NC delegation reacts to Obama’s speech

Here are some reactions to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech from members of the N.C. delegation:

“Instead of telegraphing to the world what actions he won’t take, the president needs to formulate a clear and decisive strategy to completely defeat ISIS and secure our homeland. … The president has a choice to make: He can finally engage with Congress and work to find common ground, or the president can continue to side-step Congress and the American people by implementing executive actions that divide rather than unite.”

“Unfortunately, the president laid out a vision tonight that benefits his legacy instead of the American people. … When it comes to bolstering security of the Iraqi and Syrian refugee program, I’m disappointed the president failed to address such a serious issue of national security. ... It just goes to show that he’s out of touch with his top security advisers who have expressed concern over adequately vetting these individuals.”

“In Congress, Republican extremists have already forced a vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act for the 62nd time and have once again attacked women’s health by trying to defund Planned Parenthood. … Partisan games and division are transgressions on our communities. ... As the President mentioned, better politics don’t mean that we must agree on everything. We have diverse thoughts and we represent diverse populations. However, in order for our communities to prosper for future generations, we must work together.”

“President Obama is a gifted speaker, but his policies have been short on results. ... Americans need to know that we will stand in defense of freedom against tyranny and oppression. Thankfully, we’ve finally reached President Obama’s final State of the Union. Regrettably, his vision for America has been a colossal failure.”

Greg Gordon, McClatchy Washington Bureau

This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 11:20 PM with the headline "NC delegation reacts to Obama’s speech."