President Obama called 2014 “a year of breakthrough for America” during his sixth annual State of the Union address last week.
“Our economy is growing and creating jobs at the fastest pace since 1999,” the president claimed. “Our unemployment rate is now lower than it was before the financial crisis.”
He credited the current economic growth to his economic policy toward the middle-class — “the idea that this country does best when everyone gets their fair shot.” As he stated, “the verdict is clear. Middle-class economics works. Expanding opportunity works.”
Republican Senator Ted Cruz, disagrees with the president’s claim about the low unemployment rate.  Cruz said, “The reason the unemployment rate keeps falling is millions of people keep dropping out of the work force all together. So, they’re not counted in that number.”
President Obama, in this address, also outlined his legislative agenda to keep moving the country forward, strengthening the economy, and bettering the condition of working families. “We still need laws that strengthen rather that weaken unions, and give American workers a voice,” he said.
“But things like childcare and sick leave and equal pay, things like lower mortgage premiums and a higher minimum wage — these ideas will make a meaningful difference in the lives of millions of families.”
He urged Congress to address the question of equal pay for equal work for men and women in the workplace. “This congress still needs to pass a law that makes sure a woman is paid the same as a man for doing the same thing. Really. It’s 2015.”
He called on to Washington to start considering childcare as a national economic priority. “It’s time we stop treating childcare as a side issue, or a women’s issue, and treat it like the national economic priority that this for all of us.”
The president said before congress for free community college education because he believes that “by the end of this decade, two in three job openings will require some higher education.” he said. Without higher education it will be harder to find employment. And too many young people are not going to school because they can’t afford the tuition costs.
“That’s why I am sending this congress a bold new plan to lower the cost of community college — to zero,” he said.
Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick was the first elected official who advocated free community college during his first year of office back in 2007. 
Current Governor Charlie Baker, in a recent interview with Boston Public Radio, expressed skepticism toward this proposal. “I continue to not understand this issue,” he said. “I have a lot friends and a lot of colleagues who work in the community college space, and almost to a person they say the Pell Grant program covers the cost of a community college program.”
The President went on to touch upon several other issues such as his proposed policy to normalize relations with Cuba and his administration diplomatic approach to Iran’s nuclear program.
“Our diplomacy is at work with respect to Iran, where, for the first time in a decade, we’ve halted the progress of its nuclear program and reduced its stockpile of nuclear material,” he said.
But Senator Cruz slammed Obama’s diplomatic approach. He said that the president is ignoring the danger posed by Iran. “The greatest threat to our national security is Iran acquiring nuclear weapons capabilities,” he said. “And yet, the president is dug in on a negotiation strategy that is making it more likely that Iran acquires nukes.”
In addition, President Obama addressed the issue of threat of cyber attack. He said, “No foreign nation, no hacker, should be able to shut down our networks, steal our trade secrets, or invade the privacy of American families, especially our kids.”
He urged congress to take action regarding the issue of cyber attacks.
“I urge this Congress to finally pass the legislation we need to better meet the evolving threat of cyber-attacks, combat identify theft, and protect our children’s information,” he said.
Other issues addressed by President Obama in the state of the Union included climate change, ISIL, and the Pipeline Bill, which he said will “earn his veto” if passed by Congress.