Obama Focuses On Domestic Policy in Inaugural Speech

Health care costs, climate change, and immigration were all topics that appeared in the Inaugural speech.

President Barack Obama is now the first President to say the word 'gay' in an inaugural speech. Of course, that wasn't the main topic as he gave his second inaugural address on Monday, but it was very indicative of his overall focus on domestic policy and social issues. The nearly 2,000-word speech had only one brief paragraph on foreign policy. Of course, like any inaugural speech, the President mentioned democracy and America’s role as a leader as the overarching themes. But more specific polarizing topics like immigration and gay marriage also made an appearance in his speech, garnering loud cheers from the audience.

“Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law,” President Obama said. “Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity; until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country.”

Other interesting topics that showed up were rising health care costs and climate change, topics he said he would focus on for the next four years. He said that America cannot ignore obligations to people who helped build the country but also can’t neglect the responsibility it has to protect the future of young Americans. Here is President Obama’s full speech. 

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