Beyond the specific proposals, there were two themes of the president's jobs speech that I believe are critical to the fight for our country's future, and one question that hovers over the speech and the weeks ahead.
First, he made the centerpiece of his speech the struggles of ordinary Americans to overcome great challenges and provide for themselves and their children. In urging that Congress act now for families threatened by unemployment, bubble-era mortgages, and cuts to their children's education, the President put the focus and spotlight where it belongs. Refusing to focus on austerity, 'no we can't' ideology, and scare tactics tagged to future deficits was the right theme to sound for the choices we face now. The commitment to greater investment must be seen through, but this was a real start.
Second, President Obama articulated a vision that Americans need to hear -- a vision of a strong, clear, and positive role for government to make the investments that secure the American Dream. In "The Great Unraveling, A Portrait of the Middle Class," which Demos released today, the same theme resonated:
The middle class was built by government policies that invested in infrastructure and basic science, supported home-ownership, and made a college education accessible to a new generation.
The overarching question I asked myself after the president's speech concluded was "Can he, will he, hold this theme?" Can he keep his focus clearly on investing in the future, and not sink back into the deficit and austerity culture where the opponents of government want to drag both him and us? The legislative fights will be difficult and harshly fought. But the presentation, explanation, and continual promotion -- over the next 14 months and well beyond that -- of a narrative of hope and real progress are central to restoring economic opportunity and prosperity in this nation.
This is the president's task, and ours. He, and we, need to fight for fairness for the middle class and those who aspire to it, for investment in our future -- and we need to speak every day in the public square to convince skeptical Americans that our government can work and our conditions can improve. This is the narrative we have been waiting for, and it needs all our support.
Follow Miles Rapoport on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Demos_Org
Howard Fineman: Obama Puts Passion Into Jobs Speech Rarely Seen In His Presidency
Russell Simmons: Barack Obama's Job Speech: Them's Fighting Words!
David Briggs: Believers Keep Faith in American Dream Despite Recession
As for as reporting on Obama at one point Mr. Obama made a major gaffe; he identified Abraham Lincoln as the founder of the Republican Party.
Lincoln did not join the Republicans until 1856, over two years after the party was founded. The first Republican convention was held in Ripon, Wisconsin in 1854.
Such a gaffe would have brought huge amounts of ridicule and derision on George W. Bush, but in the case of Obama, yourself and the Dem's just sat on it.
Actually, they did more than that; government-funded PBS has altered the transcript of the President's speech, removing the offending comment.
Such BS. Go tell this to Steve Jobs or Bill Gates and watch them laugh in your face. The American people have been responsible for progress, not the government. Wake up.
Your guys are already destroying the "American dream". GWB gave you a good head start.
Your people put the "ship of state" on on the reef. We are now in the process of getting it off and will not wait for the dormant "free market" to act.
When it's passed it will be law.
What the president did was put forth a proposal that appeals to Republicans but will have very little actual beneficial effect - there is a pitifully small amount of actual demand building.
Most of this is designed to maintain the status quo and give the deceitful appearance of action.
The President grasps what you and other progressives seem to miss. There aren't enough votes in the "GO BIG, GO BOLD OR I WON"T VOTE FOR YOU" to get Obama re elected. There aren't enough votes in congress for him to go big and go bold and get ANYTHING passed to help the economy. This was a shrewd move by the president, basically serving them their favorite dish and daring them not to eat it because of who gave it to them.
Here's the other half of the formula. You can always do more once you've done SOMETHING. It's much more difficult to go back, hat in hand, after a defeat and get anything done. Anyone who understands the situation knows that this good first step that needs to be followed by more steps.
The American people don't have the appetite, and CONGRESS sure doesn't have the appetite to swallow a 2 trillion dollar stimulus (which is, let's face it, what we really need), but if we start to see results from this, it's easier to ask for more money in the future. I admire your principles, but governing is a lot harder than envisioning the best scenario and screaming when it doesn't come to pass.
A leadership president can put forward a bold plan.
Presidents don't have to only propose what they think a do-nothing Congress will do.
They can propose fully capable plans. They can make bold proposals.
Should the opposition not choose adopt those plans, then that is their responsibility.
Obama never puts forward bold plans because he is a wholly owned tool of the same multi-national corporations that own Republicans.
Yes given the political and fiscal circumstances, the President was probably as "bold"
as he could get. If I could help him rewrite the plan, I would put the total concentration on what the fed gov. could do DIRECTLY in creating JOBS.
The best part of his plans related to school construction, very labor intensive.
Gasoline: avg. price up .90 a gallon in the last year, or $20 on a biweekly paycheck for a Californian who uses 500 gallons a year.
Food would depend on how many you support with your paycheck, and if you're vegan or not.
How much have your property taxes increased in the last year? Divide that by your paycheck net gain of $30.
Tell me, how you think Obama's payroll tax cut plan has affected and will continue to affect employment?
Congress and the American people once again drew me like a moth to a flame...how much I want to believe this man who held so much hope...and brought so much disappointment. He will have the fight of a lifetime, though, as I don't believe for a nano second that the Republicans will embrace anything he stands for. Ultimately, the fight will be ours to lose....or win. We must become involved in any way we can.
It's all just a shell game to make it look as if Barry is actually doing something. Thinkers walked away shaking their head.
http://youtu.be/mqFLXayD6e8
Barry has two problems, besides the GOP's "...Let's put this boy in his place, then, we run the tables" attitude that singularly defines their agenda:
1. Harry Reid - who has proven singularly ineffectual at taming the Mitch McConnell menace (funded by Really Big Business and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce). Mitch is quite easy to neutralize, yet Harry feels this is not his place.
2. Nancy Pelosi, et al. Congresswoman Pelosi has proven that she will not get out of the way and allow someone more effectual to take her place. This is evidenced by the fact that Congressman George Miller wrote her scripts - and, the minority Democratic agenda - when she was Minority Leader, previously.
The power vacuum created by these two has left Barry no choice but to:
1. Allow the GOP to define themselves as a group willing to take no action that will benefit the majority of Americans;
2. Allow the passage of time - and, Mitch McConnell's arrogance/bigotry/contempt - to swing the American electorate his way for the 2012 race.
In the end, Barry will smoke who ever the GOP candidate is. He's the better Social Psychologist/Chess Player.
Nancy had been one of the most effective Speakers of the House. Under her leadership the 111th Congress has been the most productive since the 1960's. Some of the bills they passed:
AMERICAN RECOVERY & REINVESTMENT ACT
DEMOCRATIC PRIORITIES IN TAX RELIEF & UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ACT
SMALL BUSINESS JOBS ACT
TEACHER JOBS/STATE AID/CLOSING TAX LOOPHOLES
STUDENT AID & FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT
HIRE ACT
,CASH FOR CLUNKERSWORKER,
HOMEOWNERSHIP & BUSINESS ASSISTANCE ACT
AMERICA COMPETES REAUTHORIZATION,
U.S. MANUFACTURING ENHANCEMENT ACT
KEEPING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE IN PLACE
DREAM ACT
CURRENCY REFORM/FAIR TRADE
AMERICAN JOBS AND CLOSING TAX LOOPHOLES ACT
HOME STAR JOBS
RURAL STAR/HOME STAR LOANS
SMALL BUSINESS & INFRASTRUCTURE JOBS ACT
EDWARD M. KENNEDY SERVE AMERICA ACT,
WALL STREET REFORM,
CREDIT CARDHOLDERS’ BILL OF RIGHTS,
FOOD SAFETY
,FRAUD ENFORCEMENT & RECOVERY ACT,
LILLY LEDBETTER FAIR PAY ACT
,AIRLINE PASSENGER SAFETY
HELPING FAMILIES SAVE THEIR HOMES ACT,
FHA REFORM,
FLOOD INSURANCE REAUTHORIZATION & REFORM,
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT,
CHILD NUTRITION,
HEALTH CARE FOR 11 MILLION CHILDREN,
FDA REGULATION OF TOBACCO,
ENSURING SENIORS’ ACCESS TO THEIR DOCTORS,
9/11 HEALTH AND COMPENSATION ACT,
RYAN WHITE HIV/AIDS TREATMENT EXTENSION ACT,
AMERICAN CLEAN ENERGY AND SECURITY ACT
RESPONSE TO BP OIL SPILL,
SPILL ACT,
STATUTORY PAY-AS-YOU-GO,
BUDGET BLUEPRINT,
BUDGET ENFORCEMENT RESOLUTION,
JUSTICE FOR BLACK FARMERS AND NATIVE AMERICANS,
WEAPON SYSTEMS ACQUISITION REFORM,
IMPROVE ACQUISITION ACT,
DISCLOSE ACT,
FY 2010 DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION,
FY 2011 DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
REPEAL OF DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL,
VETERANS HEALTH CARE BUDGET REFORM ACT
,FY 2010 MILITARY CONSTRUCTION-VA APPROPRIATIONS,
FY 2009 SUPPLEMENTAL,
CAREGIVERS AND VETERANS OMNIBUS HEALTH SERVICES,
AGENT ORANGE BENEFITS,
pSTRENGTHENING NEW GI BILL,
FY 2010 HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS,
HATE CRIMES PREVENTION ACT
BORDER SECURITY EMERGENCY APPROPRIATIONS,
pCOPS ON THE BEAT
CHEMICAL & WATER SECURITY ACT
If this is what it means to be ineffective, we should all be as ineffective as Nancy.