My editor has often said that my biggest weakness is writing stories involving numbers. So I’m not going to try to explain too much here, but rather point you to sources that can better detail the budget proposals. They include:

- A $52.8 billion budget request for the State Department, a $4.6 billion increase from fiscal year 2010 levels, with an emphasis on ongoing programs in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, as well as global development programs to provide humanitarian, health and economic assistance around the world.

- Funding to help meet the U.S. government’s goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions in the range of 17 percent in 2020 and more than 80 percent by 2050.

- The White House says the budget includes “126 terminations, reductions, and other areas of savings identified that will save approximately $23 billion next year alone.”

You can read all 192 pages of the budget on the White House Web site.

At their party retreat January 29 in Baltimore, Republicans had an unusual guest speaker – a democrat. And not just any democrat, but President Obama. The president spent more than an hour talking to and answering questions from Republicans.

“Having differences of opinion, having a real debate about matters of domestic polity — policy and national security — that’s not something that’s only good for our country; it’s absolutely essential,” Obama said. “It’s only through the process of disagreement and debate that bad ideas get tossed out and good ideas get refined and made better.”

Not surprisingly, economic and health care issues dominated the discussion. “Thank you for acknowledging that we have ideas on health care,” Marsha Blackburn, a representative from Tennessee told the president. “We want to work with you on health reform and making certain that we do it in an affordable, cost-effective way that is going to reduce bureaucracy, reduce government interference and reduce cost to individuals and to taxpayers,” she said, noting that Republicans have specific ideas on how to accomplish these goals.

You can watch the event or read a transcript on the White House Web site.

Submit your question now on YouTube’s Citizentube Channel.

A few highlights of the President’s speech to Congress and the American people, January 27:

“Engagement that advances the common security and prosperity of all people.” Obama said his administration has worked and will work with other nations in partnership to strengthen education, combat climate change, fight HIV/AIDS and grow the economy.

“We will reward good governance, work to reduce corruption, and support the rights of all Afghans.” Obama said that while the United States will continue to help the people of Afghanistan and Iraq, he is commitment to withdrawing all combat troops soon.

“Jobs must be our number-one focus in 2010.” The administration has helped 2 million people find jobs, Obama said, but more are needed, which is why he is asking Congress to pass a bill that would provide incentives for small businesses to hire more workers.

“I do not accept second place for the United States of America.” Other nations are putting more emphasis on math and science and strengthening their infrastructure, Obama said, and the United States needs to do the same to compete with these countries.

“The nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy.” Whatever your beliefs are about climate change, providing incentives for energy-efficiency is good economic sense, the president said. Obama is also seeking more investments in clean-coal technologies and bio fuels.

“The best anti-poverty program around is a world-class education.” The president called for tax incentives and other financial assistance to make higher-education more affordable.

“I didn’t choose to tackle this issue to get some legislative victory under my belt.” Obama acknowledged setbacks in getting health care reform legislation passed through Congress, but he continues to keep trying.

“None of these reforms will even happen if we don’t also reform how we work with one another.” This comment was directed to members of Congress. Political disagreements have long been a part of American history, Obama said. But what frustrates citizens today is politics of personal attacks and refusals to cooperate with politicians on the other side of the aisle. Obama said he would continue to try to change the tone of politics.

“I never suggested that change would be easy.” Many around the world remember the president’s 2008 campaign slogan, “change you can believe in.” A year into office, the president still faces many of the same obstacles his predecessor had. Change stirs up passions and controversies, Obama said, reflecting on a year in which some of his legislative proposals have received push back not only from Congress, but from the American people. But Americans have never been afraid of doing something that was hard, and neither is he, the president said.

Do you have any favorite moments from the State of the Union speech?

The following is an excerpt from an article published on America.gov by Stephen Kaufman:

There must be continued American leadership to halt the spread of nuclear weapons, develop clean energy and advance human dignity throughout the world, President Obama says, restating his commitment to global engagement.

Speaking January 27 in his first State of the Union address, Obama told U.S. lawmakers, Cabinet members, Supreme Court justices, U.S. military officers and the American people that the United States is leading through engagement to advance “the common security and prosperity of all people.”

U.S. engagement includes taking a leadership role in fighting climate change; working to sustain a lasting global economic recovery; establishing partnerships around the world in science, education and innovation; and providing humanitarian food and medical assistance, including in the fight against HIV/AIDS, he said.

“America takes these actions because our destiny is connected to those beyond our shores. But we also do it because it is right,” Obama said.

For more, see “America Must Lead Through Engagement, Obama Says.”

The U.S. Constitution requires that the president report to Congress “from time to time” on the “State of the Union.” This constitutional requirement has evolved into an annual address that reports on the state of the nation and outlines legislative and other administration goals. Of course, many of his proposed initiatives will have to be passed by Congress before going into effect, so changes to any legislation is likely.

There’s been a lot of discussion online and on television of what the president’s speech will likely include. Based off of interviews with White House officials and news coverage, here are some things I expect the president will bring up:

• Freezing federal spending: Obama is likely to call for a three-year freeze on non-security related federal government discretionary spending. At today’s White House press briefing, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said this freeze, on selected domestic programs, would save the government $250 billion over ten years.

• Strengthening the middle class: In a speech yesterday, President Obama said he seeks to “reverse the overall erosion in middle-class security.” In recent days, administration officials have mentioned potential tax breaks and incentives for childcare and education.

• Countering terrorism: Gibbs said the president will discuss recent progress and steps the government must take to keep the United States safe.

You can watch Obama’s speech live on the White House Web site.

One can request an exemption due to hardship – though you’ll need a good excuse. It seems one Cook County, Illinois, juror, Barack Obama, has one. He was called to serve in his home state this week, but being president of the United States and having his first State of the Union speech on Wednesday means he is pretty busy at the moment. The White House says Obama alerted the court earlier that he would be unable to attend.

For more on the American jury system, see Anatomy of a Jury.

A special election in Massachusetts January 19 is causing quite a buzz in the American political sphere today. Republican Scott Brown beat Democrat Martha Coakley in the race to fill the senate seat occupied by the late Ted Kennedy for more than 40 years. President Obama campaigned for Coakley earlier this week.

With this loss, the Democratic Party will no longer have 60 seats in the senate, which could pose a challenge for Obama when he tries to get the legislative body to pass his proposed initiatives. Holding 60 seats is important because 60 votes are needed to end a filibuster — a parliamentary procedure that allows senators to continue a debate indefinitely and block or delay a vote on a measure or nomination. In December, 60 senators voted to end debate on health care proposals, paving the way for a vote on the bill, which ultimately passed. Differences between this bill and the House of Representatives’ version are being worked out and will have to be passed by both houses before the president can sign it into law.

The Republican win in what is considered a heavily Democrat state has spurred a lot of discussion over whether the state’s voters were signifying their dissatisfaction with Obama and congressional Democrats’ agenda. What do you think?

Barack and Michelle Obama marked Martin Luther King, Jr. Day January 18 with community service, serving food at a local social services agency. They were also joined by their daughters Malia and Sasha and Michelle’s mother Marian Robinson. Other administration members, including Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Attorney General Eric Holder participated in community service projects throughout the Washington, D.C. area.

The holiday honoring the late civil-rights leader is a time for Americans to “reflect on the extraordinary contributions that ordinary citizens can make each and every day to make America the most hopeful country in the world,” Obama said at the White House.

The president also stopped by the Red Cross headquarters in Washington. Red Cross is providing millions in aid to victims of the earthquake in Haiti, most of which has come from private donations. The large amounts of funds raised is not only a sign of Americans’ commitment, but “it’s also a testimony, though, to the confidence people have in the Red Cross and ability of using that money wisely,” Obama told staff and volunteers working at the headquarters on what normally would be a day off of work.

Assisting Haiti is a top priority for numerous government agencies, Obama told Americans today. “Responding to a disaster of this magnitude will require every element of our national capacity — our diplomacy and development assistance, the power of our military, and most importantly, the compassion of our country,” Obama said.

An American survey team has identified priority areas for assistance, search and rescue teams are at work, an airlift has brought in medical supplies and the U.S. army has helped make the airport operational. These teams contribute to “one of the largest relief efforts in our recent history,” Obama said. A navy hospital ship is also on the way.

Additionally, President Obama announced that the United States plans to invest $100 million in aid. “This will mean more of the lifesaving equipment, food, water and medicine that will be needed,” he said. “This investment will grow over the coming year, as we embark on the long-term recovery from this unimaginable tragedy.”