President Barack Obama laid out his vision for the next two years during his State of the Union address Tuesday night.
He called for major investments in education, infrastructure, science and technology to make America more competitive. However, Republicans said the investments the president spoke about is "Obama-speak" for spending. They said they're ready to cut spending.
Click play to watch John Jessup's report, followed by more analysis from Sabrina Schaeffer of the Independent Women's Forum.
Tom McClusky, Sr. Vice President of the Family Research Council, also discussed more of Obama's proposed new investment to spur the economy on the Jan. 26 edition of CBN News Channel's Morning program. Click here to watch the interview.
With a theme of winning for America, the president insisted the country is poised for progress. But progress, he said, comes with a commitment to face the challenges head on.
"We know what it takes to compete for the jobs and industries of our time," Obama said. "We need we need to out-innovate, out-educate and out-build the rest of the world."
He called for encouraging innovation, reforming education, and modernizing America's infrastructure and industries. Those initiatives come with a cost which he described as investments.
His talk about investments led to a cold reception from Republicans who saw them as more government spending.
"Whether sold as 'stimulus' or repackaged as 'investment,' their actions show they want a federal government that controls too much. Taxes too much and spends too much in order to do too much," said Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc.
The GOP might be a more willing partner in efforts to tackle the federal debt and deficit spending. The president proposed a five-year freeze on all non-security related discretionary spending.
"It's not a question of the level of spending," said Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C. "The question is how you direct the spending whatever the level may be."
Yet, Republicans want to do more. Some lawmakers have proposed as much as $100 billion in spending cuts.
"We shouldn't just give our people a government that's more affordable," Obama said. "We should give them a government that's more competent and efficient."
On the subject of the health care law, Obama said he's open to making improvements, but defended the reform law for improving lives. Republicans had a very different take on the issue.
"We do believe that we ought to repeal it and replace it," said Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Calif. "He believes we ought to tinker with it."
Obama acknowledged the empty seat in the chamber reserved for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., and called on Republicans and Democrats to work together to build a better America.
Obama has a tough sell, but not just on Capitol Hill where he must convince a divided Congress to buy into his plans. He must also convince a skeptical American public, whose votes in the November elections showed they have overwhelmingly rejected his policies.