Ohio's view on State of Union

TOLEDO, Ohio (WUPW) - While the focus was not on health care Wednesday evening in President Barack Obama's first State of the Union Address, a topic that has dominated Washington, D.C., over the last few months, much of the focus was on the economy.

The president called it his most urgent task when taking office, but getting the economy back on track is the new top priority.

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur said go to Wall Street first.

"We can't just keep propping up Wall Street," Rep. Kaptur said. "In fact, they have to pay us back with interest for everything they've taken from our people. And we need to do something about mortgage foreclosures.

President Obama has called for a freeze on non-defense spending through this year. Congressman Bob Latta said that's not far enough.

"To make this thing work and get this country on the right track, he ought to take it back a minimum of two years and get away from all these increases that we were put in the last four or five months," Rep. Brown said.

The bottom line is to get businesses hiring.

Sen. Sherrod Brown said the government needs to free up some credit.

"I hear people over and over in small businesses, people that have the capacity to manufacture, that have the customers, but simply can't get credit," Sen. Brown said.

The president did announce he wants to take $30 billion that the banks have paid back from their bailout and give that money to local banks to lend out to small businesses.