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President Obama made a strong plea to protect the children of America with gun control reform during his State of the Union address on Feb. 12, while also pushing for a comprehensive immigration plan, a move to to enact measures to combat climate change, tax reform, and a raise of the minimum wage so working-class citizens don’t have to live in poverty.

President Barack Obama‘s State of the Union address on Feb. 12 was one of the most emotional ever, with the president making strong pleas on behalf the families of the Newtown tragedy, telling both chambers of Congress that they “deserve a vote” when it comes to proposed gun control reform!

When President Obama reached the portion of his speech that was dedicated to gun control reform, he said, “Of course, what I’ve said tonight matters little if we don’t come together to protect our most precious resource – our children.”

He laid bare the proposals facing Congress in the wake of the horrific shooting: “It has been two months since Newtown. I know this is not the first time this country has debated how to reduce gun violence. But this time is different. Overwhelming majorities of Americans – Americans who believe in the 2nd Amendment – have come together around commonsense reform – like background checks that will make it harder for criminals to get their hands on a gun. Senators of both parties are working together on tough new laws to prevent anyone from buying guns for resale to criminals. Police chiefs are asking our help to get weapons of war and massive ammunition magazines off our streets, because they are tired of being outgunned.”

President Obama’s Emotional Gun Control Reform Plea

The President explained that, regardless of how each vote went, it mattered that a vote occurred at all. “Each of these proposals deserves a vote in Congress,” he said. “If you want to vote no, that’s your choice. But these proposals deserve a vote. Because in the two months since Newtown, more than a thousand birthdays, graduations, and anniversaries have been stolen from our lives by a bullet from a gun.”

“Gabby Giffords deserves a vote. The families of Newtown deserve a vote. The families of Aurora deserve a vote. The families of Oak Creek, and Tucson, and Blacksburg, and the countless other communities ripped open by gun violence – they deserve a simple vote,” he said, pausing between each sentence for emotional resonance.

President Obama’s Other Proposals

But the President’s words weren’t centered squarely on gun control throughout the hour. He touched on other pressing matters, such as stronger measures to combat climate change, a comprehensive immigration plan, and a raise of the federal minimum wage to nine dollars an hour.

“Tonight, let’s declare that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty, and raise the federal minimum wage to $9.00 an hour. This single step would raise the incomes of millions of working families. It could mean the difference between groceries or the food bank; rent or eviction; scraping by or finally getting ahead,” he said.

Did you watch President Obama’s State of the Union address, HollywoodLifers? Tell us what you thought about his speech below!

– Billy Nilles

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