Watching the State of the Union
Leilani Albano | 1-29-2010 | Comments |
The Lucy Florence Coffee House in Leimert Park was a gathering spot for residents to watch President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address. Most of those who watched the speech gave the president a passing grade for his first-year performance. But they say the President will have to do more if he wants to rescue the country from its spiraling problems. Click below to hear Leilani Albano's audio story.
By Leilani Albano
Pres. Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address was met with enthusiasm among South LA residents who attended Wednesday’s viewing of the televised speech.
This, despite criticisms he has not done enough to tackle America’s top problems – a lack of jobs and an ailing economy.
“My general impression is that the speech needed what it needed to do,” said Ivory Chambeshi, of Los Angeles.
“He had to show concerns about what the American people are facing. He showed her resolved to do everything that he promised,” she said. But “he’s only one person, and if he had his way, everything I am sure he promised he would enact.”
The event was sponsored by the Urban Policy Roundtable led by activist Earl Ofari Hutchinson. He holds weekly discussions on different topics at the coffeehouse.
Coming off a campaign-high hasn’t been easy for Obama. According to the Gallup poll, he had one of the highest approval ratings for a new president, with an average 63 percent.
But now, his popularity dropped to 57 percent.
Chambesi said part of the reason for his declining support is that his $862 billion stimulus package wasn’t as helpful as many had hoped.
She said the funds led to some regional improvements, but does not appear to make a dent in the overall economy. “Obama maybe enacting measures that benefit LA residents but then California is going through its own budget crisis,” she said. ‘So what he’s done may not be enough to counteract what is being done in California.”
People are also frustrated with the president’s inability to pass health care reform. Some say this growing rage is evidenced by Scott Brown’s senate victory in Massachusetts.
Wajenda, a student at West LA College, said, “Everything that happened in the past year, isn’t aligned with the campaign that he had,” he said. ‘So my interest for him was to explain why.”
Inglewood resident, Ondra Lewis, thought Obama was not forceful enough in passing a healthcare reform measure. “If he would’ve been sterner and pushed it when he had the votes, I think we would’ve had it.”
Others chastised the president for spreading himself too thin..
Not only has he attempted to improve the economy and healthcare, but has tried to fix immigration, change course in Afghanistan and Iraq, and end the military’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
Activist, Earl Ofari Hutchinson said he is confident Obama can put the US back on track, but he said the president’s best approach is to lighten his load, and focus on one thing. “Jobs, jobs, jobs,” he said. “If you don’t have a job, you got nothing. If you don’t have that, everything is irrelevant. Mr. President, the screams and the shouts, put us back to work.”
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