I'm sure you have heard some political jargon this week regarding Democrats, Republicans, and the first State of the Union address of 2010.  Well if you didn't quite understand what the underlying messages were, or what the goals of each party are, I am here to help clarify (well at least try to):

Left Wing:
 
 So Barack Obama and his Jackasses were elected amidst strife and economic digression (recession), something we all knew, but something Obama had to reiterate throughout the week (in case we didn't know).  If we are talking about repetition, he says his stimulus package (reform bill) "works", and that no one can reject a plan that has provided <2 million jobs for Americans since Obama has taken office (little do the people know that these are the most temporary jobs ever) while helping our economy steadily rise with our employment rate (use microscopes to see movement though).
 His dreams of universal healthcare have been fancied for months now; claiming that results of it would bring down deficit, cover uninsured, strengthen medicare for seniors, and stop abuse from insurance companies.  The only obstacle in the way of passing the will and putting it into action is a speculative GOP, prolonging a filibuster because they don't understand how we can pay back the extra DEBT that would be added on with this healthcare plan.  But Obama urges the Republicans to stay, and that bipartisanship is so close he can taste it.  Sure, healthcare reform may reduce the deficit by placing power restricting laws on insurance companies, providing a federal income rather than a privatized income... but, again, how do we pay for this when all we have is credit?
 In 2000, the budget surplus stood at a minor $200 billion.  In 2008, we suffered through a 1 year deficit of 1 trillion... this number is projected to reach 8 trillion by the next decade.  This is all claimed to be due to (the Bush administration) not paying for 2 wars, 2 tax cuts, and an expensive pharmaceutical drug program.  Obama, instead of trying to reduce the debt immediately, added $1 trillion to our debt in hopes of it making us money back (which it will) in the future ("spend money to makey money", but really our next generation tax payers will be the ones paying this back).  He was convinced that this was right thing to do, and who is to say that it definitely won't work?  He says that the entire federal system should adopt his theory and support his efforts... fair enough.
 So on that note, he listed step(s) to pay for this $1 trillion debt we added from rescuing the economy last year.  Firstly, he is putting a freeze on discretionary non-secure government spending in 2011, this will last for 3 years and will deem national security, medicare, medicaid, and social security ineffective.  Secondly, he wants to work within a budget, investing in needs and dropping what we don't (a little late there).  He will do this by eliminating programs that don't work, which will gain us $20 billion in savings for next year.  He is setting in stone that there will be no tax cuts for oil companies, investment managers, and those making over $250,000 a year (that is very awesome).  But all of this is overshadowed (at the moment) by an increasing medicare/medicaid/social security cost. 
 We need a bipartisan fiscal commission, no pretending to be friends either.  He wants a specific set of solutions provided by a deadline (seriously that is all he said) because he refuses to pass this problem on to another generation of Americans (which is going to be a daunting task I guarantee you).  Outsourcing is a economical mechanism of the past, we must endorse internal production (clean energy, agriculture, etc) while making "fewer investments in people, extending tax cuts, and establishing status quo on healthcare" to make deficits disappear.  And for this reason, the Republicans snare and glare on the "sidelines" while the Democrats rejoice in happiness.  
 This very thought of how Washington D.C. works is "unacceptable".  We need to close the doubtful gap in Washington by defending outside abuse of lobbyists (no policy making jobs or federal board commissions), making it a law for them to disclose the information they make with a client, with Obama first.  Unfortunately, Supreme Court downturned a century old law prohibiting companies and business' to use their general treasuries to produce and run their own campaigns either opposing or promoting congress and the President. This opened the "flood gates" for foreign interests and corporate gains.  Obama urges blue and red to pass a bill to help correct the problems they have with foreign reliance.
 We must restore the public trust, requests on how our earmark spending works are published on the White House website before there is a vote, so American people can see how their money is being spent. No reform will happen unless we reform/rekindle the relationship between house and senate... it's philosophical differences which cause us to part ways (we shouldn't have grudges from senators).  Criticizing one another is the kind of politics that stops parties from helping people while bolstering division and distrust in the government. 
 "No giving up".  We have the largest majority of Democrats running congress in decades, so people expect "us" to solve problems and not run for the hills.  Republicans insist on a 60 vote supermajority for any discussion but the responsibility to govern is the Republicans as well.  The government is here to serve citizens and not ambitions (so erase personal gain).
 Obama will make investments in homeland security and terrorist searches, while prohibiting torture, and strengthening partnerships in the Pacific, Asia, and Middle East.  More Al qaeda leaders were caught in 2008 than ever (but more are joining?).  He plans to have all troops come home by July of 2011 (awfully ambitious).   And remember, the U.S. military's job is to reduce corruption, work to fight for the rights of all Afghans, and give Iraq back to it's people(promising to end a 30 (or 40) year war).  Troops will be out of Iraq by the end of August (I heard that that was happening last year not this year?) but we will continue to support the Iraqi government in holding elections while partnering with the people for regional peace and prosperity.  
 We WILL support soldiers when they come home, providing them with the largest increase in investments for veterans in decades (last year).  We are currently building a 21st century veteran affairs (new ideals) to support military families as well.  While on the topic of military, the United States is trying to reverse the spread of nuclear weapons; Russia and the U.S. are reaching the furthest control treaty (issuing more sanctions on Iran) in decades and 44 nations will come together to secure all nuclear weapons in the world so that they don't fall in terrorist hands (impossible?)  
 We are working through the G-20 (which predicted this current global economic crisis in the year 2000) to sustain economic recovery.  We are endorsing Muslim communities to support science and education to raise the employment bar in the Middle East.  Climate, starvation, aids, bioterrorism, infections disease spread, and health at home and abroad will be focused on more than ever.  "Our destiny is connected to those beyond our shores".  
 Humanistic endeavors will become a priority, ending problems with corruption in Guinea, unequal employment in Iran, and female rights in Afghanistan.  Abroad, what we are praised for is our ideals, this is the same at home.  We are all equal and protected by the law as long as we abide by it, this must be highlighted.  The Civil Rights division is prosecuting employment discrimination while congress is strengthening laws on hate crimes.  The "don't ask, don't tell" policy will be eliminated as well to give gays the same rights as heterosexuals when it comes to serving the United States government/military (I fear this will increase hate crimes due to the amount of homophobic personnel in the military).  Women should also get equal pay for equal days of work (something we have been trying for a century almost).  Fixing our broken immigration system, securing borders, enforcing laws will all contribute to our economy because we can then regulate our labor force and citizenship.
 All these ideas sound great, but the future must be taken into account.  Obama is humanistic and emotional in his thought, which connects him closely to the minds of the people (sometimes hypnotizing them with his use of rhetoric and persuasion)... this is a weakness, as seen by Republicans, but we must support our President and make an honest effort at reforming our system (as a union).  Obama is tackling the smaller problems, to pave the way for the bigger problems to go away or "hibernate".  All in all, we are making positive change rather than negative, and that is what matters most in these times.  Cheerio, mate.

Right Wing:
 
 So you may be thinking that Bob McDonnell's (Republican speaker, followed the State of Union speech in Richmond) speech was closely tied to that of Obama's, but there were some subtle differences between the two that may stand out in this summary.  He started off the speech telling Americans that we should still be fighting for jobs (because we do have that right) with a horrible 1 in 10 Americans unemployed being an unacceptable statistic.  Virginia alone is suffering through the highest unemployment rate in 25 years, and being the governor of VA, McDonnell promises he will bring new jobs to the citizens.  Spurring private sector abilities to create new jobs and provoke entrepreneurship is the main road being taken.  We should not pile taxation and litigation on the average American because it, over time, removes the middle class... and we do not want that class imbalance, trust me.
 He then incorporated the quote from Thomas Jefferson, "we shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread which is earned", which is a statement directed for times like these.  Massive new federal spending last year ($1 trillion added debt) was supposed to hold unemployment to under 8%, said Obama... but we have just now been able to bring it down for a horrible 11%.  Our national debt is expected to double in 5 years and triple in 10 (federal debt is divided by $100,000 in each household), we need to act fast before this becomes inevitable. 
 "We need to restore the proper limited control of government at every level", removing an extremely centralized government and giving power to states which know their people best.  Without this reform, excessive growth of government threatens liberty and prosperity, and may very well do so given enough time in the same place.  Results cannot be based off of rhetoric (direct hit for Obama) but on cooperation and partisanship.  
However, we do have a common ground; we need healthcare that is affordable, accessible, and quality.  Where we differ is that handing healthcare duties to federal commissioning/bureaucracy would be defective (look at DMV, human resources, etc.).   
 We will fix this issue by implementing common sense reforms, families and businesses can buy insurance across state lines, age and previous condition are irrelevant, and we can eliminate driving up the cost of hospital doctor needs. We need to be energy dependent and secure, using vast natural resources like coal, nuclear, wind, and solar energy.  Virginia is the first state to explore oil and natural gas offshore.  The Obama administration is delaying nuclear energy expansion, and imposing cap and trade energy taxes.  It is now time for energy efficiency to lower the price of energy jobs.
 The young need education to compete, we must extend high charter school and reward professors, children's needs based on intellect and work ethic rather than "zip code".  We must maintain national defense by slowing down trips to Iraq, and the same rights given to Americans in court cannot be given to terrorists who threaten the lives of these Americans (we should not have to spend tax payer dollars to protect these terrorists, should be spent on defeating them).
 Our government must guarantee the quality of opportunity for all by initiating sponsor free enterprise's, economic growth, strong families, and individual achievement.  "Overtaxing investors will not foster more investors".  Leave personal choices of free people in free market, and never undermine state and local governments because "government closest to the people governs best" (and closest doesn't mean on your TV screen and radio all the time, fireside chats are old school).  Where opportunity is limited we must expand, and unequal treatment is intolerable.  Not only that, but we cannot be losing homes, our property liberty must also be protected.

 That being said, McDonnell has a more stern approach, dealing less with public image and more with complicated issues which need to be addressed in the most efficient form possible.    The arguments differ on both sides and are very clear, now you decide on whether we should combine these party efforts or fuel the ongoing internal war which has been preventing us from advancing gracefully since the Civil War.  Educate yourselves, integrate yourselves, be part of this change "we need".