Hudson: Obama offers Ôsame failed policies' in State of the Union speech

WASHINGTON — Richmond County’s congressman slammed President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address as divisive on domestic policy and “out of touch” on national security.

Rep. Richard Hudson, a Concord Republican who is a frequent critic of Obama’s signature health care overhaul, released a statement panning the president’s final State of the Union speech on Tuesday night.

“Over the past seven years, President Obama’s biggest efforts like Obamacare and the Iran nuclear deal have been highly partisan, divisive and unilateral,” Hudson said. “The president has an incredible opportunity in his final year in office to seek common ground and work with folks on both sides of the aisle to fix the problems we face.

“Unfortunately, the president laid out a vision tonight that benefits his legacy instead of the American people. He has offered us more of the same failed policies that hurt American families, make the world less safe and hold our economy back.”

A primary sponsor of the SAFE Act, a bill that would stall the immigration of Syrian refugees to American soil until expanded background checks are completed, Hudson said the president’s policies do not adequately protect Americans from the threat of terrorism.

“When it comes to bolstering security of the Iraqi and Syrian refugee program, I’m disappointed the president failed to address such a serious issue of national security,” Hudson said in the Tuesday statement. “It just goes to show that he’s out of touch with his top security advisers who have expressed concern over adequately vetting these individuals.

“He’s out of touch with the facts that two Iraqi refugees living in our communities were arrested for terrorism. Most importantly, he’s out of touch with the American people who want their leaders to work together to keep us all safe.”

Hudson is seeking a third term representing North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District and faces a general election challenge from Democrat Thomas Mills, a Wadesboro native and political blogger who has worked as a public policy consultant.