Posted on 01/28/2014 6:45:02 PM PST by markomalley
President Obama on Tuesday unleashed a torrent of new executive actions, using his State of the Union address to underline his willingness to govern without Congress.
Obama promised a dozen actions in the next year —including the creation of new “starter” savings accounts and a hike in the minimum wage for federal contractors — intended to embolden Democrats ahead of this year’s midterm elections.
The prime time speech from the podium of the House immediately drew Republican condemnation as an effort to create an imperial presidency, but was staunchly defended by Democrats as a legitimate and necessary use of executive authority in the face of GOP obstruction.
Throughout the speech, Obama stressed that the government should work to provide “opportunity for all,” by addressing head-on the problems of income inequality and waning mobility.
“What I offer tonight is a set of concrete, practical proposals to speed up growth, strengthen the middle class, and build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class. Some require Congressional action, and I'm eager to work with all of you," Obama said. “But America does not stand still — and neither will I. So wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that's what I'm going to do.”
The White House decided on that theme after speaking to a wide-swath of people on policy, including lawmakers up for reelection in 2014. The message is one White House officials believe Democrats can run on in November.
Obama talked up a strengthening economy at the beginning of his address, and also poked congressional Republicans over last fall’s government shutdown while calling on both parties to work together.
“When that debate prevents us from carrying out even the most basic functions of our democracy – when our differences shut down government or threaten the full faith and credit of the United States – then we are not doing right by the American people," Obama said.
Obama asked Congress to join him in making 2014 “a year of action,” an acknowledgement that many of his executive proposals are smaller initiatives, and that he needs Congress to go big.
“In the coming months, let’s see where else we can make progress together,” he said. “Let’s make this a year of action. That’s what most Americans want – for all of us in this chamber to focus on their lives, their hopes, their aspirations.”
Obama specifically called for congressional action on a slate of legislative priorities the White House argues are essential for a still-lagging economy.
Chief among them was immigration reform, which Obama argued should be fixed to strengthen the economy and create thousands of new jobs.
On that issue, Obama stopped short of mentioning recent efforts to push a bill in the House, in a move senior administration officials said was done intentionally to give Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and other Republican lawmakers space to maneuver.
Obama also prodded Congress to expand the popular Earned Income Tax Credit, which provides benefits to low-wage workers, and renewed his calls to reform the corporate and investment tax codes and spend more on infrastructure.
The president and his senior aides decided on the populist theme in November. While
White House officials maintained the strategy born out of a sincere desire to advocate for the poor and middle class, they admitted they wanted to demonstrate their commitment to act to a public frustrated by stagnation in Washington.
Obama will take the message on the road with a campaign-style whistle-stop tour beginning on Wednesday, when he travels to a steel mill in Pittsburgh and visits a Costco in Maryland. At Costco, Obama will highlight the mega-store's practice of raising wages on their own, and urge business leaders to follow that example.
At the stop in Pennsylvania, the president will highlight his executive action creating a starter savings account to help Americans save for retirement. Senior administration officials said the accounts would be issued by the private sector and would be a good option for those who didn't have a 401K or a retirement account.
On Thursday, the president will travel to a gas engine factory in Wisconsin and a high school in Tennessee.
While there, Obama will tout some of the public-private education efforts unveiled in the speech, including a new apprenticeship program and a federal grant program designed to encourage schools to redesign their curriculums with a new emphasis on technical and trade skills.
The focus on executive action and the economy harkened back to Obama’s election-year State of the Union in 2012, though White House officials insisted there was a difference with the “We can’t wait” strategy launched that year and stressed that Obama did not intend the speech as overly partisan.
One senior administration official said the 2012 effort was done as a way to shame Congress into acting, but argued that this year’s approach is different because it highlights how Obama will be governing over the coming months.
Still, the speech included some red meat for the liberal base. Obama proposed new fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty trucks, and directed his administration to cut carbon pollution through new regulations.
He also encouraged Americans to sign up for health insurance available under his signature law, while warning Republicans that repeal is not an option.
I'd like to print a bunch of these up then post them on light posts around town as a symbol of hidden resistance (and to make fun of De Fuhrer).
When are people going to realize that the minimum wage has nothing to do with raising the salaries of minimum wage type workers? It is a gift to the unions, because federal contracts are tied to the minimum wage. Minimum wage laws affect very few low-skilled workers and the ones it does affect, it hurts. It eliminates their jobs. It does not give them more money. It’s such a crock and a lie!
IN THE GRIM DARKNESS OF THE FAR FUTURE THERE IS ONLY GOVERNMENT.
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(It's crazy how these brochures seem to all fit with our political situation.)
bump
Uniparty Ping!
There is only Government!
He sure puts the “Dick” in dictator. ....
bump
Why is it that when the president refuses to yield on his fixation on basic transformation of Constitutional principles, it is brushed off as (imaginary or whimsical) "executive powers," and praised by what is probably the most ignorant American electorate in history, but when Conservatives refuse to yield on basic Constitutional principles, it is labeled "obstructionism?"
None of the "progressive" Constitutional criminals, at any level of government, or in the MSM have had the slightest inclination to participate in that discussion.
It certainly is not too late.
Impeachment, or prosecution via violation of RICO laws.
I have yet to see anyone assert that citizens elected to public office at any level are immune to prosecution for violations of laws that apply to the rest of us.
I suspect another form of negative "income tax refund" to people who don't pay any income tax.
Just another form of feeding the parasite class to continue buying votes from the most ignorant, permanently indolent electorate generation in American history.
It is the ultimate plan to convert 401Ks to government bonds.
MyRA is their attempt to steal our I-RA's.
Note the Leftist wordplay? IRA -- MyRA?
You didn't save that. Somebody else saved that for you.
Now we're going to take Your-RA and make it Their-RA.
-PJ
MyRA! MyRA! MyRA! MyRA! MyRA!
-PJ
What a load of horse manure! Add this to his other lies and we'll be stepping in more of the stuff!
>> under his signature law,
What isn’t?
Minimum wage will not support a family with children in today’s world. Two parents would have to work full time to barely meet expenses.
Call me old-school but I think those who cannot afford to adequately provide for their offspring have no right to have children. It strikes me as abusive from the start. There ought to be a law.
I'm not sure, but I do know from your snide tone you aren't eligible for one. And neither am I. Nor is anybody else on FR. I also know you and I are going to pay for it.
To #13> Forget the “We the People” thingy. To Obama, it’s “I am the People” (and don’t you forget it).
Remember, the Comrade in Chief often looks like Mussolini, sounds like Hitler and Stalin, and smiles like he has a banada up his ass.
His favorite song: “Comes the Commissar”.
Favorite movie: “Moscow on the Potomac”
Favorite writer: Saul Alinsky
Favorite book: “Rules for Radicals”
Favorite Reds: Frank Marshall Davis, Quentin Young and perhaps David S. Canter
Favorite Martians: Valerie Jarrett and Anita Dunn (Mars is the “red” planet, right? So if they are from Mars, they are “Reds”. Convoluted but what do you expect for free?)
Favorite Ballerina: Rahm Emanuel
Favorite impersonator of Dr. Mengele - Dr. Zek Emanuel
Favorite zombies: Janet Napolitano, Helen Sebelius, and Nancy Pelosi
Favorite Psychopath: Bill Ayers
Favorite Troll: Barbara Boxer
Favorite mouth-puppet: Jay Carney
Favorite liar with a smile: Susan Rice
Favorite sport: The Hunger Game
Favorite finger: Middle
Additions welcomed folks. FR is still “Free” for a while before the knock on the door.
Did he announce he was going to be IDI AMIN DA DA PRESIDENT FOR LIFE OBAMA ?
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