresses the meeting through a report. This is held annually, every January to be particular, and this is per the expectations of the American constitution, Article II, Section 3. During this meeting, the president also addresses the legislative agenda as well as the expectations that the government has concerning the United States, as well as the strategies put in place to ensure that the government meets the set standards. Lastly, the president, while presiding over the meeting and the speech, reviews what the government has achieved so far as per the previous annual meeting’s expectations and strategies. This is one way of assessing whether or not the government is working towards its set annual goals and objectives.
State of the Unions’ report
According to Article II, Section 3 of the United States’ constitution, the States’ of the Unions’ report pretty much follows the same chronological format and order, and this is because it is one of the ways through which all issues that need to be looked into and addressed are made sure not to be left out. Traditionally, the States of the Union report majors and concentrates on one subject and emphasizes on what measures the government under the leadership of the president will take to ensure that it achieves the set goals and objectives.
Over the years, one consistent thesis statement has come to be adopted by the States of the Union report, that, “The States of the Union is strong”, because it addresses the major issues affecting the country and it also provides directives to every concerned party on the measures to take in order to work on the issues affecting the country. This can be seen in every annual meeting that the president addresses. This research paper will particularly look into details the 2012 Annual States of the Unions’ report. Addressed on Tuesday, January 24th 2012, there are a number of issues that the president focused on, but emphasized most on the country’s economy and the direction to which it was headed, the death of terrorist Osama bin Laden and the consequent end of war in Iraq as well as creation of jobs in the country, and this in line with the country’s economy, seeks to make each and every United States’ citizen economically independent and continue maintaining the formerly consistent economic growth as projected in the country’s annual Gross Domestic Product, which has in the past five years become unstable.
The United States has achieved a lot of success in the past one year, and a lot of changes have been seen in the political, economical as well as the social make up of the country, which are the pillars to the nation as well as the diplomatic relationships that the country has had with other nations which in this case include the trade partners as well as the nations that are affiliates and members to our international organizations such as the United nations. Taking a focus on the past one year, a lot of changes have been seen in the country, and the United States has been recognized as a powerful nation across the world especially after quelling the political problems and unrests that have existed in the Middle East and specifically in Iraq and Afghanistan. This war has especially been violent for the past one decade, and the United States has had a nine years’ difficult mission of ending this war, which has finally ended with capturing of Osama Bin Laden and leaving most of the Al Qaeda leaders captured and defeated. These are some of the major steps that the United States of America has taken in pursuit for peace since the end of the World War II (Haung & Cohen, 2012, para 3).
It would be wrong to say that the country did not face any challenges during this decade-long period through which the country worked hard to ensure that peace prevails in the Middle East. As much as many people have insisted that the billions of dollars worth of the country’s economy that have been input in the mission are some of the factors that have led to the financial crisis in the country. However, the United States’ citizens should be assured that other likeminded supporters to the course including the United Nations have supported the course, both strategically and also financially.
Lastly, I wish to address the economic situation of the country and some of the factors that have contributed to the economic instability include trade. Since the economic recession of 2007, trade has been affected in the United States, but the country has made major moves by not only reviving its financial ties with its trade partners in Europe, far East and South America, but it has also established new tied with new countries including panama, Columbia and South Korea. The United States continues to establish its economical powers not only in the already established grounds, but also in new grounds that have a lot of collaborative financial potential (Jones, 2012, para 6).
References
Haung, J. & Cohen, F. (2012). “President Obama’s State of the Union Address.” The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/01/24/us/politics/state-of-the-union-2012-video-transcript.html on 2nd Feb, 2012.
Jones, B. (2012). “Full transcript: Obama's 2012 State of the Union Address.” USA Today. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2012-01-24/state-of-the-union-transcript/52780694/1 on Feb 2nd, 2012.
