As I watched Obama address a joint session of Congress, I was pleasantly surprised. I liked most of what I heard: the stimulus spending on infrastructure, the tax credits for hiring vets and long-term unemployed workers. The thing that concerned me was the willingness to tinker with Medicare in his coming recommendations to the super-committee. If he means savings through increases in efficiency, I’m on board. If he means reducing benefits for present or future recipients, including raising the benefit age, I’m opposed. I don’t mind slightly lowering the corporate tax rate, if we also close the many loopholes that amount to welfare for the rich. What I liked most is the appearance that he may actually fight for it. Lets start with the complete video, in case you missed it.
If you prefer, here is the complete text.
While he did not call out Republicans by name, he certainly identified them by behavior.
Rachel Maddow explains stimulus with Jared Bernstein and relates it to Obama’s plan.
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I also especially like his plans to visit Cantor country tomorrow and Boehner burg on Monday.
33 Responses to “Will Obama Fight for the American Jobs Act?”
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Obama did a couple of good things in this speech like calling on congress again to extend unemployment benefits, defending collective bargaining, talking about projects that need to be done, and won’t be done by the private sector: such as improvements to schools.
But, we’ve also been down this road before. Obama proposes something, the Republicans cherry pick the stuff that corresponds with their ideology, and the things that benefit someone aside from the Koch brothers get watered down. That is the joy of a Republican controlled House of Representatives. So, I’ll remain cautiously optimistic and see what happens next. 🙂
That’s a good way to approach it. Maria.
Odd that an hour before the session I rec’d in my email a please click here is you are still with me from the Obama camp. Which ended of course with the “this campaign will be funded by you so click here…” Of course I deleted it. His campaign will be funded under Citizens United. That said..funny that Bachmann couldn’t keep her mouth shut even after Boehner ordered all republicans to not officially respond.
What did I hear during his speech? A president of the united states pleading with a partially recalcitrant congress to let him keep his job by passing a bill that may or may not have been written by Boehners staff. I will have to see in two weeks how he funds it. When it comes to Medicare…shrug he doesn’t care if he tinkers you, me, or any one else to death because to him the only thing that counts is that he and the girls get to stay in the white house. Why he wants to stay is the mystery to me. I understand the 75% personal approval rating and the 40%+ JOB approval rating compared to congress’ 15% being an incentive for him but I don’t think he is the leader we want. (I personally would have thrown that low congressional number right in their faces last night, show it’s gloves off time but he does not have the capacity to do the Truman) What he is in now is campaign mode and that s the only place he has shown any gumption and spark. He will win and then it’s back to the good life of a different soup every day, 24 hour chef service, and the knowledge he will never have to set his delicate foot in a slum again.
By the way I found out from yesterdays local paper that I live 2 blocks away from the most dangerous for violent human crime intersection in the nation in the most violent zip code in the nation. Guess where President Obama’s motorcade did not pass through on labor day…need help with the answer 48205.
Mark, if he walked on water, would you complain that it didn’t come from a fire hydrant?
TomCat,
Much like you, I was overall pleased with the address. I share your reservations as well. Like always, the devil will be in the details, so I’ll pass judgment until I see the full text of the entire plan. I like how he has apparently presented the vile Republicans with a plan they cannot possibly refuse and get away with. They need to be outmaneuvered and called out on these things, and often.
We’re on the same page as usual, Jack.
I think that it was a great speech and at a few times he really pissed off the Repubs, which I always like to see. Now, let’s see what comes of it.
Exactly, Lisa!
I believe it was a superb speech – both for content and delivery. What comes of it, we’ll just have to wait and see. But he’s already got little Eric “I-Want-What-I-Want-When-I-Want-It” Cantor worried about “Pres. Obama taking it to the American people” … and that surely is a good thing!
Someone should take Cantor to the woodshed and beat the crap out of him.
Me, me, me! I’ll do it, I’ll go, let me do it, come, let me!
Come on now. Violence is their way. We’re better!
I agree. In fact in an article I’m about to post, I say he’s afraid.
He offered what Republicans have been offering (unsuccessfully) for decades, tax cuts. A half a trillion in our large economy will not solve anything. More tax cuts means more debt. You can’t pay (tax cut) corporations to hire, when they don’t need workers. Payroll tax cuts? And what; make Medicare and other programs even more financially unstable than they are now?
No real responsible leadership on the idea, that we have overspent for decades and need to raise taxes to pay for our selfish lower taxes position, that created this debt.
Republicans long ago told Americans they are not willing to finance America as we have known it for 80 years. Now, Democrats join their thinking.
Reality is tough. Our society is expensive to pay for. We have no leadership, or guts, to make a financial sacrifice to keep America healthy., yet, we jump at the chance to make a military sacrifice to have the rest of the World live under our type of “Democracy.”
Yes Tom, parrot the Rush Limbaugh group here.
The fact of the matter is that despite the Repugs saying increasing tax’s (making sure they pay their fair share not just upping all). Companies like GE just are not only not paying their taxes but are getting money back from the government.
A simple change to the tax code saying that foreign tax’s are not deductible or if you want set a minimum tax say 10 percent is another way. Having rich people pay their fair share is another way we can make up the deficit. I am not talking 85 percent but say 50 percent or some other mutually agreed on number.
Now, before you have puppies I should remind you that this is letting the corporations and rich people off easy as any other country in the world (like England or any European country) is a lot harsher than the US is. Now before your face turns blue the richest person in America has agreed to this (never mind he is appealing his taxes for the last few years).
You and Rush need to get off your high horse and smell the air.
I doubt Rush is calling for tax increases as I am, but I wouldn’t know since I haven’t listened to Rush in years. If Rush is saying the same thing I am, then he has become a LOT more liberal since I last listened to him.
Tom, I do apologize. Because we share the same first name, when I approved his comment, I thought he was insulting me. Had I realized it was to you, I would have rebutted it immediately.
Ed, If you knew Tom at all, you would know that he has proposed the exact same things you suggest on many occasions. I have too.
I suggest you read the rules page here. We do not insult each other. We disagree with respect for each other. Comparing Tom to Rush is a heavy duty insult. This is your only warning. I have placed your comments on permanent moderation until I have reason to believe you will be civil.
Tom, I think there was a method to his madness. Republicans will oppose it.
Oh Puhlease! I thought he gave a great speech how rousingly vague he can be! I didn’t notice in the speech any direct confrontation, nor any specifics regarding the payment plan, the entitlements cuts, no particulars – I’ve heard a vague “no particulars” speech from him before! The one area in which he was SO LOUD AND PARTICULAR was how he would fight for more regulations and how our children might be exposed to mercury! What the hell is that! Does he actually believe we’re MORONS? This statement – so exposed – only a few days after allowing smog to burn the lungs of asthmatics and the COPD’ers ! WTF!!!!!!!!!! Is he also going to ban fracking in America, is he going to place regulations on gas and oil companies after the bush administration exempted them from clean air and water acts? Might he at least propose that these companies that propose the destruction of our country and its citizens be responsible for presenting an environmental impact report before drilling? The names perhaps of the over 500 toxic and carcinogenic chemicals used in fracking for instance, and how those chemicals have a “shelf life” of “eternity” – and how each well uses approximately 8 million gallons of water during its lifetime I could go on and on about fracking – and that is just one of the major industrial acts of terrorism being currently perpetrated on American citizens and our land and wildlife – don’t ask me if I would eat fish from the Gulf – I know better! This president is a smarter continuation of bush – he is a whore and catering to Wall St. “proctology” – the only way I would have been convinced that O meant business would have been the proposal of a “WPA” plan for this economy – I’m out of this – I don’t like our options any more, and I see that corporations are the impetus that governs the nation – which is only another definition of FASCISM.
Lee, Obama’s plan and your plan have something in common. Neither one will get by the Republicans. If Republicans reject whatever Obama proposes, and they will, doesn’t it make more sense to have them reject something they should like?
You’re right about the smog, but on the rest, you’re missing point.
I’m like a lot of other people. Look just pass the damn bill or face the voters. I’m not sure if there’s enough people to vote this as a single issue though. Until it gets passed, it was just another good speech full of good progressive ideas. I’m done with DC in general. I want progressive action not words. They may be able to engineer a presidential slot but Congress will revert back to the Dems.
It had better!
A proprosal to spend hundreds of billions of dollars to put people to work is this 2009 all over again?
Wasn’t it Einstein who said the definition of insanity was to keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?
Marilyn, I’m afraid the facts counter your argument. The stimulus plan did work. It took us from negative GDP growth of over 8% to positive GDP growth of almost 2%. It should have worked better, but we did not realize that the Republican recession was three times worse than expected, and it was watered down to satisfy Republicans. We needed more and better targeted.
You’re right about Einstein. That’s why we need to scrap trickle down, voodoo economics, the Republican suggestion.
I’m kinda with Blues (above) on this . . . it’s getting a little predictable and dull. Move-On.org just sent out a mass-email to get people to tell Obama “We’re with on the Jobs Act” — since when does the President of the United States need a cheerleading section? He needs to kick ass and take names and stop being the reasoned professor we are all so weary of. I may tune out for about 6 months and see if anything has changed.
I hope not, but I’ll still be fighting.
The first part I liked about the speech was the reference to “stopping the political circus and do something to help the economy.” The veiled reference to the Republican obstructionists is probably lost on them, but hopefully not on the voters. And there were other times when he seemed to be putting the Republicans on notice — “. . . tax code where everyone gets a fair shake and pays their fair share . . .” and “. . . Members of Congress it is time for us to meet our responsibilities. . .” and “. . . the people who hired us to work for them, they don’t have the luxury of waiting 14 months . . . “
I kept watching Boehner and to say the least, thought he looked disgusted during the speech and was about to hurl, or did he just have gas! Only when mentioning the military did he rise.
I saw some smoke in Obama. I hope that is an indication of fire. I hope he will take that fire to the Republicans. If the Republicans continue to be the obstructionists that they are, I hope the people will recognise it.
I thought Boehner looked like he was sitting on Larry Craig’s lap in an airport rest room. 🙄
I liked what he had to say and the way he said– there is hope– and hope goes along way– i did enjoy he went to Cantors district today– smart move-
Amen, Phyllis!
When was the last time Obama fought for anything? Answer: During his election campaign. Since then, he has either caved prematurely or allowed others to do his work for him. For all his faults, LBJ was a master at getting things done. He pushed Medicare, the Civil Rights Act, and the Voting Rights Act, through Congress against virulent opposition, much of it from Southern Democrats. He used a combination of threats and goodies to get it done, but it got done. I don’t care to hear Boehner boasting that he “got 98% of what he wanted” any more. The President needs to get a spine installation.
Welcome Bill! 🙂
Regrettably, I must agree. In fairness, LBJ could exert pressure on the Dixiecrats with those threats and goodies because they were in the same party, plus he had help from many moderate Republicans. Now the Dixiecrats are all Republicans, so he can’t threaten their campaign funding or committee assignments and moderate Republicans went the way of the dinosaurs. But he surely needs more spine.