State of the Union 2016 Republican Response: Mario Diaz-Balart, Nikki Haley Deliver Spanish, English SOTU Replies

By Michael Oleaga Jan 13 2016, 05:34 AM EST

Following President Barack Obama's final State of the Union address, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart delivered separate Republican responses, in English and Spanish, respectively.

Republican Response: Gov. Nikki Haley

In English, Haley spoke about a "new direction" for Americans to consider come Election Day in November. First, she took a moment to comment about Obama, stating he has broken historic barriers and inspired millions of Americans but his record has fallen short.

"As he enters his final year in office, many Americans are still feeling the squeeze of an economy too weak to raise income levels," said Haley from Columbia, South Carolina. "We're feeling a crushing national debt, a health care plan that has made insurance less affordable and doctors less available, and chaotic unrest in many of our cities. Even worse, we are facing the most dangerous terrorist threat our nation has seen since September 11th, and this president appears either unwilling or unable to deal with it."

Haley then transitioned her response to what the Republican Party has to offer for Americans. She said American may be frustrated with a federal government that has continuously grown and failure to keep promises. But she didn't place blame solely on the Democratic Party. Haley said there's "more than enough blame to go around" and Republicans need to "own that truth. We need to recognize our contributions to the erosion of the public trust in America's leadership. We need to accept that we've played a role in how and why our government is broken. And then we need to fix it."

Haley acknowledged that she is the daughter of Indian immigrants, who grew up in the south but worked to have opportunities "to do anything, to be anything."

"My story is really not much different from millions of other Americans. Immigrants have been coming to our shores for generations to live the dream that is America. They wanted better for their children than for themselves. That remains the dream of all of us, and in this country we have seen time and again that that dream is achievable," said Haley, adding, that despite the immigrant roots, there is a need to fix a broken immigration system that will stop illegal immigration into the U.S., citing the threats of terrorism.

"At the same time, that does not mean we just flat out open our borders. We can't do that. We cannot continue to allow immigrants to come here illegally. And in this age of terrorism, we must not let in refugees whose intentions cannot be determined. We must fix our broken immigration system. That means stopping illegal immigration. And it means welcoming properly vetted legal immigrants, regardless of their race or religion. Just like we have for centuries," Haley said. "I have no doubt that if we act with proper focus, we can protect our borders, our sovereignty and our citizens, all while remaining true to America's noblest legacies."

The South Carolina governor that despite the threats and anxious times, Americans must resist temptation to "follow the siren call of the angriest voices." She would reference the Mother Emanuel church shooting in Charleston last summer, when a while male shot nine black men and women during a Bible study. She said one lesson from the shooting is how to handle the aftermath and how certain matters were subsequently dealt.

"In many parts of society today, whether in popular culture, academia, the media, or politics, there's a tendency to falsely equate noise with results. Some people think that you have to be the loudest voice in the room to make a difference. That is just not true. Often, the best thing we can do is turn down the volume. When the sound is quieter, you can actually hear what someone else is saying. And that can make a world of difference," Haley said. "Of course that doesn't mean we won't have strong disagreements. We will. And as we usher in this new era, Republicans will stand up for our beliefs."

Haley said if Republicans win the White House, working families will see lower taxes, controls on spending and debt, education reforms away from Washington, D.C. bureaucrats, end the Affordable Care Act and respect the Constitution, especially the Second and Tenth Amendments.

"We have big decisions to make. Our country is being tested. But we've been tested in the past, and our people have always risen to the challenge. We have all the guidance we need to be safe and successful. Our forefathers paved the way for us. Let's take their values, and their strengths, and rededicate ourselves to doing whatever it takes to keep America the greatest country in the history of man and woman," said Haley.

Republican Response in Spanish: Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart

Diaz-Balart also offered an official Republican response, but in Spanish. For the most part, Diaz-Balart's speech was similar to Haley's transcript, including that Obama broke historic barriers seven years ago but how Americans are still struggling with the economy, health insurance law and the current terror fears.

Also similar to Haley, Diaz-Balart spoke about how there's blame in Washington, D.C. that the Republican Party should accept. While Haley spoke her Indian immigrant family, Diaz-Balart spoke his Cuban parents who exiled from the communist island.

"My history is similar from millions of other Americans," Diaz-Balart said, originally in Spanish, also echoing Haley in that immigrants, for generations, have been coming to U.S. to live the American dream.

After stating that Americans ought to resist temptation from hearing divisive voices, Diaz-Balart's speech went on to focus more on immigration reform than Haley's response. The congressman said it's essential to find a legislative solution to protect the country, defend its borders, reform the visa system and offer a permanent humane solution for people who live in the shadows, while respecting the law.

Unlike Haley, Diaz-Balart also mentioned events in Latin America that requires U.S. attention, such as Cuba not having a free election in more than 57 years and both Cuba and Venezuela's detention of political opposition.

"In our country, we are blessed with the right to speak our minds, and we will continue doing so to better our nation," said Diaz-Balart.

Diaz-Balart then continued with the same points as the English address, noting a Republican White House win would benefit working families, bipartisan education reforms, controls on spending and debt, encourage the use of natural gas, end the Affordable Care Act and respect the Constitution.