Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Police reports Students send heartfelt message to missing Ashland girl End-of-month sale set at Ashland library Rose Circle volunteers help mentor children 10 things to know for Tuesday Education A connection between Charlie Hebdo, MLK and the classroom Crunching the numbers Chickenpox in rear-view mirror? Ashland schools expand chicken pox exclusion rules Students go behind the scenes at hospital Environment Grant will help restore 'legacy' oak habitat in Southern Oregon and Northern California Mt. Ashland Ski Area crew dips to five Mt. Ashland Ski Area announces layoffs The top five conservation success of 2014 Protestors want Keystone pipeline plans stopped Business Ride & Drive: 2015 Audi Q5 Silvio Calabi: Chrysler 200S — hey, who is that? Ashland Fiber Network wants to be able to keep trade secrets The heart of Brammo will remain Silvio Calabi: Ford Escape Still a Solid Player Politics and elections Ashland Fiber Network wants to be able to keep trade secrets Volunteer award, State of City address presentations Tuesday City's policy, efforts aim for diversity, but numbers show shortfall Kent Bush: The keys to decoding the State of the Union address Chief Holderness retiring, wants to help find successor State News Two new wolves confirmed in Southern Oregon, state reviewing status of northeastern packs State records show number of big marijuana farms has increased New wandering wolf arrives in Southern Oregon Nation - World Obituaries Barbara Jean (Ton) Grover Death Notices May E. Harrison James Bernard Death Notices Shareable Looking back: Do you remember 2014’s biggest stories? In memoriam: 2014’s notable deaths Sports Latest Stories Grizzly spirit Howard named NAIA coach of the year Sacks, Gooding claim Century title Sacks, Gooding claim Century Tourney title Ashland girls remain winless in MWL High school Grizzly spirit Ashland girls remain winless in MWL Springfield takes advantage of Ashland letdown A Grizz sweep Comets press past Grizzlies Southern Oregon University Howard named NAIA coach of the year Ashland girls remain winless in MWL Fourteen Raiders earn CCC academic honors Four Raiders up for SOSC honors Springfield takes advantage of Ashland letdown Opinion Latest Stories Our View: Honor well deserved Letters to the Editor, Jan. 28 Guest Opinion: A New Year’s resolution you can keep: starting “the conversation” Our View: Whole lotta shakin' ... Letters to the Editor, Jan. 27 Editorial Our View: Honor well deserved Our View: Whole lotta shakin' ... Other Views: Managing wild horses Our View: Adjusting the lines Our View: City gets high marks Letters Letters to the Editor, Jan. 28 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 27 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 26 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 23 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 22 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: A New Year’s resolution you can keep: starting “the conversation” Chris Honoré: Modern media: the unreliable narrator Guest Opinion: The relevance of socialism in the U.S. Herb Rothschild Jr.: Support single-payer Guest Opinion: We're Oregonians, but we're not stupid Revels Latest Stories Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas Brian Freeman presents 'An Evening of Scottish Music' Best Bets: Jan. 22-29 Ballyhoo! brings reggae and rock to Brickroom 'Sniper' reveals the total cost of war Theater Roy Orbison tribute hits high note Insights into the gifts theater offers off the stage Theater is an act of co-creation Music The Farr Side: Trainor building a music niche A laid-back chat with Marilyn Manson Roy Orbison tribute hits high note Jeff Kloetzel at Belle Fiore The Farr Side: Top 10 album count-up for 2014 Visual Art Schneider winter exhibits on tap: 'Baker's Dozen' and 'New Works' First Friday kicks off a new year Movies Movie review: ‘Mortdecai’ majorly misses the mark Movie review: Aniston’s performance is the icing on ‘Cake’ Movie review: ‘Cake’ showcases Jennifer Aniston at her best Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas 'Sniper' reveals the total cost of war Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Dear Monty: Is a home ‘trade-in’ a good idea? 5 Things to Do This Super Bowl Weekend (Jan. 30-Feb. 1) Rose Circle volunteers help mentor children Eleanor's dog and the veil between worlds Buying a home? Consider its walkability Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business NEWS NOW Our View: Honor well deserved ... Guest Opinion: A New Year’s resolution you can keep: starting “the conversation” ... Calendar: Wednesday, Jan. 28 ... Our View: Honor well deserved ... Guest Opinion: A New Year’s resolution you can keep: starting “the conversation” ... Calendar: Wednesday, Jan. 28 ... Amy Gehrt: President Obama not finished just yet Comment By Amy Gehrt More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Amy Gehrt More Content Now Posted Jan. 23, 2015 @ 7:48 am By Amy Gehrt More Content Now Posted Jan. 23, 2015 @ 7:48 am » Social News In the aftermath of the midterm elections, there were people who predicted President Barack Obama would fade into the background, his presidency effectively over. They were wrong. The change has been obvious in the last few months, as the somber, seemingly weary president seen in the run-up to the election has transformed back into the confident commander-in-chief who captured so many Americans’ hearts and minds — not to mention their all-important votes. Nowhere has that been more clear, perhaps, than in his State of the Union address Tuesday night. Riding a wave of enthusiasm reflected in a rising approval rating — 50 percent, according to the most recent Washington Post/ABC News poll, the highest it has been in more than 18 months — and increased confidence in the economy, the Obama who addressed the American public, and a Republican-controlled Congress in both chambers for the first time in his tenure, was relaxed and self-assured. “Tonight, we turn the page” on years of economic woes, drawn-out wars and terrorism, the president declared. “The shadow of crisis has passed. The state of the union is strong.” Touting the economic gains made during his administration — unemployment has dropped to 5.6 percent, gross domestic product growth is surging and in the last five years, 11 million private-sector jobs have been gained — Obama at one point stopped, turned to the dour-faced Republicans in the room and said, with a wink, “This is good news, people.” “At every step, we were told our goals were misguided or too ambitious; that we would crush jobs and explode deficits,” he said. “Instead, we’ve seen the fastest economic growth in over a decade, our deficits cut by two-thirds, a stock market that has doubled, and health care inflation at its lowest rate in 50 years.” But, Obama noted, while the economy is recovering, the wealth gap is increasing, wages have stagnated and the recovery isn’t being felt by many hard-working Americans. “At this moment — with a growing economy, shrinking deficits, bustling industry, and booming energy production — we have risen from recession freer to write our own future than any other nation on Earth,” he said. “It’s now up to us to choose who we want to be over the next 15 years, and for decades to come,” he said. “Will we accept an economy where only a few of us do spectacularly well? Or will we commit ourselves to an economy that generates rising incomes and chances for everyone who makes the effort?” Making his case for his new policy proposals, the president called on Congress to increase taxes on the wealthy, provide more education and child-care tax credits, make community college free for most students and help 43 million working Americans finally earn paid sick leave. “Of course, nothing helps families make ends meet like higher wages,” Obama noted. “That’s why this Congress still needs to pass a law that makes sure a woman is paid the same as a man for doing the same work. Really. It’s 2015. It’s time. “We still need to make sure employees get the overtime they’ve earned. And to everyone in this Congress who still refuses to raise the minimum wage, I say this: If you truly believe you could work full-time and support a family on less than $15,000 a year, go try it. If not, vote to give millions of the hardest-working people in America a raise.” The president also spoke of the vital role veterans play, and he highlighted the national program First Lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden launched to help vets and their spouses find employment as civilians. That campaign has, at last count, helped nearly 7,000 land new jobs. In addition, Obama made a case for his foreign policy agenda, pressing for authorization for a “smarter” campaign against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, calling for continued negotiations with Iran before imposing new sanctions and seeking a new, more effective strategy with Cuba. Progressive priorities also got a presidential push Tuesday. Reiterating the need for more action to combat climate change — a cause that has been getting high-profile support from even some conservative voices lately, including Pope Francis and likely GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney ­— Obama told the nation that climate change was the biggest threat future generations face. “I’ve heard some folks try to dodge the evidence by saying they’re not scientists; that we don’t have enough information to act,” he said. “Well, I’m not a scientist, either. But you know what — I know a lot of really good scientists at NASA, and NOAA, and at our major universities.” “The best scientists in the world are all telling us that our activities are changing the climate,” the president said, “And if we do not act forcefully, we’ll continue to see rising oceans, longer, hotter heat waves, dangerous droughts and floods, and massive disruptions that can trigger greater migration, conflict and hunger around the globe. “The Pentagon says that climate change poses immediate risks to our national security. We should act like it.” Pekin Daily Times city editor Amy Gehrt may be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @AmyGehrt. The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those of the Pekin Times. By Amy Gehrt More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Amy Gehrt More Content Now Posted Jan. 23, 2015 @ 7:48 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501