AMARILLO, TEXAS -- As expected, Democrats gave the President's State of the Union Address high praises. But even Republicans applauded the President politely and tempered their post-speech criticism. Pronews 7 spoke to a West Texas A&M University Political Science Professor for more reaction. America saw something historic Tuesday night. Democrats and Republicans sitting alongside each other in a show of cooperation, instead of on separate sides. We also got a detailed plan from a President, something Professor Dwight Vick says rarely happens.
"I thought it was very good, I though that he provided a bit more detail than many State of the Union Addresses often provided. Most of them provide a broad stroke approaches he was a bit more detailed," said Dwight Vick, WTAMU Political Science Professor.
In the plan, President Barack Obama included ways to reform government, cut spending, and invest in infrastructure to compete globally. He called for a 5-year freeze on discretionary government spending that's not security related. And he also said the nation needs better roads, bridges, and a high-speed rail.
"By investing in things like high speed rail, improving roads building new bridges or reinforcing the bridges that we currently have will provide millions of dollars and millions of jobs. A lot of the bridges have been there for 60 to 70 years, it's time for them to be rebuilt. So those types of investments spur economic growth," said Vick.
For now, the bi-partisanship continues. Wednesday, a group of senators pledged to work together to revamp the "No Child Left Behind" Education Law. That's after the President called on them to speed up overhaul of the Bush-Era Policy during the State of the Union Address.
"Most Republicans thought this was a good speech, most Democrats thought it was a good speech. There's going to be reaction on the right as much as on the left, but most though it was a good speech and it was exactly what we needed to hear given the times in which we live," said Vick.
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