List of Issues

A trademark of most Bill Clinton speeches (right down to his more recent stumping for Hillary's presidential campaign) is numbering. He starts off with a short introduction and then launches into a list-style presentation of the topics he wishes to cover.

The 1996 State of the Union is no exception. In fact, it's a textbook example. Bill and speechwriter Michael Waldman structured the address around seven "challenges," or issues, facing the country, bookending the list with an intro and a fluffy conclusion.

It's similar to the "hamburger" writing style you learn in high school (buns, plus a meaty middle).

How it Breaks Down

Intro

Clinton salutes Congress (it boils down to, "sup, Mr. Speaker") and lays out his agenda for the evening. He also takes this opportunity to brag about his performance, declaring:

The state of the Union is strong. Our economy is the healthiest it has been in three decades. (3.1-2)

The Deficit

Before launching into his laundry-list of "challenges," Bill gets right to the issue on everybody's mind: the national deficit. He and Republicans have one big disagreement: how fast should we be reducing the deficit, and how much should we be cutting?

Clinton declares, "bipartisan agreement that permanent deficit spending" or spending borrowed money, "must come to an end" (10.2).

Family Values

Clinton's first challenge to America is pretty broad: "to cherish our children and strengthen America's families" (17.2).

Seem like a cop-out? It's actually an ingenious way for a Democrat to start a speech, because in American politics, talking about the importance of family is, as Dr. Strangelove would put it, highly stimulating to many conservative-leaning voters. 

Education

Building on the previous section, Clinton talks education, with a focus on instilling America's youth with the proper values. He even flirts with the idea of school uniforms, saying:

I challenge all our schools to teach character education, to teach good values and good citizenship. And if it means that teenagers will stop killing each other over designer jackets, then our public schools should be able to require their students to wear school uniforms. (33.2)

Well, that hasn't happened yet…and we can't say we're too choked up about it.

Welfare Reform

In movies, the most important scene often comes smack-dab in the middle. The same goes for this almost-movie-length speech. To anchor his welfare reform rhetoric, Clinton stays on the subject of families.

He argues for family tax credits (basically, you get to write of your kids on your tax form) (V.42.2), and repeats the phrase "working families" (41.1) to try to make his message hit home. This isn't about helping the government, he's saying—it's about helping normal people.

Crime/Drug War

After touting a couple bills he passed to expand law enforcement numbers and gun control, Clinton strikes a very conservative tone. He gets local, telling America that government can't do it all.

More police and punishment are important, but they're not enough. We have got to keep more of our young people out of trouble, with prevention strategies not dictated by Washington but developed in communities. (56.1-2)

Yup, that ol' community spirit rears its head again.

Environment

Clinton takes a moment to focus on "[leaving] our environment safe and clean for the next generation" (59.1). This is one of the more liberal-leaning moments of the speech.

Sound familiar? Republicans, as in Bob Dole's response, focused on being responsible to the next generation by reducing the deficit, so Clinton preempts this by adding the environment to the "future generations" rhetoric cocktail.

Foreign Policy

Clinton summarizes America new role in world politics after the end of the Cold War (just a heads up: this is pretty much how the government still thinks of itself today).

By keeping our military strong, by using diplomacy where we can and force where we must, by working with others to share the risk and the cost of our efforts, America is making a difference for people here and around the world. (68.1)

Anyone else have the Team America theme song stuck in their head, too?

Shrinking Government

The big climax. Clinton touts how he has shrunk government and, in very conservative fashion, puts responsibility back on the shoulders of the people:

I know that this evening I have asked a lot of Congress and even more from America. But I am confident: When Americans work together in their homes, their schools, their churches, their synagogues, their civic groups, their workplace, they can meet any challenge. (88.1-2)

Aww, shucks. That sure does make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Conclusion and Shout Outs

After nearly sixty minutes of Big Dog, we're finally in the home stretch. Clinton wraps up with a fluffy conclusion, where he praises a few everyday American heroes.