DPNM Chairman Applauds President Obama's First State of the Union Address

For Immediate Release
January 27, 2010

Albuquerque, NM – Democratic Party of New Mexico Chairman Javier Gonzales issued the following statement regarding President Obama's State of the Union address:

"Tonight, New Mexicans looked to the President to lay out a bold vision to help our families, create jobs and end the partisanship that has dominated Washington - and the President has succeeded on each count.

"The President's plans include supporting New Mexicans by reducing costs of higher education, tax breaks for small businesses and supporting community banks that will help working families. And while we still have a long road ahead of us, we have made significant progress in the last year. Under President Obama's leadership, great measures have been taken to strengthen our economy. We passed the Lilly Ledbetter Act, guaranteeing women equal pay for equal work. We have expanded health care to an additional four million children under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). We passed the Recovery Act, which saved and created millions of jobs across the country and right here in New Mexico. And we have made tremendous progress towards passing meaningful health insurance reform - a fight that is not finished.

“The President offered a hand of bipartisanship to Congressional Republicans who, we hoped after a year of obstruction and hyper-partisanship, would have accepted it and pledged to work with Democrats to help turn our economy around. Unfortunately, the Republican Party’s response echoed the same old divisive attacks and offered no real vision or solutions.

“The President passionately told us tonight he “won’t quit” on the American people or the challenges we face. Inheriting the worst economy since the Great Depression, and one that was losing between 700,000 and 800,000 jobs a month, he reminded us that change is not only difficult but sometimes it doesn’t come quickly enough.”

"I'm confident that under the President's leadership, we will continue to move our economy forward and secure a better future for New Mexico families," said Gonzales.