US Politics Video and Transcript: President Obama's State of the Union Address

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PRESIDENT OBAMA: Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, fellow Americans, 51 years ago, John F. Kennedy declared to this chamber that “the Constitution makes us not rivals for power, but partners for progress.”

(APPLAUSE)

“It is my task,” he said, “to report the state of the union. To improve it is the task of us all.”

Tonight, thanks to the grit and determination of the American people, there is much progress to report. After a decade of grinding war, our brave men and women in uniform are coming home.

(APPLAUSE)

After years of grueling recession, our businesses have created over 6 million new jobs. We buy more American cars than we have in five years and less foreign oil than we have in 20.

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US Politics Analysis: Predicting Obama's "Aggressive" State of the Union Speech

Tonight Obama has the platform, and the one-time political capital he garnered by winning his re-election campaign, for setting the priorities of the national conversation. The President has disappointed his liberal allies before --- and it would be no great surprise if that happened once again --- but, if he does want to be remembered as a “great” President, then tonight marks the moment when he must begin to swing the nation behind the Democratic Party he leads.

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US Politics Analysis: "Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics" --- The Battle over "Stimulus" v. "Cuts"

Selection of certain statistics from the latest Budget report allows those in the political arena to make two wildly opposing arguments. There is a case to be made for the urgent need for another round of spending designed for growth and job creation. There is just as strong a case for drastic reductions in government expenditure, slowing America’s descent into unsustainable debt.

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US Politics Analysis: Can America Overcome "Deficit Fear" to Deal with Unemployment?

Senator Patty MurrayFor the last two years, debate over the deficit has dominated political discourse in Washington, driven by a Republican majority in the House. Along the way voters’ main concern --- policies that create jobs --- has been sidelined as Democrats have concentrated on defending the entitlement programs, primarily Medicare and Social Security, that Republicans have targeted for reform.

However, that may be about to change. Senator Patty Murray, the Democratic Chair of the Budget Committee, is not as respectful of the need to build coalitions as her predecessor. Murray is a conviction politician, and she feels her middle-class constituency is being betrayed by a callous GOP caucus more interested in abstract arguments about deficit reduction than the human costs of a damaged welfare system.

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US Video and Transcript: President Obama's Second Inaugural Address

Each time we gather to inaugurate a president, we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution. We affirm the promise of our democracy. We recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names. What makes us exceptional – what makes us American – is our allegiance to an idea, articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago.

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US Politics Audio: Any Hope and Change in Obama's 2nd Term? --- Scott Lucas with the BBC

On the eve of the Inauguration, I joined Sir Christopher Meyer, the former British Ambassador to the US, on BBC Radio 5 Live's Double Take to discuss the achievements of President Obama's first term and the prospects for his second.

Listen to programme from  14:38

I found this a useful summary, with emphasis on Obama's "cautious" and "pragamatic" approach. In addition Sir Christopher's upbeat assessment of Obama on domestic issues and my less-enthusiastic comments over gun control and foreign policy, the former diplomat pointed to advances on the social front such as immigration.

If the discussion had continued, I would have heartily endorsed this shift in tone on some social issues. adding positive signs --- often at State level --- such as acceptance of same-sex relationships and sensible policies towards marijuana use.

The BBC summary starts at the 14:38 mark, with the discussion following from 17:17.

US Politics Audio: A Good Deal on the "Fiscal Cliff? --- Scott Lucas on a BBC Panel

I joined a panel on the BBC World Service's Have Your Say tonight to discuss the economic and social issues around the package, approved by Congress last night after days of to-the-wire negotiations, to avert a "fiscal cliff". 

I found this one of the most useful discussions, albeit one which was generally pessimistic about the outcomes of the agreement. No one was fighting a political corner, so the chat could ask "What issues are not being addressed by the deal?" That allowed topics such as health care, education, and income inequality to be introduced alongside the headline topics of taxes and Government spending.

Other panellists are Tiziana Dearing, the CEO of Boston Rising, a "nonprofit organization committed to ending the cycle of poverty in Boston; Robertson Williams of the Tax Policy Center; and Robin Murray, a retired family doctor from Florida.

The discussion starts at the 11:25 mark and lasts for about 25 minutes, before and after the news.

US Audio Feature: So How Serious is This "Fiscal Cliff"? --- Scott Lucas with the BBC

See also US Politics Special: A 6-Point Guide to the "Fiscal Cliff"

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Complementing Lee Haddigan's six-point guide to the "fiscal cliff" --- in which taxes will increase and funding for some programmes will be in jeopardy if there is no political agreement by midnight --- I spoke with the BBC this morning to explain the issues and their significance.

The take-away line: "The US will not go into economic meltdown if the White House and Congress fail to reach a deal. The effect is psychological --- it is loss of confidence that could foster another recession."

nd will there be a deal? "We won't know until midnight tonight because this is a game of political chicken."

BBC Radio 5 Live: The discussion starts at the 6:08 mark.

BBC Radio Scotland: The item begins at 2:07.26.

BBC Radio Wales: The interview starts at 1:25.34.

US Politics Special: A 6-Point Guide to the "Fiscal Cliff"

President Obama calls on Friday for a resolution to avoid the "fiscal cliff"

See also US Audio Feature: So How Serious is This "Fiscal Cliff"? --- Scott Lucas with the BBC

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Editor's Note: As 2012 comes to a close, the emergency story in the US press is the "fiscal cliff". If there is no agreement by midnight, then tax cuts introduced by George W. Bush almost a decade ago will lapse, and funding of Federal programmes --- such as benefits for long-term unemployment and farm subsidies --- will be in jeopardy.

Discussions on Sunday were adjourned without agreement between the Obama Administration and Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress, despite Democratic concessions such as the raising of tax rates only on those making more than $450,000 a year and on an escalation of estate tax.

But as the haggling over details continues to the last minute, what are the basic economic issues? What happens if the clock strikes 12 and there is no dramatic resolution? EA's Lee Haddigan explains....

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US Politics Analysis: Trotsky's Icepick and the Fight within the Republican Party

House Speaker John Boehner speaks on Wednesday about the "fiscal cliff" negotiations

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The murder of Leon Trotsky at Stalin's behest in Mexico in 1940 --- with an icepick that made his ears burn --- has become synonymous with the tendency of supporters of the same political ideology to act more as enemies than friends. The history of Communist movements worldwide, and in the US, is rife with infighting and intrigue, splits and divisions.

Trotsky's Icepick has now reached the conservative movement in the US. The immediate sign is the division over how Republicans should approach the "fiscal cliff" negotiations, but there are also internal recriminations about how and why Mitt Romney managed to lose a winnable Presidential election.

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