As politicos nationwide chimed in on President Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, not excluded were the good Senators from Massachusetts Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey. A champion of the left wing, Warren’s influence and energy are simply contagious exemplified by the fact that after only one year in the Senate, Democrats have considered nominating her for President. So, naturally, her thoughts on last night’s speech are sure to weigh heavy on politicians spanning both ends of the bipartisan spectrum.
The State of the Union itself was something of an anomaly. President Obama called for a strengthening of ties across party lines while vowing to sidestep Congress should legislation stall in the chambers as it often did in 2013. His oration was followed up with live broadcasts from Republican Congresspeople who, while stressing their agreement of the President’s depiction of American resolve and resilience, denounced his bills and suggested his national goals are motivated by self-interest.
But, the liberal Senators from blue Massachusetts boasted sentiments that fell in line with our commander-in-chief. From her office in Washington D.C., Senator Warren issued the following statement,
President Obama laid out an encouraging plan for how we can move our country forward. The President showed he is ready to take action now to help level the playing field for hard-working families. Raising the minimum wage for federal contract workers and expanding access to early childhood education are important steps, and I applaud the president’s leadership. Even so, we need to do more together to ensure that all of our kids have a chance at a quality, affordable education and real opportunities for success. I’m committed to working with my colleagues in the Senate to make the kinds of investments in education, research, and infrastructure that help us build a future – not just for some of us, but for all of us.
For his part, Senator Markey – who was joined in the capital by Watertown Police Chief Edward Deveau to help honor all of those responsible for responding to the catastrophic Boston Marathon bombings – shared a similar optimism with Senator Warren and President Obama. Though it was announced Wednesday that Senator Markey will be challenged for his seat by Hopkinton’s Brian Herr, the junior Senator from the Bay State chose instead to focus his full attention to supporting the president.
Noted Senator Markey,
President Obama’s address and the presence of heroes from the Boston Marathon bombings tonight reminded us all of the spirit of this event – that we are all stronger as a nation when we work together, even during difficult times. President Obama laid out a vision that is a practical, necessary, and effective way to create jobs, grow our economy, and protect our people and our planet.
