Attached is the transcript of the State of the Union Address for 2011. After reviewing the transcript, please comment on any similarities you see between the present economy and the colonial period. Have we learned anything from our own history? You may also want to review the Republican response or other related articles (there are links within the transcript).
http://www.npr.org/2011/01/26/133224933/transcript-obamas-state-of-union-address?ps=cprs
"At stake is whether new jobs and industries take root in this country, or somewhere else." The colonies faced the same problem with the Intolerable Acts, for example the closing of Boston Harbor. I imagine it would have been difficult for new jobs/industries to take root without any industry.
ReplyDeleteCurtis Russell
In listening to President Obama's speech, I was grateful to hear him condemn all the government regulation. This is one place we see similarities with the Colonists. On the heels of economic increase and stability, the Crown (government) began regulartory practices that would stunt the growth in the colonies. Ayn Rand says it best, "For the first time, man’s mind and money were set free, and there were no fortunes-by-conquest, but only fortunes-by-work, and instead of swordsmen and slaves, there appeared the real maker of wealth, the greatest worker, the highest type of human being—the self-made man—the American industrialist.” We have beaten the "self-made man, the American industrialist into the grave of high taxation. In order for any of the positive change and investments in America's future to take root, we must stop the economic hemorrhaging experienced by business owner's across this country.
ReplyDelete~Sandra Maki
The colonists had trouble geting a substantialy functioning industrilized economy running much like we are in trying to get clean energy and what not up and running on na widespread scale. I believe we haven't learned to much from our history by allowing the government to commit the same stupid act of giving a big corporation a large loan in the hopes of them being able to boost our economy.
ReplyDelete- Skyler Jerman
Just like in Colonial times, ‘In a single generation, revolutions in technology have transformed the way we live, work and do business,’ and this helped increase industry in Colonial times, but trading was limited by the Intolerable acts.
ReplyDelete- Jessica Gruendell
I the colonies, the government was very involved in the people's lives like today's government which is involved in everybody's lives. In the colonies after they had suffered a lot that it was time to deal with the government, today's government the people are trying to reduce its powers over its people. The colonies had trouble getting the economy going just like today's economy of getting cleaner fuel for the vehicles we drive today. Technology in colonies have change the way they did business, work and live similar to the technology we have today that allows use to do what we could do in colonies age of technology with better improvements.
ReplyDeleteSimilarities between colonial and modern American economy. There are at least some. Taxes is still an issue today as it was back then, and again, the government seemed to back down from taxes last December. Another similarity would be that sudden change to government fiscal policy in the last 2 years, however the type of fiscal change so far is not the same. The sudden change in colonial days was increased taxes, which has not yet happened here. The big change now is the sudden increase in government deficit spending recently. Also as in colonial days America is relatively prosperous and workers now as in the mid 18th century are productive and increasing productivity at least a little. Lastly, Obama mentioned about 12 area's in which he called for or strongly implied more government spending or increase in taxes for the top 2%. Since he also called for no more deficit spending one could assume the roughly 10 new spending areas will require more taxes. So that would be similar to colonial days. But I would also say that in all fairness, there are probably many differences between our modern economy and the colonial economy. We are now a developed and industrialized nation which we were not back then. Those are two huge differences. Also were were heavily dependent on trade with Britain and part of their mercantile economy-two more huge differences. That's just from the top of my head from a non-expert. So I don't think that it is wise to go too far and say that things are just like they were back then. There are some interesting comparison, but also some contrasts. Our current banks and the Federal Central Bank System are different also as is our currency and other things that are important.
ReplyDeleteGary T
One similarity I find is that just as the colonists learned how to grow crops that were better then what could be grown on the Continent, the Crown began to inhibit the ways the colonists could sell there wares, by creating the Navigation Acts. I believe one of the man reasons the people came over was to grow and prosper for themselves and of their families, we see that today, but we are stymied by to many rules and regulations just to get products to markets, sure we grant a lot of patents but after that the red tape quagmire begins. --Rick Kilboy
ReplyDeletethe colonist did everything in there power to make the industrialized economy prosper. that is similar to what our current economy is doing with clean energy.
ReplyDeletetaxes have been an issue though out history and are still something our government has to work on currently.
I believe the only similarities in the colonial times and now would have to be the regulations on businesses and trade etc. The colonies growth and economy was stunted by not being able to do business with certain people. We see this today with all the restrictions put in place and once they're gone the economy will surely bounce back although it will still take time.
ReplyDeleteWe have definietly learned much from our colonial times with how we still do a lot of the trade. But the main impact from then to now is how we have progressed so much with our technology is unbelievable, I liked how Obama said that with how our tech is progressing so rapidly, that in about 8 years everyone is going to be linked up to their own computer and surfing the web at will.
ReplyDeleteSteven Hanna
Riley G
ReplyDeletePresident Obama's speech and vision for America is that of our founding fathers. President Obama has stressed the need for America to return to it's innovative roots. In contrast to colonial times, President Obama envisions a stronger more independent economy, an emphasis on better education reform, and creating a less dependence on foreign energy. The colonies faced much of the sames struggles, but not at the same level. The colonies had; a budding economy,a type of currency was created, trade was successful, but relying on British for aide. President Obama has envisioned great things for our country, but will he get the cooperation necessary to fulfill these goals? we'll see...
There are several similarities between the colonial economy and today's economy. One such similarity that President Obama mentioned was the attraction of new business to America. In the colonial times this was a large factor in the growth of the new economy. Another major factor was the building of the new economy from the base level. If America is going to survive and prosper today the economy needs to be rebuilt and strenghthened at the community level. Although the economies problems are more complex today, the facts all lead to the failing and the loss of basic teaching in the community. Major reforms to our government need to take place. We need to get back to the original framework of the government in how the founding fathers created it. We all need to come together and decide to change for the future. If you want to progress to the future, you need to understand the history of the past.
ReplyDelete-Trevor Smith
I see several similarties between now and then as far as taxation and trade restriction goes. The main diffrence is in the colonial days we were imposed upon by the british goverment, today we are litmited by our own goverments taxation, laws, and burdons. The rules and limitation now are far greater due to our goverments regulation and control. Additionally I think "Big Business" further hinders the independent small business as they use the goverment lobbying to maken it as diffucult as possible for small businesses to survive. Over all I think the speach was a bunch of smoke! I like the ideas I just whish for once a president would take action on his propaganda and then report on it in the state of the union address rather than making a bunch of promises he may or may not follow through with. John Ashby
ReplyDeleteNow, as in Colonial times, the regulation by governmental powers unintentionally... or intentionally... sometimes stifles economic prosperity.
ReplyDeleteSimilarly, then and now, the people of America are striving to improve ourselves with advancing technologies to stand apart from our international associates.
...That being said, whether or not we have learned anything from our Colonial ancestors is a trickier question. We have certainly not shown ourselves well with our burgeoning debts. Also, we are undeniably entrenched in the usage of oil such as we have.
Overcoming that to change towards 'clean' energy is a wonderful aspiration that I only hope we can achieve within the prescribed time-frame. I too wish the people in command good fortune in successfully reducing(and eventually sublimating!) our debts both domestic and international.
~Spencer Pinegar
The colonists were adversely affected by the British excessive spending and their rules and regulations.
ReplyDeleteNow we are adversely affected by the federal government's excessive spending, bureaucracy, and complication regulations.
The colonists solved their problems with a revolt; how will we solve ours?
In colonial times the economy was something that needed to be worked on and improved because America was in the initial stages of formation as a new country while today we are trying to rebuild and change our economy to fix problems that have been created by us.
ReplyDeleteBack then the colonies were limited and impacted by the British while today we are by the government's regulations and laws.
Similarities exist when it comes to the taxation. This has been a sensitive topic back then as it is sadly today.
I wish I could go more into detail but politics is a topic I am not familiar enough with. However, I don’t need to be an expert to realize that the speech was full of wonderful, promising and inspiring words and no specific ways to achieve the goals these words were about.
Veronika Dimitrova
I think the drive the american people have had, has not changed. This great nation has always had citizens that love this country and want it to grow and succeed. I think one thing that might help this country come back on track is to use buy local at a national level. I understand the demand was different but back in the 1800's they didn't have millions have products imported from china. If we could implement more self sustainment we would be more successful.
ReplyDeleteJacob Downs
While listening to the State of the Union Address there are some very close points that can be compared to the colonial times.
ReplyDeleteFirst the topic of technology growth; at the time of the colonial growths farms where decreasing in size due to the new advances of technology that was being created (i.e. cotton gin). Production was increasing which decrease man labor. President Obama said “Internet has become the fastest most efficient way too due business”, therefore, lets invest in technology growth to become once again number one in the nation for our economy.
Secondly let’s prove once again that America is the best place to do business. For example, the colonies had to unit to re-establish a united economy to rebuild, after the British had blocked trade. President Obama is opening trade with India, Colombia and meeting with Brazil and many other countries to provide more jobs and protections for Americans.
Finally taxes! Simplifying taxes for Americans just how the colonies had to unite under the Constitution to share tax in order to become equal.
There are many attempts to improve history in this generation. However, I feel that we haven’t really learned all the mistakes that we have made in the past, (i.e. economic crises after house values dropped and jobs were minimal) We seem only to learn after the mistake is made, and then we are force to relearn from our own history.
Colonists had the problem of being unable to compete as well in some overseas trading, due to the Navigation Acts. Today, we're still focusing, at least verbally, on how we can better compete with foreign economies. However, we don't use money as the measuring stick as often. Now we talk about the ratio of a nation's money compared to their population, the percentage of people who are getting college degrees, and developing new technology.
ReplyDelete-Joseph Barnes
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ReplyDeleteI think one of the similarities that we have now with the colonial colonies is that we need more human capital in order for us to keep progressing, that was the main point of President Obama talk. As in colony times we now have too many restrictions that aren’t allow us to grow as a country, therefore we’re falling behind. We need to keep investing as times of old so we can become more independent (for example oil).
ReplyDeleteAlthough the topics we debate over and address in political gatherings such as this one by presisdent Obama differ with matters that the colonials were concerned about, the underlying concepts that need to be improved on are the same. We still speak of ways to improve our daily lives by focusing on things like jobs, education, economic status, war etc.
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