Yup, I'm going to predict a very unexpected and ambitious jobs program from Obama. Despite the details that are being floated that make it see to be a rehashing of some older ideas. He's going big, and Steve Bennen makes a good case for it here:
As settings go, this is in the swing-for-the-fences category. Presidential speeches to joint sessions of Congress are not for routine issues. And if Obama intended to aim low with his plan, throwing out a few tax credits and warmed-over ideas, he would not pick this venue*.
Put another way, major addresses before a joint session is no place for a timid economic plan. With that in mind, the president appears ready to go big, and I’m glad.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/...
My comments below the fold.
Obama is very clever. I think he's purposely being controversial and it certainly looks like he's intentionally provoking the Repubs by pre-empting the debate!
It's actually a very clever and manipulative political tactic and great marketing. They will almost certainly whine incessantly and take it personally and react viciously and uncontrollably. This will make sure the speech is talked about A LOT before it happens because the Repubs are going to complain about it's timing every chance they get. The controversey will get lot's of coverage and build up the hype.
It's almost certainly going to create a much bigger buzz around the speech.
Yup. Manipulation at it's finest.
Additionally, I believe that all this floating of what the plan is going to contain is really a misdirection. You'll notice that pretty much all of it makes it seem as if it's nothing new, that it's going to be funded by offsetting cuts, etc. But Obama's been playing this speech up like he's not done before with others. He announced it weeks ago, building up expectations.
There's a reason for that and he doesn't do it often.
He wants the attention, and if he created a buzz like this too often, it would lose effectiveness.
This makes me think that he is going to be doing something unexpected. I think he's going to go BIG, much bigger than anyone is expecting, and he's going to catch the Repubs offguard. I think they are expecting him to go with what he's already talked about and what's been floated.
If he WAS going to go big, he'd keep quiet about that part of his plan so his opponents will be unprepared about how to react to it.
Finally, I don't think you can question Obama's political chops. He is after all the first AA President, and you don't accomplish that without chops. He's politically astute enough to realize the situation and the climate and frankly, he's got NOTHING to lose and EVERYTHING to gain by going big and taking the fight to the Repubs right now. And the timing is right. September, a year out from the election with the Repubs at record lows. Obama's approvals may be hurting right now, but he's still the most likeable and trustable guy out there right now. He knows this.
He's going big folks, watch!