Project 21

WASHINGTON -  With the completion of President Obama's second State of the Union Address, members of the Project 21 black leadership network are assessing the President's rhetoric before Congress and the direction in which he wants to take the nation:

Mychal Massie: "Has Obama had an epiphany, or is he still dazed from his shellacking from the American people in the November elections? From the beginning, he was a free-spending Keynesian. Now he's talking about capping spending and ending earmarks. It's inconsistent with his advocacy thus far. It's too much like when Bill Clinton declared that the 'era of big government' was over back in his 1996 address. Changing the language without changing the behavior is nothing more than obfuscation, and would signal that the only one Obama seeks to benefit is himself." (Mychal Massie is the chairman of the Project 21 black leadership network.)

Coby W. Dillard: "President Obama tried to convince us tonight that the state of the union needs additional and new 'investment' to be strong. One only needs to look at the investment that was the stimulus to see how spending borrowed money and blowing up the national debt was no solution. The new Congress was elected to stop the blank checks and to rein in a government operating in a manner that would destroy households or businesses. Only when President Obama makes the tough choices regarding removing the barriers to job growth, controlling entitlements and embracing fiscal responsibility will we see out union grow stronger." (Coby W. Dillard is a member of Project 21 and a founder of the Hampton Roads Tea Party in southeastern Virginia.)

Lisa Fritsch: "If we are really serious about having American students 'Race to the Top' to be innovative and compete with the likes of China and India, then we'd better get serious about focusing on teaching math and science like China and India rather than sex education, diversity initiatives and healthy eating habits. And let's do away with talk of the DREAM Act and wake up to the reality that legal immigration and citizenship is a prerequisite to our innovation and sovereignty. Not until we get serious about protecting our borders and defending our American values can we truly educate, prepare and utilize those who desire to be productive American citizens." (Lisa Fritsch is a member of Project 21 and a freelance writer and talk show host in Austin, Texas.)

Cherylyn Harley LeBon: "After two years in office and a steady rise in unemployment, Americans are still waiting for a plan for job growth from this president. 'Innovation,' 'education' and 'infrastructure' are wonderful words which are meaningless unless they translate into jobs TODAY. The American people need to get back to work, pay their mortgages and put food on the table. At the moment, we are less concerned about initiatives which will come to fruition in 25 years." (Cherylyn Harley LeBon is a member of Project 21 and a former senior counsel on the Senate Judiciary Committee.)

Deneen Borelli: "President Obama's energy agenda, as detailed in tonight's address, is essentially tilting at windmills. He can dream all he wants about alternative energy sources, but Obama will stifle innovations for tomorrow if he hobbles fossil fuels today. Demonizing the oil companies and hampering their ability to produce is going to raise costs, destroy jobs and hurt our fragile economy. Like it our not, our nation needs fossil fuels." (Deneen Borelli is a fellow with Project 21.)

Bishop E.W. Jackson: "There was no pivot in Obama's speech this evening. Sure, it sounded good, but the first step in winning the future is not government encouraging innovation. The American people have been innovating since our country was formed. We need to stop the crushing burdens of debt and regulation which inhibit productivity. Only our American entrepreneurs can solve the dilemma we are now in. In order to do that, the government must get out of the way. To quote Ronald Reagan: 'Government is not the solution. Government is the problem.'" (Bishop E.W. Jackson is a member of Project 21 and the founder of Exodus Faith Ministries in Chesapeake, Virginia.)

Project 21, a leading voice of black conservatives since 1992, is sponsored by the National Center for Public Policy Research