U.S. Rep Jason Smith (MO-08) released the following statement after tonight’s State of the Union:
“The president continues to lead from behind on our nation’s national security. Tonight was his opportunity to show he understands the challenges and threats facing our country. It was his chance, his moment, to use his most public forum to reassure Americans that our government will meet a hostile and changing world with the same security and leadership we have known for generations. It was the president’s opening, during a prime time delivery, to provide strong reassurance to Americans that we will defeat ISIS, prevent a nuclear Iran, and won’t back down to aggressors such as North Korea, China and Russia.
Instead we heard none of that. There was no plan for addressing the very serious and real threats facing this country. There was no talk of how dangerous the threat is from ISIS and how we will actually defeat them; no mention of how to root out an ever strengthening Taliban. The president celebrated his catastrophic nuclear agreement with Iran, yet made no acknowledgement of their continued antagonistic military actions. including the current detainment of 10 U.S. navy sailors. The president focused on a rehash of some of the greatest failed policies of the last 7 years of his Administration. He tried to take a victory lap of self-congratulation for low gas prices; but then criticized the very source of energy which keep the lights on in Missouri; he talked about the burden of federal red tape on business, but then discussed an aggressive regulatory agenda over the next year. It’s hard to take serious a presidential speech which fails to address the issues at the forefront for millions of American families, national security and safety of their loved ones.”
