In a history-making moment, former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams delivered the Democratic response to President Trump’s State of the Union address. She became the first black woman and first Georgian to give the response
During her 10 minute nationally televised speech, Abrams shared lessons learned from her working class parents who she says struggled to make ends meet.
She decried the recent government shutdown and its impact on working class Americans. Abrams laid the blame squarely at Trump’s feet.
“The shutdown was a stunt engineered by the President of the United States, one that defied every tenet of fairness and abandoned not just our people – but our values,” Abrams said.
READ Trump delivers SOTU address
Abrams leaned on her political experience in Georgia as a lesson in bi-partisanship.
“For seven years, I led the Democratic Party in the Georgia House of Representatives. I didn’t always agree with the Republican Speaker or Governor, but I understood that our constituents didn’t care about our political parties – they cared about their lives. So, when we had to negotiate criminal justice reform or transportation or foster care improvements, the leaders of our state didn’t shut down – we came together. And we kept our word.” She said, “It should be no different in our nation’s capital.”
Immigration reform, tax cuts and more
Abrams, whose close race for governor against Brian Kemp raised Democrats’ hopes of turning the state blue, upheld the party line on immigration reform.
“We know bi-partisanship could craft a 21st century immigration plan, but this administration chooses to cage children and tear families apart. Compassionate treatment at the border is not the same as open borders,” Abrams said. “Democrats stand ready to effectively secure our ports and borders. But we must all embrace that from agriculture to healthcare to entrepreneurship, America is made stronger by the presence of immigrants – not walls.”
Abrams also touched on Democratic support for a wide-range of issues including gun safety, school security, affordable student loans, marriage equality, reproductive rights, climate change, Medicaid expansion, and election reform.
She pushed back against the recent Republican tax cut.
“The Republican tax bill rigged the system against working people. Rather than bringing back jobs, plants are closing, layoffs are looming and wages struggle to keep pace with the actual cost of living,” she said.
Abrams concluded with her hope that Trump, and America, will succeed.
“So even as I am very disappointed by the President’s approach to our problems – I still don’t want him to fail. But we need him to tell the truth, and to respect his duties and the extraordinary diversity that defines America.”
Click here for full transcript of Abrams’ response.
