By Rachel Goldfarb, originally published on Next New Deal
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The Problem With Obama's Bold SOTU (MoJo)
David Corn thinks President Obama needs to advance a stronger narrative about the GOP's obstructionism preventing his policy agenda from becoming reality.
The president is the country's storyteller-in-chief. And despite his inspiring powers of oratory (see Campaign 2008) and his savvy understanding of the importance of values in political salesmanship (see Campaign 2012), Obama, as his aides concede, has not effectively sold the nation on his own accomplishments, and, simultaneously, he has failed to establish an overarching public plot line that explains the gridlock in Washington as the result of GOP obstructionists blocking him on important issues where public opinion is in his favor. With his State of the Union speech Tuesday night, Obama had one last chance to take a swing at forging this narrative. Though he did adopt a muscular stance in presenting a forceful and vigorous vision—going on offense in the fourth quarter of his presidency, as his advisers have put it—the president let the Republicans off easy.
Follow below the fold for more.
In State of the Union Speech, Obama Defiantly Sets an Ambitious Agenda (NYT)
Michael D. Shear and Julie Hirschfeld Davis call the president's tone "defiant" as he called on Republicans to join him in an extensive domestic agenda.
Rebounding Economy Gives President Breathing Room at State of the Union (AJAM)
Naureen Khan says President Obama was able to make his ambitious proposals because the economy is in the best shape it's been in his six years in office.
The Economy Has Improved. The GOP's Talking Points Have Not. (TNR)
The five Republican responses to the State of the Union show that the GOP is still claiming the president's major achievements will crush the economy – but they aren't, writes Danny Vinik.
Toward a New Solidarity (TAP)
Rich Yeselson says that if the "labor question" is to return to the forefront of political thinking, the labor movement's best shot is to fight for all workers, not just its own members.
Debunking the Chatter: The Truth About Wall Street’s Volcker Rule Assault (Medium)
Alexis Goldstein breaks down the Wall Street public relations apparatus's push against the Volcker Rule, pointing out inaccurate data and straight-up falsehoods in their fact sheets.
New on Next New Deal
The 2003 Dividend Tax Cut Did Nothing to Help the Real Economy
Roosevelt Institute Fellow Mike Konczal looks at the data available on the 2003 dividend tax cut, which shows that the corporations affected disgorged more cash to shareholders, but didn't raise wages or investment.