State of the Union: No Room in the Speech for Latin America
New York Times Columnist James Reston once famously said, “The U.S. will do anything for Latin America, except read about it.” Or, evidently, speak about it. In President Obama’s State of the Union address on Tuesday, January 25, he spoke little of the international community, and even less about our southern neighbors. Despite the almost complete lack of direct attention, many of the topics that the president addressed yesterday are likely to gravely affect Latin America. Washington’s policies on higher education, immigration, and free trade will almost certainly reverberate beyond U.S. borders.
During his address, President Obama stressed the importance of reinvigorating America’s floundering education system, and challenged teachers and state policy-makers alike to make vital improvements to the educational infrastructure. Obama mentioned the hundreds of thousands of international students that enroll in American higher education institutions, and expressed his disappointment that the best and brightest will eventually return to their home countries— as if it was the United States that were the primary victim of a heartless brain drain.
This analysis was prepared by COHA Research Associate Becky Walker
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