by Jessica Glenza (email) 01/25/12

WESTCHESTER, N.Y. — Twitter feeds were buzzing and political junkies were up late for President Barack Obama’s third State of the Union address. The speech covered a swath of political issues of the day, including education reform, immigration reform, tax reform, American manufacturing and energy production, and above all, job creation.

Obama spoke of an imperiled American dream, in danger from unfair business practices and tax policies, emphasizing that Americans need a country “where hard work pays off and responsibility is rewarded.”

Some of the most emphatic points of the State of the Union include what the president called “insourcing,” bringing jobs back into the United States, middle class jobs and tax reform. Fairness was also mentioned many times during the speech, as the president supported taxing millionaires at the same rate as payroll Americans.

Rep. Nan Hayworth (R – District 19), in anticipation of the State of the Union on Tuesday, said in a statement, “We can do it if we work together – House and Senate and president – to free up American enterprise to create jobs. Washington can’t regulate or tax us into growth. But we can work together to lift burdens and bring the federal government to the right size to serve—and not to suffocate—a strong and healthy economy.” Hayworth is entering her second year of her first term in office, after being elected on a wave a Tea Party reform.

“Do we want to keep these tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans? Or do we want to keep our investments in everything else,” Obama said. “We need to change our tax code so people like me, and an awful lot of members of Congress, pay our fair share of taxes.”

“Tonight, President Obama laid out a bold vision for reviving the American manufacturing base and getting the economy back on track so it works for everyone. These ideas are neither Democratic nor Republican ideas, they're simply good ideas,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D – N.Y.) said.

“I fully support President Obama for outlining such an ambitious agenda,” said Richard Becker, Democratic member of the Cortlandt Town Council running against Hayworth for New York’s 19th Congressional District. “For putting the country back on the right track and focusing on the issues that matter—for calling for a government and a financial system that serves all of us: no bailouts, no handouts, no cop-outs. When we get back to that set of values, we’ll be getting back to an America that will grow jobs, improve education, build newer, better infrastructure and serves the needs of each and every one of us.”

“Our top priority must be jobs, jobs, jobs,” said New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo after Tuesday’s speech. “When the national economy improves New York benefits, and I look forward to continuing to work together with the President and our federal representatives to grow our economy."