Obama to Congress: Help the Economy

09 September 2011 |permalink | email article

Facing a stalled economy, a hostile Congress and a disenchanted public a fired up President Obama challenged lawmakers in a blunt address Thursday evening to enact a sweeping package of tax cuts and new spending designed to recharge a stagnant job market. Note: “jobs” 44 times; “standing ovations” 18; “press hits” 2.

With Republicans already lining up to condemn the sweeping plan, the president lashed out at critics: “The question is whether, in the face of the ongoing national crisis, we can stop the political circus and actually do something to help the economy.”

While Obama’s proposals were widely anticipated – an extension and expansion of the cut in payroll taxes; new spending on schools and public works projects; and an overhaul of unemployment insurance – the overall package was considerably larger than expected, with an estimated $447 billion in stimulus money.

Starting today in House Majority Leader Eric Canter’s district in Virginia, the president plans to carry his message to key Congressional districts over the next several weeks. House Speaker John Boehner told reporters that “the American people want us to find common ground, and I’ll be looking for compromise.”

What they said

Asked at a campaign stop in Newport Beach, Calif. for his reaction to Mitt Romney’s charge that he wants to “abolish Social Security because it’s a Ponzi scheme,” Rick Perry responded, “I’d say that’s misinformation.”

The current front-running Mitt Romney alternative is Rick Perry, possibly the first major presidential candidate opposed to the direct election of U.S. senators since the advent of the Bull Moose Party.  – New York Times columnist Gail Collins.

Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Center poll, noting that there’s no one thing he can say that’s going to set off a light bulb among independents. Rather, Kohut suggests, what Obama must do is try many proposals, “and if he gets blocked, go negative.” 

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