See Big Update at End.
The President will release today a list of forty executive actions he has taken and tout those actions in a speech in Austin. By doing this he is highlighting his actions against Republican inaction and ridiculing the farce of a lawsuit that Boehner is threatening to bring against the President for, as the President says is "doing his job." As reported,
"Today in Austin, the President will discuss these actions and update the American people on the progress we have made, working with all who are willing to be a part of the solution including state and local officials, companies large and small and ordinary citizens," the White House official said.
The aide said Obama will contrast his approach with Republicans heading "the least productive Congress in recent history."
This is the way to deal with Republican obstruction, both substantively and politically. Instead of playing defense attack the Republicans where they are weakest.
Everyone talks about weak Presidential poll numbers but ignores the context for those numbers, which is weak poll numbers for all branches of Government. The worst among those poll numbers are the abysmal numbers for Congress and Congressional Republicans in particular, which drag down the public's perception of all branches of government. The root cause of that dissatisfaction is that people don't see anything getting done and that perception is accurate. This Congress has achieved less and obstructed more than virtually any Congress in history.
In the face of that the President has been trying his best to use his executive authority to mitigate the effects of Republican obstructionism. He has discussed those actions as they have occurred. But now it appears he has decided to go fully on the offense by touting all the actions he has taken. By doing so he draws a sharp contrast with Congressional Republicans and casts Boehner's lawsuit as an even bigger punch line than it already is.
This is a win-win for the President.
Update As it turns out his speech in Austin focussed on Republican obstruction more than Executive Orders but there are some real gems.
Here's the windup -
But right now, at this moment, the reason Washington doesn't work is very simple: You've got one party whose main goal seems just to say no: Say no to immigration reform. Say no to raising the minimum wage. Say no to extending unemployment benefits for folks who are out there looking for work but can't find it. Say no to equal pay for equal work. Don't just say no to doing something about climate change, just deny climate change. And definitely say no to me.
And next the pitch -
And so you don't get a sense that you've got a party that's serious about trying to do anything when it comes to the challenges that are facing the middle class. It's not just that they have a different theory about how to help, they just don't seem to have any theory at all -- other than saying no, or a theory that says we're going to help -- or just allow folks at the very top to do whatever the heck they want and somehow prosperity is going to trickle down onto everybody else.
The swing-
I told Rick Perry today, I said, I'm happy to listen to your ideas, but right now, the main problem I've got with respect to these unaccompanied children is I've just put forward a piece of legislation before Congress that would give us the resources to care for them and help deal with the borders, all the things you say you want, Governor, and somehow I haven't heard yet from the Republican delegation of Texas to say this is such an urgent problem that they're going to move this quickly and get it done. So if you can't even do the things you say you want to do, how are we going to get anything done?
And it's outta here -
But we've got to feel a sense of urgency about it not just during presidential elections but during midterms. And all of you are going to be critical in that endeavor. So I hope you'll join me. Do not get cynical. Cynics didn't send men to the moon. Cynics did not liberate slaves. (Applause.) Cynics did not transform this country. Folks who are hopeful and creative did. And that's what we've got to constantly remember, we've got to guard against cynicism, embrace hope, work hard. If we do, we're going to be able to deliver the kind of Congress that the American people deserve.
Update II That was the prepared text. But the
actual speech hammered the Executive action issue. Here are some highlights.
On the difference between the Parties-
On the common-sense agenda that would help middle-class families, the overwhelming number of Democrats are in favor of these things.
They're in favor of minimum wage. They're in favor of equal pay. (Applause.) They're in favor of extending unemployment benefits. They're in favor of infrastructure. They're in favor of investing in research and development. They're in favor of making college more affordable. They've got specific proposals. They're willing to compromise. They're prepared to go forward.
First a backhanded compliment to the Republicans -
The best thing you can say about this Congress -- the Republicans in Congress, and particularly the House of Representatives -- the best you can say for them this year is that so far they have not shut down the government -- (laughter) -- or threatened to have America welch on our obligations and ruin our credit rating. That's the best you can say. But of course, it's only July -- (laughter) -- so who knows what they may cook up in the next few months.
And then he launches into it -
I can't stand by with partisan gridlock that's the result of cynical political games that threaten the hard work of millions of Americans. I'm not just going to stand by and say, okay, that's -- I guess that's the way it is. Whenever and wherever I have the power, the legal authority to help families like yours, even if Congress is not doing anything, I will take that opportunity. I will try to make something happen. (Applause.)
And that's the reason -- that's the reason why my administration has taken more than 40 different actions just this year to help working Americans -- because Congress won't.
And then he gets into specifics -
Congress won't act to make sure a woman gets equal pay for equal work. So I made sure more women have the protections they need to fight for fair pay in the workplace -- because I think when women succeed America succeeds.
* * * *
Congress won't act to create jobs in manufacturing or construction. Well, I went ahead and speeded up permits for big projects. We launched a new hub to attract more high-tech manufacturing jobs to America.
* * * *
Congress so far hasn't acted to help more young people manage their student loan debt. So I acted with my lawful authority to give nearly 5 million Americans the chance to cap their student loan payments at 10 percent of their income
* * * *
Republicans in Congress so far have refused to raise workers' wages with a higher minimum wage. So I acted to require that federal contractors pay their employees a fair wage of at least $10.10 an hour -- (applause) -- which would give hundreds of thousands of workers a raise.
* * * *
And then he gets into the lawsuit -
Now, here's where it gets interesting. There are a number of Republicans, including a number in the Texas delegation, who are mad at me for taking these actions. They actually plan to sue me. (Laughter.) Now, I don't know which things they find most offensive -- me helping to create jobs, or me raising wages, or me easing the student loan burdens, or me making sure women can find out whether they're getting paid the same as men for doing the same job. I don't know which of these actions really bug them. (Laughter.)
He then talks about choosing hope over cynicism -
There are plenty of people who count on you getting cynical and count on you not getting involved so that you don't vote, so you give up. And you can't give into that. America is making progress, despite what the cynics say. (Applause.) Despite unyielding opposition and a Congress that can't seem to do anything, there are workers with jobs who didm't have them before; there are families with health insurance who didn't have them before; there are students in college who couldn't afford it before; there are troops who served tour after tour who are home with their families today. (Applause.)
Cynicism is popular. Cynicism is popular these days. It's what passes off as wisdom. But cynics didn't put a man on the moon. Cynics never won a war. Cynics didn't cure a disease, or start a business, or feed a young mind. Cynicism didn't bring about the right for women to vote, or the right for African Americans to be full citizens. Cynicism is a choice.
Hope is a better choice. Hope is what gave young soldiers the courage to storm a beach. Hope is what gave young people the strength to march for women's rights and civil rights and voting rights and gay rights and immigrant rights. (Applause.)
And concludes with this -
And so, as President, I'm going to keep a promise that I made when I first ran: Every day, I will keep asking the same question, and that is, how can I help you? And I'll keep treating your cares and your concerns as my own. And I will keep fighting to restore the American Dream for everybody who's willing to work for it.
Sure wish I could have been there.