This coming Tuesday, President Barack Obama will deliver his State of the Union Message. I’m covering a preview of it, because I will be doing volunteer work in prison that evening, so it will be Thursday, before I can give it the time it warrants.
President Obama on Tuesday will seek to move beyond the politics of the moment to define a second-term agenda built around restoring economic prosperity to the middle class, using his State of the Union address to unveil initiatives in education, infrastructure, clean energy and manufacturing.
Having secured four more years in the White House by arguing that the nation’s economy is tilted against ordinary Americans, Mr. Obama will vow to use the power of his office to recapture robust job growth and economic expansion, according to White House officials who have seen the speech. Both eluded him during his first term.
Mr. Obama will insist that only “a thriving middle class” can stimulate long-term growth and that Americans must be given the tools to succeed, according to the officials, who discussed the speech on the condition of anonymity. His call for new government investments — many of which Republicans successfully blocked in his first term — is an effort to shift the emphasis away from simply reducing the deficit and will serve in part as an answer to Republican criticism that he has not focused enough on jobs… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <NY Times>
So far, I like what I see. He is focusing on the areas that need focus, and he is correct that only a thriving middle class can stimulate long-term growth. Republican criticism that he has not focused enough on jobs is absurd. Obama has focused on jobs. What has held job growth back is not a lack of Presidential focus. It is Republican obstruction and sabotage of every job creating initiative that Obama and the Democratic Party have proposed. It is also the loss of public sector jobs from failed Republican austerity measures.
22 Responses to “Obama’s Way Forward”
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I look forward to listening to him– IMO- the President is on track– there would be no end to what he can accomplish , unhindered by the obstruction and sabotage he has encounter–
I could not agree more, Phyllis, but we know that eon't happen.
I too will be looking forward to Tuesday for his State of the Union Message. 🙂
…as will we all.
I'm looking forward to it also.
Which RepublicanT will make an ass of him(her)self by yelling something stupid this time?
…as will we all.
We get two: Rubio officially and Rand "asshole, son of asshole" Paul committing Teabuggery.
Republicans still have to vote, so much will continue to elude him. We need to recapture the House. Republicans did in 2010, and Americans are tired of these House Tea Partiers.
Steve, I fully agree, but our losses in 2010 coincided with the census and thus gave Republicans the chance to gerrymander the districts so greatly that to win 50% of the seats, we will need at least 57% of the vote.
Even India sees the necessity of a middle class. It has been their engine for growth.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_of_living_in_India
Excellent point, Blue. Republicans do not care about growth as long as the rich get richer and the sheeple get more stupid.
I will be watching. But I would like to hear him address the most important issue of all, and that is climate-change. Without making monumental efforts to reduce our impact on this planet, nothing else will matter anyway. He has a unique opportunity to back up his previous words. Let's see if he does.
Tamara, I think he will with his focus on clean energy, but he will accomplish little, because polluters own the Republican Party.
I only hope that included as well, will be the issue of rampant poverty in our country and further discussion and plans to offset global warming.
Lee, I agree.
I like the fact that about 30 Democrats have invited victims of gun violence to be their guests in the Gallery for SOTU.
Plus I like the fact that the repubican Party is so split that they need TWO people to reply: Marco Rubio, representing the "Crazy – but not crazy enough to be committed" faction; and Rand Paul, representing the "Certifiably Looney Tunes" wing.
What's interesting here is that they could switch places and few would notice.
Amusing! During the campaign, the Republican/Teabaggers screamed "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs" but thwarted their stated goal in the last Congress by blocking any and all bills that would have brought more jobs. And they tried to state that Mr Obama had not done enough about "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs". Once the election was over, the "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs" mantra disappeared and John 'in his cups' Boehner vowed to focus on abortion during this Congress.
I gave a friend a little music box that had 7 white birds travelling in one direction with a black bird going in the opposite direction. It was a compliment to her because she was frequently going against the tide trying to make people see what they wouldn't or couldn't. I think Mr Obama is that little black bird too. While this has nothing to do with race, it somehow is indicative of the current situation.
I guess really we'll have to wait and see. In some ways, I want to hear the Republican/Teabagger reply to the State of Union address. I expect no change in them — fractious, obstructionist and completely unreasonable. Their strictly ideological stance will be the undoing of their laces and trip them up with the American people, well at least the ones that haven't fallen for Faux Noise's screed.
What a wonderful gift!!!!!
I look forward to the SOTU address, but I know he is going to be fought tooth and nail by the republicans in Congress. They are fighting his nomination of Hegel and he is one of them. Anything they can do to obstruct Mr. Obama, they will do. I wish Ron and Rand would buy an island somewhere and set up their own government and leave us alone.
I was listening to the news on the car radio this evening and there was Old Poopyhead Lindsey Graham vowing to block the nominations of Hagel and Bennett (?) proposed CIA chief. He wants more answers on Benghazi — I believe his words were "full disclosure by the Obama administration" — before he will move on the nominations. Even members of his own party feel his stance is unwarranted and foolish. Personally, I refer to people like Lindsey Graham as shitheads!
Lindsey-POO is full of poo!
How about if Ron and Rand buy the island that will be the first one submerged by climate change?