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Subscribe to RSSPresident Obama delivers his third State of the Union address, laying out his agenda for the coming year: building the economy, bringing manufacturing back, and increasing infrastructure projects. He describes an America "where hard work pays off and responsibility is rewarded."
President Obama railed against dysfunction on Capitol Hill during his State of the Union address, blaming gridlock in Washington for the economy's sluggish performance in the past year.
The president demanded a series of reforms intended to address the poor function of Congress, which played out in a series of battles over taxes and spending over the past year, and drove public opinion of lawmakers to an all-time low.
"But no matter what party they belong to, I bet most Americans are thinking the same thing right now: Nothing will get done this year, or next year, or maybe even the year after that, because Washington is broken," Obama said. "Can you blame them for feeling a little cynical?"
Obama and lawmakers fought to the last minute on a variety of legislative matters throughout 2011. The biggest fight took the U.S. to the brink of defaulting on its national debt in August, while other battles between House Republicans and the administration almost prompted a government shutdown several times before last-minute agreements could be struck to extend government spending.
The freshest example came just at the end of December, when Republicans balked at a deal to extend an expiring tax-cut for two months, only to eventually relent and agree to pass the extension.
"The greatest blow to confidence in our economy last year didn’t come from events beyond our control. It came from a debate in Washington over whether the United States would pay its bills or not," Obama said in reference to those battles.
The administration has enjoyed some political traction in its battles with Republicans in Congress. Obama unveiled a comprehensive jobs plan last September, and subjected GOP lawmakers to votes on its individual components throughout the fall. While none of the initiatives came close to becoming law, Republicans were forced to go on the record on some of the Obama proposals, cherry-picked for votes in Congress based on their popularity.
Obama called for a series of government reforms in his address meant to curb the cynicism toward Congress, including a ban on insider trading by members of Congress, as well as new limits on elected officials from owning stocks in industries they impact.
The president also called for a ban on campaign bundlers -- party fundraisers who gather together donations for candidates -- cannot lobby Congress.
In terms of other procedural reforms, Obama called for the Senate to pass a rule ensuring judicial and public service nominees receive an up-or-down confirmation vote within 90 days of their nomination. A recent precedent in both parties of blocking nominees and subjecting them to a higher, 60-vote threshold has taken hold of the upper chamber.
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obama is happier with two classes in America .... Tax Payers and Tax Receivers. Tragically his economic model does not revel to him what happens when the latter exceed the former.
imo obama will try somehow to declare some kind of national emergency to enable him to suspend upcomming election in nov. i just wonder what he will try or even if. im sure congress would love it with so many seats commin up in both the senate and house
I agree with Obama the debt ceiling fight hurt the economy. This country needs to follow Senators Obamas lead when it comes to raising the debt ceiling and vote against it.
It is not the debt ceiling fight that caused the problem!! It is our inability to deal with our long term deficits that will kill us. You cannot fix the problem by just continuing to raise the debt limit!
Is there anyone on the Conservative/Republican side here even remotely familiar with Keynsian economics? Can anyone here cite any economist of note who does not agree that, to stop a contraction of a free market economy, the government must spend money? Deficits, in the long run, are bad, but MUST be incurred to prime the economic pump; cutting spending in a recession leads to an even worse recession, or depression. In the 30's the economy was beginning to recover from the Great Depression because of the massive spending projects initiated by the Roosevelt administration. When congress attempted to cut spending too soon, America was sent back into recession, and only another massive, sustained spending program (WWII) got us out. I am convinced that the only thing Americans are more ignorant of than world history is macro economics.
Why do you suppose that the two Euro Bloc countries doing the best cut taxes and spending
Keynes' economics proposals were/are a "theory". And Keynes himself was later in favor of less "priming the pump".
Uhhhh, No chilly billy, you are wrong.
Government spending creates government jobs and higher debt and eventually those government jobs exceed the ability of the government to pay for them on the backs of taxpayers.
Can you spell GREECE?
Jello heads....
Desparately PATHETIC FAILURE Hussein contributed to "poor economy." End of Story. Start Packing "little man." You're DONE! Thank GOD!
If you think the Republicans, the ones who screwed the middle class are going to fix anything. Did you forget that it was Bush who gave billions in bail outs without regulating them so big corporations could scam the government and us. Did you forget he took us into bogus wars. Did you forget that buget surplus and turned it in to a huge dept by not raising taxes, giving huge tax breaks to the rich and leaving all of it for us to pay for. Lets not forget to mention the party of no. The do nothing congress with the help of the tea bagers who refuse to pass any bills to fix the problems of the last 8 years of the republican and Bush mess. Now you Repubs have new candidates who want to walk tall and carry a big stick and get us into a war as soon as they get in. Do you want to pay for it? I don't!
The Guy 3794021 ----- Don't you know the Repubnuts have selective memory?
the Guy, you and the facts, aren't well acquainted, are you?
Isn't this the same jackass who opposed a hike in the debt ceiling when Bush was president, calling it "irresponsible"? This clown has to rely on the sheer stupidity of Americans if he has any hope of being re-elected.
"obama lies" ---- You clowns hear what you want to hear... LOL Obama is going to be re-elected so suck it up! You have no one to blame but the idiots of Boehner's Bunch, the crazed tea heads, and the clueless GOPers. They brought their approvel rating down to the 20s and they still won't stop their hateful, selfish ways. Thinking of themselves and protecting the rich fat cats. SMH... I'm am so loving this!
Uh huh, I think I have one of your posts that said the same thing in Nov. of last year.
You were hand the worst electoral defeat in 70 years and you are still expounding exactly the same drivel, why do you think it will be different, this time?
Drivel.... no way. Repubnuts cornered the market on drivel :-)
Loren, why are you loving this?
Loren-
Congress approval rating was at 21% in Oct. 2009, care to take a swing at what party controlled congress in 2009?
congress aint passed a budget in 3 yrs, cant seem to get it together over this BS debt ceiling but they sure managed to pass the NDAA literally over night, using the SOPA as a distraction, thus eliminating the 4th ammendment. they can get it done if they see it as a deal they want to use to get past the constitution or to help wall street
Any income is the money coming for the person in that year and should be treated same irrespective of its source. The tax rate should be same for that income. People choose the source of their income based on their skills and resources and that is the way it should be. People should not be choosing the source of their income based on what would attract low taxes. This is what is wrong with the current tax code. It pushes people away from "earned" income. If you think about it, you would see that society should reward the people who are working to have "earned" income. Today, a rich person will keep getting richer because he is not working his money is. When the money works, the taxes are low; When the person works the taxes are highest. This all talk of double taxation is an eye wash. The true measure of tax calculation should be based upon the total incoming money for an individual person; period!
Any income is the money coming for the person in that year and should be treated same irrespective of its source. The tax rate should be same for that income. People choose the source of their income based on their skills and resources and that is the way it should be. People should not be choosing the source of their income based on what would attract low taxes. This is what is wrong with the current tax code. It pushes people away from "earned" income. If you think about it, you would see that society should reward the people who are working to have "earned" income. Today, a rich person will keep getting richer because it is his money, that is working, not he himself. When the money works, the taxes are low; When the person works the taxes are highest. A real gifted society we live in!! This all talk of double taxation is an eye wash. The true measure of tax calculation should be based upon the total incoming money for an individual person; period!
No you don't get it. When I work and earn money, it gets taxed as high as 35%. The leftovers from that money put in savings should not be taxed again at all. 15% taxed on gains on the same money that was already taxed at 35% is confiscatory.
Oh jello head, don't forget that when you sell your house that was bought with money already taxed, under your brilliant idea, the capital gain will now be taxed again at 35%.
Or are you just saying some capital gains rates should be higher, or just not for you?
Idiots...
There exists an unchallenged corrupt Political Class who controls our government for the benefit of themselves and their supporters at a tremendous cost to the American people. The surreptitious consolidation of 'the peoples' wealth and power is criminal.
Even though it is obvious that the Elites benefitting from the Status Quo depend on the active participation and complicity of millions of Citizens, those Citizens believe in a twisted perception of 'shared responsibilty'.
Bush, Obama, Democrats, Republicans...it doesn't matter. I'm speaking of the corrupt Washington establishment, the status quo. We don't have the luxury of singularly blaming an oppressor like Hitler, Hussein, or Stalin, or a particular party like the Nazis or Communists. Our corrupted oppressive government cleverly changes faces every four years, but the poisoned apple remains.
"No path to prosperity in Obama's campaign speech last night...
Just the same path of class warfare, more government and higher taxes..
And he want's me to vote again for this?"
Jello heads!
Debt Ceiling Fight etc. etc. etc.
If 10,000,000 new jobs are created, and that's a lot, and they all pay $25.00 per hour, and that's pretty good, those new employees will pay about $100,000,000,000 (one hundred billion) in new taxes. Unfortunately that impressive amount is only about 10% of the new deficit this year.
It is not possible to created enough jobs, even very high paying jobs, to effect the deficit. The only way to change the deficit is to cut spending.
Not nuclear physics, is it?
Obama and the dems have shown us, they don't care as long as they get their entitlements.
Certainly, Obama will go down in history as the world's greatest demagogue.
I don't think I have ever sen a politician so blatantly, demonstrated that he will cheerfully watch the country go down the tube, as along as he is reelected.
@ sloppy joe --- "Class warfare" LOL. Obama didn't divide the country, the people did with their bigotry and greed! There should be higher taxes on the rich 1%... they get away with paying less taxes than the working people of this country. I have no sympathy for them... raise their taxes! Repubnuts are killing themselves trying to get Obama out of office instead of doing their damned job, that's why their approval rating is in the pits! Thanks for helping Obama be re-elected you idiots!
If you look into it, you will find that as income increases so does the average % paid in income tax. I know this doesn't fit with your ideas but it is the truth!!!
I agree we must bring industry back to America. But as the Chinese model shows industry is so interconnected bringing one factory to the US isn't enough. We must bring a suite of manufacturers & suppliers to one area each dependent on others in a web structure. To save America employers need to modify their criteria, stop demanding ridiculous, impossible to meet requirements. We need to accept all employees will require training and to do so we need tech schools which are integrated with the manufacturing in the area, Once the market is saturated with certain skills the schools need to be flexible enough to train in a new skill set, AND HR NEEDS to accept any viable worker whether he/she is 16,26 or 60 find a place for the employee. The employee is the most valuable asset lets treat them as such! In short America needs to do what America does best - Work together!
In 2011 my wife and I paid about 33% of our gross income in taxes (federal, state, local) and gave about another 10% to charities (including church). We fall into that cursed 1%, but frankly, I think that much is fair.
The problem with our economy, which none of the nitwits in DC seem to have figured out, is that we don't make anything here anymore. I am a die hard conservative, and what I propose pains me, but I have the solution. Anything that is sold in this country must be made here. If it isn't, it carries a 50% tariff. So, if Lexus, Infinite, Kia, Sony, Apple, etc, want to sell their products here, they must make them here or the tariff is added onto the price. If the cars are build here, all the components must be too. We give all these companies until January 2018 to build the plants they need, or retrofit one of those that have been closed, then we're in business. We might have a few exceptions, but they would be few. Also, those companies can take their profits back tax free. We won't need the tax revenue from them because we'll have full employment, so the taxes paid by the workers will make up for it. Also, this will force us to balance the budget because China will threaten not to buy our debt if we won't buy the ships full of crap they send here every day. Not sure what to do with Canada and Mexico - - we might make them exempt from this.
The other day my wife bought me a few pairs of socks from a nice mens store. I noticed they were made in Italy. Why couldn't they be made here? No way the costs in Italy are lower than ours would be. Small, silly example but makes a point.
Go ahead, fire away.
I think that those are excellent ideas. As a mater of fact, the more I read it the better I like them. Good post!
This should be easy enough for a Liberal to understand...
Obama Economic Record
Inauguaration Day Today Change
Unemployed Americans: 12 Million to 13.1 Million - 1.1 Million worse
Unemployment Rate: 7.8% to 8.5% .7 % increase
Federal Debt: 10.6 Trillion to 15.1 Trillion and growing
Price of Gas: $ 1.85 Gal to $ 3.39 Gal = $1.54 more per Gallon
Misery Index: 7.8 to 11.9
Debt Per Person: $ 34,731 to $ 67,000 almost doubled
College Tuition: $ 6,591 to $ 8,244 = 25% Increase
Worker Health
Insurance Costs: $ 3,354 to $ 4,129 = 23 % Increase
Food Stamp Recipients: 32 Million to 46 Million = 45% Increase
Americans In Poverty: 39.8 Million to 46.2 Million = 6.4 Million Increase
Home Values: $165,700 to $147,800 =13% DECREASE
US Global
Competitiveness: 1st to 5th = Drop 4 Places
But the unemployment rate is dropping, doncha know? I am so tired of people who say all is sunshine & roses. It isn't hard to find the facts. I wonder, MtMike, how long it will take once Obama is voted out of office for us to rebound?
The debt ceiling fight was over common sense... Try running your budget like the US government!
Obama: Debt ceiling fight contributed to poor economy
Of course! Who can trust a country and investment where one political party intentionally takes the country's Full Faith and Credit to the brink of the abyss? Uncertainty? You betcha!
How, how did it hurt the economy? IT DIDN'T! What it did do is show how lame he and the Democrats have been while they controlled congress.
We DON'T need to raise the ceiling to make Obama look better. We NEED to find a way to get out of debt and not make more room for more debt THAT WE CAN NOT AFFORD.
Obviously none of this is Obamas fault, nothing is ever Obamas fault.
anyone ever notice that he always points the finger at everyone else but himself.
Great leadership sir.
he makes me want to puke.
Well, a lot of people think he's a king. How better to pay homage than bowing at the porcelain throne? LOL!
Years ago my father told me he would like to have an intelegent debate with a liberal. Problem is there isn't any.
I thought he was full of it but it turns out he was right. Reading the idiots on here from the left makes me sad for my country.
May God have mercy on us cause the left sure don't.
Obama's statements don't even make sense. The debate on whether to raise the debt ceiling took place in August, eight months into the year, and yet he somehow implies the right is to blame for a poor 2011. The GOP took control of one branch of Congress in January and Obama blaming them for a bad year does not have any truth in it. The previous year the left had complete control of legislation. If anything, the economy actually started getting somewhat better towards the end of the year, after the "battles" had occured. Obama has things completely backwards...
That's not at all what he said.
Let's at least not make things up, OK?
Too bad Daniels didn't have all these brilliant solutions during the Bush years
@mighty - all Republicans know Bush messed up mightily on spending.
What is worse is Obama's solution. Spend even more! Brilliant!
Two wrongs do not make a right. Do liberals get that? No.
rebel, the only additional spending Obama has created is the stimulus. Everything else was statutory (like SS and Medicare), non-discretionary (like funding the wars republicans started) or legally required (interst on debt). Every other country in the world, even China, did the same thing. Government employment has grown more slowly under Obama than under any recent presidency.
Government spending is the only lever at its disposal to prevent the economy from slipping into a potential depression.
Mark -
WRONG! He has grown government by about 25% as well. Our government was supposed to stay as small as possible.
Entitlements - something that is not a part of our Constitution make up 60% of this nation's budget, while the entire DoD makes up less than 20%, yet liberals and Obama want to cut defense spending so they can use even more money that we don't have on entitlements! This is what actually happened during Clinton's tenure and why we now need mercenaries like Halliburton to meet our military needs. Our military (which is actually mandated by our Constitution) and many areas of the country that faced base closures still haven't recovered! Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face!
We need to wean people out of the entitlement mentality and cut all entitlements as well as cutting government down to a manageable size. Only then will we see an end to spending nearly twice as much as we take in as revenues as a nation.