OBAMA ON:
Shrinking opportunities
“The cold, hard fact is that even in the midst of recovery, too many Americans are working more than ever just to get by – let alone get ahead.”
America’s mission
“Opportunity is who we are. And the defining project of our generation is to restore that promise.”
Taking action
“America does not stand still – and neither will I. So wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Declaring that upward economic mobility has stalled for millions of Americans, President Barack Obama on Tuesday challenged a deeply divided Congress to restore the nation’s belief in “opportunity for all” — while telling lawmakers he will act on his own “wherever and whenever” he can.
“America does not stand still and neither will I,” Obama said in his State of the Union address.
Delivered before a joint session of Congress and millions of Americans watching on television, the president’s address marked the opening salvo in a midterm election fight that will quickly consume Washington. Democrats, seeking to cast Republicans as protectors of the rich, have pressed Obama to focus more on issues of economic fairness and shrinking the gap between the wealthy and the poor.
The initiatives Obama unveiled Tuesday night were tailored to fit those themes. He announced executive action to raise the minimum wage for new federal contracts, help the long-term unemployed find work and expand job-training programs. He also renewed his calls for Congress to expand the minimum wage increase to all workers, pass a sweeping immigration overhaul and increase access to early childhood education programs — all initiatives that stalled after Obama first announced them in last year’s State of the Union address.
While unemployment is falling and financial markets are soaring, Obama acknowledged that many Americans have yet to see effects of any broader economic recovery.
“The cold, hard fact is that even in the midst of recovery, too many Americans are working more than ever just to get by, let alone get ahead,” Obama said. “And too many still aren’t working at all.”
Obama’s go-it-alone strategy, with modest steps for now, is aimed both at jumpstarting his stagnant second term and prodding a divided Congress to take additional action to boost economic opportunity for millions of Americans. But there was little indication lawmakers were ready to follow along, particularly with the midterm elections coming in November.
Republicans offered their vision in a response from their party’s highest-ranking woman in Congress, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington state. She said the GOP wants to empower everyday Americans and not the government, but Obama’s policies on the economy and health care are making life harder for those Americans.
An eclectic array of guests filled the House chamber for the speech. Among those sitting with first lady Michelle Obama were two survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing and Jason Collins, an openly gay former NBA player. Republican House Speaker John Boehner brought business owners from his home state of Ohio who say Obama’s health care overhaul is hurting their companies.
Willie Robertson, a star of the television show “Duck Dynasty,” scored a seat in the House gallery, too, courtesy of a Republican congressman.
Keenly aware of Congress’ slim record of recent accomplishments, White House officials see robust executive actions as the most effective way to show the public that Obama still wields power as the clock ticks on his presidency.
Yet much of what the president can do on his own is limited, as evidenced by the minimum wage proposal. The executive order will increase the minimum hourly payment for new federal contract workers to $10.10 from $7.25. But because the measure affects only future contracts, its immediate impact will be minimal.
“The question is how many people, Mr. President, will this executive action actually help?” Boehner said. “I suspect the answer is somewhere close to zero.”
Obama sought to build on the executive order by renewing his call for Congress to pass a minimum wage increase for all American workers, a proposal that gained little traction after he first announced it in last year’s State of the Union address. But White House officials feel somewhat optimistic that they could get backing this year given that some Republican lawmakers have also indicated an interest in working on income inequality and economic mobility issues.
Washington’s current focus on inequality comes as many parts of the economy are gaining strength. But the soaring financial markets and corporate balance sheets stand in contrast to the millions of people still out of work or struggling with stagnant incomes that don’t stretch as far as they used to.
Seeking to address those issues, Obama also announced executive actions on job training, boosting employment opportunities for the long-term unemployed and expanding retirement savings for low- and middle-income Americans.
The retirement savings proposal is geared toward workers whose employers don’t currently offer such plans. The program would allow first-time savers to start building up savings in Treasury bonds that eventually could be converted into traditional IRAs.
Obama also touted an initiative to secure commitments from big corporations not to discriminate against the long-term unemployed during hiring. Representatives from major companies will join the president at the White House on Friday to promote the effort.
Some Republicans have warned that the president’s focus on executive orders could backfire by angering GOP leaders who already don’t trust the White House.
“The more he tries to do it alone and do confrontation, the less he’s going to be able to get cooperation,” said John Feehery, a former top House Republican aide.
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