Last night Obama gave his first State of the Union address to the US Congress and as usual there were the inevitable claps and sighs and…….but the real story is it was absolutely unnecessary…why?…..the parts of the speech have been picked to pieces for several days and there was little new in the actual speech….

So what did he say and why?

Obama acknowledged the long, messy health care debate has soured many on the idea and try to make a far-reaching overhaul relevant and attractive again to voters.

He talked about why he thinks the nation’s future economic health also depends on reshaping financial industry regulations to place tighter rules on Wall Street, another immediate domestic priority.

He talked and gave specifics on how he believes Washington’s combative, partisan, gridlocked ways can be changed.

On national security, Obama detailed his administration’s efforts to combat terrorism around the globe, which have seen some success but have been overshadowed by the attempted airline attack on Christmas Day and political difficulties in Pakistan. He also will address the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, nuclear disputes with Iran and North Korea, this month’s devastating earthquake in Haiti and his larger ambition to restore the U.S. image around the world.

But bread-and-butter issues – lost jobs, difficulties paying for college or retirement, soaring deficits, anger at Wall Street fat cats – dominated the speech.

The first priority is reversing persistent joblessness, and Obama is expected to defend the job-boosting results of last year’s stim package while pushing anew for proposals such as giving tax credits to small businesses that add workers and incentives to make homes more energy efficient. Neither proposal made it into a jobs bill passed by the House in December.

He also plans to propose modest new measures to help the middle class – money for child care, helping out aging parents, saving for retirement and paying off college debt.

Aware of increasing voter frustration over the government’s red ink, Obama will talk about various efforts at what Gibbs called “a slow chipping away” at the deficit. The White House said Obama would ask Congress to freeze spending on some domestic programs for three years – though the savings would total only a tiny fraction of the annual deficit.

Obama is also making the mostly symbolic move of announcing a freeze – for the second year – on the salaries of highly paid White House aides and top federal agency officials.

All in all a good speech….a good Obama– style speech, but what struck me was there was little that I see as help for Main Street and especially the middle class, which by most accounts is disappearing rapidly …..

Even though the speech is mandated by the Constitution…..I thought the speech was unnecessary…everyone that is interested in what he says has already heard just about all the analysis of this speech days before it was given……none of it sounds like a plan that will lead to success, in my opinion…..but since he had to give it what about the whole speech?  Too conservative for my tastes, but most Americans will appreciate it….

Note:  I would like to thank the AP’s Jennifer Loven for some excellent points in this post)