It has been five weeks since the Congress left town in the aftermath of the deal on legislation to raise the nation's debt limit, and as lawmakers return today, the Political Pot is expected to quickly boil over how best to spur economic growth.
The big moment comes on Thursday, when President Obama addresses a Joint Session of Congress in order to lay out new White House plans to create jobs.
Mr. Obama didn't give any details away on Labor Day, as he made a speech with broad economic themes during a trip to Detroit, but he certainly previewed some of the swipes at Republicans that may be in that speech on Thursday night.
"We’re going to see if congressional Republicans will put country before party," the President said.
"You say you’re the party of tax cuts? Well then, prove you’ll fight just as hard for tax cuts for middle-class families as you do for oil companies and the most affluent Americans," the President said to applause.
"Show us what you got," the President added. "The time for Washington games is over."
At the start of the President's speech, the crowd reacted more like a campaign event, changing "Four more years!"
And before Mr. Obama spoke, labor leader Jimmy Hoffa told the crowd there was a "war on workers" being led by groups like the Tea Party.
"President Obama, this is your army," Hoffa said. "We are ready to march. Let’s take these sons of bitches out and give America back to an America where we belong."
Look for that quote to be on talk radio most of Monday and to be a rallying point for many GOP critics of the President.
On the GOP side, there isn't much confidence that Mr. Obama will produce a bipartisan plan that deserves Republican support.
For example, a colleague of mine was in South Carolina yesterday for a GOP event with Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), and reported that when the Senator mentioned the Thursday speech to Congress on jobs, it was met with derisive laughter in the room.
In other words - don't look for sober political thoughts this week - this is a week for hardball politics from both sides.
As for what the President will lay out on Thursday, Mr. Obama touched on two items in his Labor Day speech, talking about spending more money on roads and bridges, and extending a Social Security payroll tax cut that expires at the end of the year.
"There is work to be done and there are workers ready to do it," Mr. Obama said on his infrastructure ideas. "Labor is on board. Business is on board. We just need Congress to get on board. Let’s put America back to work."
But a year ago, the President proposed billions in infrastructure spending, and it went nowhere in a Congress controlled by Democrats. In fact, there was never a vote on it in the House or Senate, as Democrats blanched at the idea of voting to spend more money.
But the idea is backed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a point which the President seems certain to remind the GOP of this week.
"The President will put forward a number of proposals that have historically enjoyed bipartisan support and will, without question, if enacted, positively affect growth and job creation," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said on Sunday.
As for the Social Security payroll tax cut, if it is just a simple extension of the current reduction, that would have no "new" stimuluative impact, since it would leave the current tax cut in place.
The forecast this week will certainly be for a lot of politics. We'll see what the details show as well.
