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Subscribe to RSSObama to focus on the economy in State of the Union… A reminder: As the economy goes, so goes Obama (and his second-term agenda)… The speech, politically, also will be a way to frame the sequester debate… Rubio’s chance in the spotlight… And the danger for Hagel: having his confirmation vote linger.
As NBC's Tracie Potts reports, the president's State of the Union speech "will outline his plan to create jobs and grow the middle class by investing in people."
*** Focusing on the economy: President Obama’s inaugural address last month was billed as a call to action, as well as a not-so-subtle declaration that American politics had been transformed -- on the role of government, on gay rights, and on war. But tomorrow night’s State of the Union will have a slightly different focus, White House aides say, with Obama emphasizing the economy and revisiting the economic themes from his re-election campaign. The speech “will outline his plan to create jobs and grow the middle class by investing in people,” an administration official tells First Read, adding: “The president’s plan grows the economy from the middle out by investing in manufacturing, clean energy, education, and infrastructure.” Obama also will call on Congress to reduce the nation’s deficit and debt, including via entitlement reform, but he will say these cuts need to be balanced and not borne solely by the middle class. The White House always viewed his two big speeches in three weeks (the inaugural and State of the Union) as two bites at the bully-pulpit apple. And the same administration official calls the two speeches “two acts in the same play.” While the White House maintains they have been focused on the economy, tomorrow’s speech will put an end to the chatter (they hope) that they haven’t spent enough time TALKING about the economy.
Saul Loeb / AFP - Getty Images
President Barack Obama speaks during an Armed Forces Farewell Tribute in honor of outgoing Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta at Joint Base Myer-Henderson in Arlington, Va., Feb. 8, 2013.
*** A reminder: As the economy goes, so goes Obama (and his second-term agenda): Yet with Obama spending his political capital on his proposals to curb gun violence and reform the nation’s immigration system -- which he’ll also address on Tuesday -- reemphasizing the economy allows the president to return to the issue that remains the public’s top concern. After all, the unemployment rate, while down substantially from its high in 2009, is at 7.9%, and GDP contracted in the fourth quarter of 2012. And according to our national NBC/WSJ poll, only 36% of respondents said they were either “very” or “fairly” confident in Obama’s ability to promote a strong and growing economy. Remember, if the economy slows down, it makes it harder to get anything else done (like on guns or immigration).
*** Framing the sequester: Another way to look at Obama’s State of the Union is to frame the budget debate over the looming sequester -- that is, the automatic spending cuts (in defense and other programs) set to take place in March. As Politico writes, “President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech will be less a presidential olive branch than a congressional cattle prod. Emboldened by electoral victory and convinced the GOP is unwilling to cut deals, Obama plans to use his big prime-time address Tuesday night to issue another broad challenge at a Republican Party he regards as vulnerable and divided, Democrats close to Obama say.” More: “Privately, administration officials see [the speech] as an extension of Obama’s unabashedly provocative and progressive Jan. 21 inaugural address, their latest attempt to leverage favorable deals on the sequester and the debt ceiling comparable to the watershed deal Obama secured on increasing taxes on the wealthy. Obama now hopes to use his post-election popularity to force new tax increases and fewer budget cuts on Republicans as part of any deal to avert a $1.2 trillion menu of automatic cuts increasingly likely to kick in on March 1.” This won’t be as easy as the fiscal cliff because Obama has got to get Congress to pro-actively stop it. And right now, House Republicans seem nearly unified on the idea of letting the cuts happen.
*** Rubio’s chance in the spotlight: In addition to Obama, there’s another person who will be in the spotlight on Tuesday night -- Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), who is giving the GOP response. This is a great opportunity for the potential 2016er. But as we noted last week, the State of the Union responder hasn’t been a great stepping stone for those looking to run for higher office. In fact, the last eventual party nominee to deliver the response was Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS) in 1996. And the last person to deliver one and go on to be president was Bill Clinton in 1985 when he was governor of Arkansas.
*** Do you have to let it linger? Finally, while it remains pretty clear that Chuck Hagel still has the votes to be confirmed as the president’s defense secretary, any day that goes by when there’s not a vote isn’t a good day for him. That said, Politico reports that the Senate Armed Services Committee could vote on Hagel’s nomination as soon as Tuesday, “but Republican aides reacted to that idea by suggesting that some members could walk out in protest.” Democrats and the Obama White House, if they want him confirmed, can’t let his nomination linger.Click here to sign up for First Read emails.
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Ok, no free Health Care, you have to pay your mortgage, you have to pay more taxes if you work..............so, do we still be able to keep Social Security or are they going to take that too............
Free healthcare? Wait until those bills start coming in. Nothing is free.
No matter what plans the president has, the right-wing GOP, and posters, as we can see, will tear him down before listening, before comprehending, before analyzing and understanding his goals. This is the saddest group of Americans I have ever seen. You should all be ashamed of yourselves. If the GOP is so great and almighty, where are their answers? Where are their better plans?
The GOP, and it seems, all right-wingers are literally the party of "No". Don't do anything. Stay in the past and simply blame.
At what point do all of you right-wingers realize that just saying "no" to progress and calling our president names is not an answer?
Damn straight we are the party of NO,
No we won't stand for a deficit of $1.5T,
No we won't stand for letting 11 million ILLEGALS off the hook,
No we won't forget Benghazi,
No we won't let the President not submit a budget
Well, excuse me but the only ones to put forth a budget to straighten his mess out were the house republicans which passed a budget. And, where did that go? To the Senate which your guy Reid never brings up for vote. Next question.
Allpeoplerights,
The Republican answer is the very specific budgets that the House of Representatives has passed multiple times only to have them languish on Harry Reids desk. Clearly the dems do not want a budget.
This is what non-accountable people do. You must be a low information, non-accountable voter (LINAV).
Geez. Could Reid at least propose a budget....any budget.
The sequester is going to happen. Taxes were just raised on not just "the rich" but on everybody. Time to start whacking away at the irresponsible spending.
Haven't you had enough of Barack. With the latest revelations of the drone assassanations he orders with out due process, I would think most reasonalbe people would be outraged at this abuse of power!
This country will be a much better place in four years.....
hi I am the king of the USA.If you talk bad about me I will send drones to get you.As far as jobs I have no plans.i want more illegels in the USA so crime goes up and I can take all the guns.I will keep trying to destroy the USA like I promised other countrys I would.i as king would like more people on welfare and getting free phones so we can control the people.If I was a good king I would send drones to big cities and get the gang bangers like blacks and illegel hispanics.I come from the land of ill.They have gun control.It does not work but I as king will push gun control.I as king will get all guns so I can have complete control.I love to have no morals and push for The queers.Blueeyedwithbag@yahoo.com.This is what we should hear but wont hear because he lies with every word.Just ask all the people on welfare how mush they care about jobs for the workers that pay the lazy ones bills.
I won't bother listening or watching as many others, because everytime you see his lips move he's lying and the sight of him makes me ill! GOD bless America if he can!!
AllPeople
What progress?
The President can focus all he wants. Until he actually shows results, and curbs his addictions to spending our nation into doom, I can't help but think of him as nothing more than a domestic terrorist. I'm tired of listening to his garbage rhetoric.
Empower the people of this country to real change or step aside, and let someone else lead this country.
well said.
great hes gonna comment on something he has no friggin clue about...oh wait thats what he does everyday... hes a moron
As opposed to not addressing any real issues like georgie Boy huh?
Wake up
All of you "Obama-Voter's" can "CROWN" him King of poverty!! King of welfare! King of Oppression!
King of the Demo-Rats!!! Need I say more???
No your ignorance has said enough.
markin, too bad the truth hurts, huh
Joe what truth?
You are right on all he cares about is the lazy bassstards in the us.
...
The repugs have blocked his every attempt to get the economy started.
I hope he uses his presidential powers to go around congress.
In this way he will show independent leadership.
.
Biden in 2016.
...
Really? What do you call the stimulus? What do you call temp lowerring of SS tax? Neither worked. You are correct, they did not adopt his budget that he just presented though. Oh wait, he didn't submit one yet!
He is a joke, one that is not funny.
He hasn't proposed anything to block. He just wants to take more from the private sector to grow an even bigger government.
$16 trillion in debt and going to over $20 trillion by the time he is ought of office. He is destroying this country, killing private sector jobs, and leaving this huge debt for our kids and grand children. Sadly, the takers don't care as long as they are getting handouts.
gey off the welfare line and work.
It's amazing to see how the more the GOP denies any responsibility for the disastrous Bush/Cheney years, witnessing our do-nothing dysfunctional Congress dealing with every issue as a crisis and their feeble attempts to blame Obama for all our problems the stronger Obama and the Democrats get.
This has to be some sort of Karma for Republicans...
Frankly. the seeds of our economic demise were sewn during the Clinton Administrations "a home for every American" campaign. Print money for FNMA, FHLMC, GNMA to loan to bad credit risks.
Pump the ecomony full of "entitlement" money for the thieves and con artists to lap up. Then blame Bush when the house of cards caves under the weight of its own futility.
Only a die hard dumb FUX NEWS fan could bypass Bush's budget busting tax cuts and wars to blame Clinton!!!
newbook, you are a prime example of what is wrong with this country.
I made the decision about a year and a half ago to stop watching or listening to the marxist pathological liar occupying the White House. I see no reason to give this anti-Constitution ideologue any attention. We can only hope to survive until he finally leaves.
Good for you.
Mr. President, This is me here, I waited for over 15 months for your economy to work. It has NOT! Get more training? For what? Another waste of human mistake! Just wish you would go away, walk away now while you can. please send ALL of Washington with you. By the way, I DIDNOT vote for you or your mistakes. Please waste my time some more. Enjoy!
So now it is also Obama's fault that people are not trained for the technological world we are in? LOL, LOL! Rightwingers are so stupid they won't even take responsibility for themselves. Everything is Obama's fault. Your hang-nails, your failed relationships, your failed jobs. Get a grip and get a life! Re-train if you don't have a job!
The economy? What''s that? I thought the important things these days were amnesty, gun control, and healthcare?
They are all important. I can tell your a little slow but Obama can handle many issues at once. It is called multi-tasking, a concept your clearly not familiar with.
Steve,
Markinbecker is correct. Obobo can FAIL at many things at the same time!
Now that's funny! He has all kinds of ideas which do nothing to help this country. If that's multitasking, I hope he doesn't concentrate on one thing. We'd really be in deep sh--.
You miss Steve's point. Obamacare = win; Immigration reform = win; gun control = win; Economy = booming. Boo Yah!
Not, Not, Not, and Not! next?
Are we better off now than when Bush was leaving office?
And the moon is made of cheese....I doubt it the he would talk about this. What he will talk about is how the GOP is refusing to compromise. He will blame everyone except for those whom caused this problem. He has no intentions to fix the problems of these United States. Look at what he has done.....Has he done anything, ANYTHING to help these United States? Hmmm No not a damn thing. People on food stamps are at a all time high. Those unemployed aren't even counted anymore. Yes I said that right. You check around and you will find that the unemployed figures are not at 7.8% or what ever the glorious president says they are, but in the double digits. This government that the all mighty president has, is doing a terrible job and he himself has every intentions t destroy these United States. Well look at what he has done.... Has he even tried to help??????? NO HE HAS NOT. Stop listening to "HIS" news media putting out the bogus information. Information that makes him some type of GOD. Which he is not...................................Wake up and ask questions, look for yourselves, and then and only then you will for the truth.....
State of The Union for his Obamatopia or so he hopes . This man hates America and our Constitution and everything it stands for. He despises this nation's wealth and those who worked hard to achieve success.
He's determined to make sure class warfare not only divides us but also destroys the very foundation of our economic and financial stability. He's well on his way to intentionally financially undermind and weaken our country by continuing to push for more spending and higher debt. Not only is he delusional and dangerous but narcissitic, arrogant, unstable and unfit to lead.
For those who are aware, you can see his attempts to undermind and subvert our Constitution as he continues to "fundamentally change America".
It's been 4 years and now he is ready to focus on the economy? He must be out of dopey social issues to deal with.
Im looking at setting up a fake news organization like NBC, so I can get the talking points from Media Matters and debunk the talking points as they come out. lol
Hey MR PRESIDENT!!!!
I am NOT a 1%er or a 2%er heck I am not even a 25%er, SO WHY IS MY CHECK SMALLER?
Your "revenues" are really TAXES and we are paying more of them and you just keep asking for more.
We do NOT want FOOD STAMPS we WANT to KEEP OUR money.
Obama CONTINUES robbing from the working class so he can give free phones, free food, free medical, free housing to the lazy, the drug addicts and the illegals!
If you WORK your check is SMALLER than last year FACT
OBAMA WANTS MORE OF YOUR MONEY Fact
President Obama has always claimed his focus is jobs and the economy, and it's never been true.
Yup, only 6m jobs were created in his first term. More than GW in 8 years...
And the unemployment number remains the same as it was when the emperor took office.
Wrong. Bush left us with an unemployment rate of over 10%. Common knowledge. The stock market - Dow Jones - was at 6600. Now it is flirting with 14,000.
NONE of that matters we work and we get to KEEP LESS
Talk about fuzzy math. How are more people out of work than any time in American history? If you create a job but loose two, it isn't an increase in employment.
He is claiming the end of the Iraq war as his deficit reduction. I went to the mall and saw a suit that I really liked but decided that I shouldn't spend the $700. I can't claim that I saved $700 like the democrats think.
Flirting with 14,000 and ready to bounce off of the ceiling but, still worth 6,600.
NO TO FOOD STAMPS
Yes to keeping more of our own money
start drug testing EVERYONE on ANY type of tax payer funded assistance INCLUDING PELL GRANTS and STUDENT LOANS!
Let me get this out of the way early:
"YOU LIE!"
Just a preemptive strike as I will NOT be watching the swill that will be inudate the left-wing-media airwaves.
Let me guess - Joe Wilson posting comments as "veteran55".
Mr. President, Thank you for increase in gun sales and arming America to defend themselves...........you had a vision that no one could have dreamed about.................
I love the president for what he has done for gun sales and ammo.....Its the best investment to date thanks to the marxist in office!!!!
.
It will be the same BULL over and over again....will blame everyone but himself and will give you yet another exhibition from the great con artist...he has totally screwed this country into a spiraling quagmire