The president's speeches emphasize things like fiscal responsibility and his willingness to work with Republicans, but the reality seldom matches the rhetoric, as the recent release of his bloated budget and his failure to consider Republican ideas on health care make clear.

Prior to the State of the Union, Senate Republicans discuss three of the most pressing issues facing our nation: the economy, government spending and national security. Senators Mitch McConnell, Lamar Alexander and John Cornyn said they hope President Obama uses his State of the Union to focus on these issues and works with Congress, in a bipartisan fashion, to address these concerns.

Rising unemployment and an ever-increasing deficit, a stimulus bill that failed to stimulate the economy, budget-busting health care legislation that would raise taxes and cut Medicare, and broken promises on transparency and closing Guantanamo it hasn't been a very good year for Democrats. Here, the year in review.

At a press conference in the US Capitol, Senate Republicans point out that Senator-elect Scott Brown's win in Massachusetts is a clear sign that Americans are fed up with Democrats' attempts to ram through health care legislation that would raise taxes, slash Medicare, and drive up insurance rates. Republicans want to start over on health care and work with Democrats to develop health care legislation that will provide real reform.