Heavy Economic Focus For Obamas Tuesday Speech
The president addresses a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, giving a State of the Union-like speech. It lacks the formality of that title only because hes not considered to have had enough time in the White House yet to deliver a full status report.
Regardless, it is one of the most high-profile trappings of the presidency: traveling to the Capitol to speak to representatives of the entire federal government, with the public watching in prime time, about his agenda.
With the recession well into its second year, expect the remarks to be longer on the economy than on foreign affairs. The economy is in just too bad shape for Obama to do anything other than focus mostly on what hes already trying to do about job losses and dwindled savings and frozen credit, as well as what else he has in mind.
The president is expected to show Americans how all the pieces fit together to make the economy sound again. Theres the $787 billion just-signed stimulus bill, plus an even more expensive mix of rescues for the financial industry, auto companies and troubled mortgage holders.
He will touch on other priorities he says fit into the bigger picture. Potentially eye-popping expensive plans to broaden health care coverage to eventually insure everyone. Moving the country toward greener energy sources. Expanding education opportunities. Overhauling financial industry regulation.
And, he is all but certain to talk about the national debt and budget woes, stressing the need to get what he calls “exploding deficits” under control by controlling spending. His upcoming budget request will include his goal to slice the estimated $1.3 trillion annual deficit in half by the end of his first term.
“We cannot successfully address any of our problems without addressing them all,” Obama said Saturday in his weekly radio and video address. “The road ahead will be long and full of hazards. But Im confident that we, as a people, have the strength and wisdom to carry out this strategy and overcome this crisis.”
Sober themes of responsibility, accountability and transparency are to be woven throughout the speech.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs summed up Obamas message this way: “We all have a special responsibility to do what we can to put this country back on the right track and to see it through back to prosperous and better days.”
Come Tuesday night, Obama will face a Congress thats still fiercely partisan despite efforts to court Republicans.
The Democratic president has achieved three big legislative accomplishments so far, on equal pay, childrens health care and the economic package. Each was shaped mostly by Democrats and largely passed along party line.
Yes, his economic rescue effort would have died if not for three moderate senators who broke from the GOP. But overall, his attempts to court the GOP have been mixed.
He still needs a health secretary. Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle withdrew amid tax problems.
He is missing a commerce secretary. His second choice for the job, Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., changed his mind after first saying yes.
Also, the Senate has not confirmed his labor nominee. Rep. Hilda Solis nomination has been held up over questions about tax liens her husband recently paid.
The president was spending much of the weekend at the White House refining and rehearsing the speech.
“This is a refocusing on what he wants his presidency to be for the next four years,” said Stephen Hess, a presidential scholar at the Brookings Institution. “Its been a whirling dervish for him … Now I think hes got to stop for a moment.”
Add A Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.