Last night’s State of the Union touched on many issues that are connected to achieving the common good. Check out some of the top quotes below.

On creating a more just economy:

“Average wages have barely budged.  Inequality has deepened.  Upward mobility has stalled.  The cold, hard fact is that even in the midst of recovery, too many Americans are working more than ever just to get by – let alone get ahead.  And too many still aren’t working at all.  Our job is to reverse these trends.”

“This Congress needs to restore the unemployment insurance you just let expire for 1.6 million people.”

“Give America a raise.” (Encouraging Congress to lift the minimum wage to $10.10)

“I want to work with Congress to see how we can help even more Americans who feel trapped by student loan debt.” (A huge issue for millennials)

“Americans overwhelmingly agree that no one who works full time should ever have to raise a family in poverty.”

“Let’s work together to strengthen the [Earned Income Tax Credit], reward work, and help more Americans get ahead.”

“A woman deserves equal pay for equal work. She deserves to have a baby without sacrificing her job. A mother deserves a day off to care for a sick child or sick parent without running into hardship – and you know what, a father does, too. It’s time to do away with workplace policies that belong in a “Mad Men” episode.” (Important pro-family policies and matters of justice.)

On the need for comprehensive immigration reform:

“It is time to heed the call of business leaders, labor leaders, faith leaders, and law enforcement – and fix our broken immigration system.”

On the need for increased investment in early education:

“Research shows that one of the best investments we can make in a child’s life is high-quality early education. Last year, I asked this Congress to help states make high-quality pre-K available to every four year-old.  As a parent as well as a President, I repeat that request tonight.”

On one of the great breakthroughs in recent decades:

“Because of [the Affordable Care Act], no American can ever again be dropped or denied coverage for a preexisting condition like asthma, back pain, or cancer. No woman can ever be charged more just because she’s a woman.”

On the true nature of democracy:

“It should be the power of our vote, not the size of our bank account, that drives our democracy.”

On the need for action to end the epidemic of gun violence:

“Citizenship means standing up for the lives that gun violence steals from us each day.”

On freedom and democracy in Ukraine:

“In Ukraine, we stand for the principle that all people have the right to express themselves freely and peacefully, and have a say in their country’s future.”

And two quotes that would be great if they were accurate:

“We believe in the inherent dignity and equality of every human being, regardless of race or religion, creed or sexual orientation.” (Age is noticeably absent. Unborn children are human beings. It is a scientific fact.)

“We will continue to work with the international community to usher in the future the Syrian people deserve – a future free of dictatorship, terror and fear.” (Now we just need a policy that matches this rhetoric.)