Rep. Bono Mack Not Impressed By President’s Address

Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack (R-45th District) watched the State of the Union Address, live from Washington D.C.

Two weeks ago, she sat down with News Channel 3 to talk about her view on the State of the Union and what she believes are the most important issues in the Coachella Valley.

Bono Mack was there for all 65 minutes of the address.

Afterwords, she responded by saying the president’s plan to create jobs falls short and failed to offer new ideas.

Weeks ago, she worried the address would be too broad, and on Tuesday the president did hit on a lot of topics.

“The State of the Union Address is always an interesting time,” said Bono Mack.

When President Barack Obama spoke to the nation, the world also tuned in through televisions and radios, listening to his plans and visions to move the country forward.

Polls show an American split on Obama’s job approval

In an election year, this could be Obama’s last State of the Union Address.

Bono Mack said Americans are most interested in the economy, and polls back her up.

“It’s an issue we should all unite on and get over party divides on how we create jobs,” said Bono Mack.

The president called for less outsourcing to other countries and said companies should have incentives to keep jobs in America.

He also pointed at manufacturing as the key to an economic recovery; he also said tax code reform is a necessity.

But despite the economy dominating much of the speech, foreign policy was not ignored — it was discussed in the first few minutes of the address.

In 2011, combat troops were drawn out of Iraq, and the war there ended.

The president said the Taliban’s grip on Afghanistan has weakened, and more troops are coming home.

With help from NATO, and an operation led by the United States, Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi was ousted from power and eventually killed as was the mastermind of 911, Osama Bin Laden.

Bono Mack is concerned with Iran, a country accused of developing nuclear weapons with bad intentions.

Beyond the speech, Bono Mack said the president, “needs to explain his thoughts on Latin America, with Ahmadinejad touring Venezuela and even becoming closer with Hugo Chavez — the president really needs to spell out to the American people what his thinking is, because of yet, we haven’t heard.”

As for the 2012 election, Bono Mack endorsed former Gov. Mitt Romney’s run for president.

Despite a recent loss to former speaker of the house, Newt Gingrich during the South Carolina primary, and polls showing Gingrich ahead in the Florida primary, Bono Mack still believes Romney will win the nomination.

“President Obama is vulnerable, but I also believe he has a very tough and strong machine that’s going be tough to go against.”