Contrast to Republicans Obama is going to push for MORE spending in the SOTU. Obama will push for more investments in infrastructure, energy, education, and research & development. Obama will say that the last two years was to prevent our economy from falling off a cliff. The next two years is to put our economy into overdrive. The way to do that is to promote innovation, investment, and infrastructure.
http://online.wsj.com/...
Americans are worried that we all losing out competitiveness. Americans are very concerned that while America was the dominate country in the 20th century, other countries particularly China, India, Brazil, etc will surpass us in the 21st century.
Obama will be tapping into that anxiety in his SOTU. Obama is going to make his SOTU into our "sputnik" moment in which we were falling behind other countries in education, energy, and infrastructure. Thus this is the time to get us in gear in 21st century investments, innovation, and infrastructure. We can still lead in the 21st century if we act now. I fully expect the speech to be very patriotic.
In order to increase our 21st century competiveness instead of major deficit cutting right now we should be INCREASING our spending on those targeted areas of infrastructure, energy, education, and research.
President Barack Obama will call for new government spending on infrastructure, education and research in his State of the Union address Tuesday, sharpening his response to Republicans in Congress who are demanding deep budget cuts, people familiar with the speech said.
Mr. Obama will argue that the U.S., even while trying to reduce its budget deficit, must make targeted investments to foster job growth and boost U.S. competitiveness in the world economy. The new spending could include initiatives aimed at building the renewable-energy sector—which received billions of dollars in stimulus funding—and rebuilding roads to improve transportation, people familiar with the matter said. Money to restructure the No Child Left Behind law's testing mandates and institute more competitive grants also could be included.
The White House is glad that the Republicans are using their political capital on abortion, health care repeal, and painful cuts. Americans have seen the Republican congress focus on repealing health care and deficit reduction rather than JOBS JOBS JOBS. That is their first impression of this Republican held House. Americans are starting to get Buyer's remorse.
In contrast, Obama wants to rally the country on this sputnik moment. He will push hard for this Congress to achieve these things by working with business and labor. The reality is that the Chamber of Commmerce and labor will be joining forces to push for these things particularly the infrastructure bank. Perhaps with the Chamber gunning for this it could get done in this congress.
However, if it does not get done, Obama knows that he and Democrats can run on these things in 2012. Republicans will run on painful budget cuts and abortion while Democrats will run on jobs and 21st century innovation, investment, and infrastructure.
Deficit vs jobs. Jobs wins in every poll.
Checkmate...