What's the point of President Obama's job speech?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
President Barack Obama has a lot riding on Thursday's jobs speech - maybe even a second term.
As the president prepares to address a joint session of Congress and with the nation reeling from 9% unemployment, he's in a tough spot. And the Republicans know it.
Obama's approval rating continues to slide. A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll shows him at the lowest mark of his presidency with only 44% approving.
Another new poll by Politico shows 72% of those surveyed say the country is headed in the wrong direction. That's up 12 points since May. Only 39% approve of the president's handling of the economy.
If this economy doesn't start to turn around, the president is finished. In fact, one Democratic pollster already says that Obama is no longer the favorite to win re-election.
That’s why Thursday's speech is so important. But here's the thing: The president has made speech after speech on the economy for three years now. Where are the jobs?
The details of this speech are being kept under wraps, but the president might call for infrastructure spending, job training programs, tax breaks for businesses and workers and extending unemployment benefits - again. So far, no word on where the money for all this will come from. We are $14 trillion in debt.
The president claims he will propose ways to get Americans working to which both parties can agree. Don't bet on that agreement thingy.
Washington is more divided than ever, and Republicans can smell blood in the water here. They know Obama is vulnerable, and it seems unlikely that they'll agree to anything that will improve his position.
Here’s my question to you: What's the point of President Obama's job speech?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Bill in Clinton, Maryland:
2012 is riding on this speech. It's got to be a grand slam. I'm trying to figure out why the president is so reluctant to go toe-to-toe with Republicans. Unfortunately, every time he tries to "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee" he gets swatted. Now is the time to do more than the right thing. If not, then he should withdraw from running for re-election and let someone else fight the fight.
Rod:
The only thing the president wants is to be re-elected. Obama knows he is in terrible shape. It is a desperate attempt to get back in the game. Even Sarah Palin would have done a better job than the community-organizer-in-chief.
Jim in Concord, North Carolina:
Purely political. He's got to seize this issue with both hands to convince the electorate (Democrats like me included) that he has a clue about how to solve the problem that's uppermost in the minds of at least 75% of his constituents. If this falls flat (as I frankly suspect) he's in heavy seas, indeed.
Rex in Portland, Oregon:
The point should be: I do not create jobs – business and industry do that. I did not eliminate jobs – business and industry did that. It is time to wake up and realize the limitations of the presidency. It is time to realize that the control of the economy is not dependent on federal spending but upon private sector spending.
Tom on Facebook:
Everybody was clamoring for Obama’s plan before he went on vacation, and now nobody wants to hear it. This is a pretty good indicator of what the response to his speech will be, no matter what details are in his plan.
Dave in New Hampshire:
There is no point. No matter what he says the Republicans will do whatever it takes to block any effort he makes in order to get him out of office. So after 2012 we'll have a Republican president, and it will be the Democrats’ turn to block progress. Meanwhile our country flounders. What a system we have. I wonder how China will run things.
@jackcafferty on Twitter
There is no point, Jack. Obama will give us the same song and dance we heard three years ago about ....dare I say.... "shovel ready" jobs. He had his chance and he blew it. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice....I DON'T THINK SO !!
Basically this is going to be a dress-rehersal for the 2012 election. He wants to show joibs are Number One, his being the One. This will be like paid political advertising only without the "paid." It is the New Haven to Broadway of yore.
Jack,
I honestly don't know. Based on an article on the CNN web site written by Ted Barrett and Deirdre Walsh, it sounds like the speech that Obama is scheduled to give on Thursday will fall on deaf ears. At least that's the impression I'm left with after having read the article. It's a shame that the Republicans and Democrats can't stop with the childish behavior for the good of the country.
No Point he will not fix unemployment, he is too incompetent. All we will hear is lies and double talk.
The President is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. The republicans are always yelling and complaining about President Obama not having any plans for lowering the debt ceiling or jobs. We all know that the republicans will put down any plans and not agree on anything in the plan no matter what. But I would still like to hear what the President has to say. I would love to hear him give, a give them hell Harry speech, and follow in President Truman footsteps when he labeled his Congress the do nothing Congress.
The point of his job speak is to flap his lips some more to create as much of a smoke screen as he can so that he can hide the rest of his socialistic agenda which continues to play out! Tell him and Hoffa to implement real accountability for wages and quit confusing government union workers with anything but glorified welfare at this point.
Tell the Republicans to quit using Illegal Mexican slave labor to depreciate wages also!
The point of the speech? To get reelected.
The point is to gain re-election by promising the same Keynesian job programs that have failed in the past. Look at the state of every industrialized country: central banks around the world have enabled the welfare states, the corporatism, and the wars. A jobs program from the government has a snow ball's chance until the central banks are abolished, and countries return to sound money principles.
Ron Paul in 2012...
He's got to propose something that will improve unemplyment, Jack. The Republicans seem to have anmesia on the rate the country was losing jobs prior to Obama taking office – make it sound like he's totally to blame. Doing this, by the way, without proposing any real answers to the unemployment problem other than continuing the failed trickle up policies that favor the very wealthy. Americans need to hear more than the conservative side.
It is nothing wrong with the president to let the people know what his plan for jobs and other things on his agenda.
President Obama discussing jobs is beyond a day late and a dollar short. Whatever his point might be, it's moot.
To score some points for political purposes. Remember it's election time and he needs to pander to all the special interest groups. Unions with trashy mouth Hoffa at the front, hispanics with the 300,000 on hold to review deportations, and the list keep going on and on and on. This man will stop to nothing to be re-elected. Don not forget voting booths at the cemetaries. We have to make sure that the dead will also vote next year to support Obama.
It may be a plan not just a speech on jobs. he is trying to do something about our economy which is better than our elect officials in congress or any one else sitting on the side with comment about the job he is doing. He is one man versus the republican party in congress and the media. the republicans would like to see him fail even if it takes the country down the tubes. the media likes the in-fighting in government because it makes news which makes them money!
We need to be educated on how jobs have been affected starting with the recession in 2008-2009.
Without question, our cost of government needs to be reduced. However, we need a strategy that is in the best interest of all americans, not a selected few. It's time the consumer understand how their decision to purchase a product or service affect their neighbors quality of life. When they understand, I believe Government by the people will then be restored; and the companies who munipulate governments for tax breaks at the cost of the american people will do what is right ... If not we need to discontinue our financial support for these companies. It's time they reap what they sow.
If he is going to talk about jobs, there are none. America's manufacturers sent most of the jobs American workers had, out of the country. Obama may suggest for those needing work, get a passport and seek a job overseas. That is where they make everything from shoe laces to spacecraft, like we used to do.
I don't know maybe to give the republicans one more of his ideals to shoot down, at this point I think the people want to see a real gut wrenching take the gloves off fight for the people from President Obama,speech time is over save that for the campaign trail ,speeches may have gotten him to the white house but I seriously doubt if speeches alone will keep him there.no more Mr.nice guy,Mr.President it haven't worked and it never will.
President Obama's speech about jobs IS pointless at best. With Republican opposition determined to see his presidency fail at all costs, anything Obama says to a joint session of Congress at this point will fall on GOP partisan deaf ears because any improvement in employment numbers benefits HIS chance for reelection, not THEIRS.
What he will propose, and what any of the possible candidates or politicians will propose is nothing that we haven't heard already, but no one wants to do because all of them trip over their own absolute ideologies.
What this speech will do is hopefully have something concrete as a base to begin getting rid of the nonsense all of these politicians are locked into, and come to some common sense.
Am I skeptical that will happen? You bet, as all of these politicians I believe are addicted to the chaos and their own ideological incarcerations. But we can hope that one day all of those who spout change and never do realize it is not until they begin to change themselves will anything change.
What's the point of President Obama's job speech?
I think he gave a great one at Michigan yesterday, and the crowd apparently felt the same.
As the saying goes "When men have done their best, Angels can do no more" (smile)
Jack: The point of the speech on jobs is to give Americans who have been unemployed for over 6 months hope. President Obama wants Congress to know what is plan is for creating jobs, so they might get off their collective butts an do something for Americans who are unemployed. It is a fireside chat with America, which President Obama hopes will light a fire under Congress. All the Republicans in House want to do is to say no all the time, and the Senate wants to sit on its butt an think. President Obama wants action out of Congress. Good Luck, .President Obama!!
Just a federally funded campaign speech, this will be no different than any other speech the president has given. Every speech has had no facts just ideas, and ideas with no facts on a basic plan, most of all no way to execute in a fair and orderly manner. Any plan that starts with lets take from the roof and give to the floor, after a while there is nothing to protect the house.
Perry Jones Council Bluffs Ia.
He thinks he can trick the american people with more jobs rhetoric.as if talking about it is gonna convince us he knows what heis doing.we dont need any more obama jobs from the public works sector.all they do is mess up the road in order to collect overtime ,while constantly interrupting our every day with reminders that the equipment manufacturers are the ones getting paid off these bogus job creations.
There is NO point in talking about jobs as long as we allow major corporations to go overseas and take their jobs with them to avoid taxes. Due to an error on one of my bills, this morning has taken me by phone to India, The Philipines, Costa Rica, Japan, and China. Not ONE of these people understood English. And I didn't understand them. My account is completely screwed up. Meanwhile highly qualified Americans who would LOVE to do these jobs are going without jobs, and our economy is in the toilet, while this company and a plethora of others skate free and avoid taxes.
The country needs to know if the Republicans care about the American people-they do not care as long as Obama is a one term president. I feel that the president needs to place a program for jobs and he should campaign on their lack of action. The tea party is a diaster as they will not agree on anything except cut spending. Cut all agencies 10% incvluding congress and use this money for intrastructure. Oak Hill West Virginia
Good question. Maybe he's going to tip off the Republicans as to how fast he'll cave to their demands. Although, I'm convinced they would vote against a bill even if it was 100% of what they want and 0% what Democrats want if Obama gave the signal that he was for it.
Jack: Like most Americans, at this point, I have no idea what Barack Obama believes on virtually any issue. The President tells us he prefers a 'balanced' approach to deficit reduction, a weak way of describing popular taxes on the rich and big corporations that are evading them with and entitlement cuts, an equally poor choice of words that implies that people who've worked their whole lives are looking for handouts. And the law that was just passed only addresses entitlements cuts--neither a balance approach nor taxing the big corporations and rich that are being exempt. Another political "pep rally:"--what we need is an "action reality"--just get it done-–do it!
Purely political. He's got to seize this issue with both hands to convince the electorate (Democrats like me included) that he has a clue about how to solve the problem that's uppermost in the minds of at least 75% of his constituents. If this falls flat- as I frankly suspect- he's in heavy seas, indeed. Most fair-minded people do not blame Obama for the economic morass that was bequeathed to him. But he's on the bridge now, and the crew expects something other than "stay the course."
I believe the point was to wake up the American people of who exactly is standing in the way of jobs and prosperity. Jack, govt isn't the problem......it's the solution. Old Alexander Hamilton did what? He started the Federal Bank. And it did what? It lent out money for investors to invest in Ship building, roads, the building of towns and cities. Later, the federal reserve lent out money for the railroads. It's the Koch/Teabagging Republicans who are standing in the way of American prosperity........not Pres. Obama.
To keep the American people confused while he capitulate on everything the Republicans want.
He's not dumb, Jack.
He'll lay out a plan and ASK the congress to help him put people back to work.
And AGAIN the Hell No Caucus will put their party before the people of this country.
What do YOU think?
Jack, you have to admit he is a great speaker. Too bad we did not elect him to be head of the debate team. It is important to note Hitler was also a great speaker, and packed in stadiums. I think the point of Obama's job, and most politicians for that matter is to become re-elected. However, pay attention to Ron Paul, his job is to follow the constitution, that is what the role of President ought to be!
Don’t know why he is even giving another speech on jobs! He hasn’t the guts to stand up to the “Republicans For The Rich” and do like Clinton did to create jobs!! Raise taxes on the rich and cut loopholes for corporations to create enough money to pay for the creation of jobs through infrastructure and energy improvements, etc! Talk is cheap, action speaks!
Dan K. Owens Cross Roads Alabama
To keep the American people confused.
Damned if he doesn't, and certainly, damned if he doesn't. Personally, I'd like to hear what he has to say, and this time, stand up for what he believes in and most importanly, call the Republicans to the carpet on their gamesmenship.
Sadly, this speech will be more of a campaign speech than a jobs speech. Every idea that the president has that will provide jobs and help the economy will require spending that will have to be approved by the "Do Nothing" congress led by Speaker "Hell no you can't!" If President Obama is smart, he will hammer home the message that the GOP would rather see the president fail even if it means a double dip recession for our nation.
good question jack but what is the answer besides the same old fail policies of the obama administration
To convince the citizens that he has a solution to getting himself re-elected. Let the Republicans stumble over each other and when the dust settles , he wins. DO you really think he can solve the unemployment, deficit problem? It takes public and private sectors and congressional and senate togetherness. Not in this lifetime.
Um, I don't really thing he'll say anything interesting. But I have been suffering terrible insomnia, so I'm going to record it and let him put me to sleep.
Christine
Bartlett, IL
So he can hop on Air Force One, fly around the country, at our expense campaining for another 4 years and blame the GOP for not doing anything to help with jobs.
The point should be:
I do not create jobs – business and industry do that.
I did not eliminate jobs – business and industry did that.
It is time to wake up and realize the limitations upon the presidency. It is time to wake up and realize that the control of the economy is not dependent on federal spending but upon private sectorr spending. It is time to wake up and realizae that the uncontrolled business atmosphere of the previous 12 years has decimated manufacturing, eliminated millions of jobs, moved business and industry to China, Ireland,India, Mexico (etc), sent billions of dollars OUT of the USA, and allowed the billionaires to gain total control of our courts, politics, and production.
It is time to wake up and realize that the system of uncontrolled trust in the rich did not work. There is absolutely no reason to believe that decreasing further governmental regulations on business, energy, and the environment will work.
It is time to wake up and realize that republican propaganda about trickle downism is total crap.
Yeah, taxes are too high, costs are too high, spending is too high, the cost of living is too high for the income of the masses, and expectations are too high from those in public office. Continuing the economic politicies that got us to this point is insane, yet that is what the GOP would-bes are preaching. Yeah, Bachman will reduce the price of gasoline, sure. Yeah, Romney's expertise in eliminating jobs to increase his profit is legendary and that will save us all. Sure.
The point, however, will not be sanity, but concession to the rich, the detriment of the environment, and the psuedo-legitamacy of the reabaggers' rants and raves.
The only thing the president wants is to be re-elected. Obama knows he is in terrible shape. It is a desperate attempt to get back in the game. Even Sarah Palin wouold have done a better job than the than the community organizer in cheif.
I believe it is a must if he looks to be reelected in 2012, now the question should be how many people will believe what he is going to say. He has been painted as bad by so many republicans, most people have listen to that and believe it. Like the story about there were no people hired last month, that is just not true, I know people who were hired. I myself, I got a job last month, there may not be a lot of job growth, but things are getting better slowly.
The point of his speech is pure politics. The same idiots who voted for obama the first time are lining up to vote for him again with the proviso that the pubs are worse. Obama is a pure corporotist who have given us more tax cuts for the rich, more wars, more free trade agreements, more china imports, more job outsourcing, more A-1 work visas, and more illegals none of which provide jobs for main street.
No point!
Obama is worse than ineffective. Obama is damaging.
Let history judge Obama.
Let Obama shine where, when, and how Obama can. Let Obama say his pretty "jobs speech." Make the Republicans sit in Congress and listen to Obama! Praise Obama and his speech! Applaud, but keep Obama out of the way of real government machinery until January 2013.
I’m not sure why he even wants to run again. Anything he suggests won’t make it through congress. The GOP will use every procedure available to make sure he fails, and the rest of us with him, to fulfill their #1 goal. And the kicker – we’ll put them back in power – people who love this country so much they’d destroy it. Go figure.
What's the point of President Obama's job speech?
Point?
How the Republicans have not produced a single job with the failed Tax Breaks for the Rich.
How giving BIG CORPORATIONS haven't produced jobs even though they are sitting on a boat lad of money.
How since winning back the majority in the House that JOBS haven't been on the mindset of ANY Republican – only Making sure Obama is a One Term President at the expense of Americans, Gay Marriage, Abortion, Taking Away Women's Health CAre, More Tax Cuts for Their Base, Ensuring that Americans Don't get an Unemployment Benefits Extention, Privatizing Social Security and Medicare, Raising Eligibility Age for Social Security/Medicare, More tax Breaks for BIG OIL, etc..
What I would like to see is Obama tell the GOP that they can kiss is backside, that he is there of ALL Americans and that since they don't care he and the Democrats will make it happen. No more of this trying see their side of things – ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Jenna
Roseville CA
To raise taxes. Doug. Pepperell. MA.
The point of his speech will be to layout more of the same policies that didn’t work the last time and won’t work this time but he’ll continue to blame everyone else for his mismanagement and bad choices. He’ll continue to want to through good money after bad. What the definition of insanity? “Doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results”. We’ll wind up with a lousy economy, no jobs but we’ll have a couple of nice roads.
2012 is riding on this speech. A grand slam has to do. I'm trying to figure out why the President is so reluctant to go toe-to-toe with Republicans. Unfortunately, everytime he tries to "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee" he gets swatted. Now is the time to do more than the right thing. If not, then he should withdraw from running for re-election and let someone else fight the fight.
The GOP has been asking for some kind of plan or direction from him about anything they say. When he does express a plan or a direction he wants to follow they all say what's the point.
Jack' There is no point. The party of no will do everthing they can to make him fail.
And if it takes down the middleclass with him so be it.
President Obama is making the most of the attention given to the President's Office– which is smart, politically. He surely hopes reaching the public directly will help bend Republican arms in support of his plan(s). Lastly, he's likely trying to inject some confidence into the American public and industries to benefit from the jobs plan.
The Presidents needs to remind the Republicans to work on the promises they recently made to get elected, and that was to creat jobs. Putting millions of unemployed people back to work seems to be the common sense solution to help bring in the revenue that is needed in this country.
The Republicans are misdirected with their plans on how to get this country back on track. How are voters supposed to agree on their plan to attack the taxpayers by delving into tax paid-for funds again. They certainly were not all hyped-up when they did all their pet projects, pork, tax rebates to the wealthiest, and recent increases in their wages. All of this may have been a fun game to play, but now there is a price to pay. Clean up your mess and get off the taxpayers back.
Ruby (Louisiana)
Somehow he must convince those Americans that think he has failed, to understand that the Republicans have stood in his way for 3 years! DUH! Who can get anything done with no one helping? God help us if we go back to what got us into this mess–the tired old Republicans and worse is the extremists like Perry. I am so afraid of dirty water, air pollution and the rich getting richer and then they are going to tell me what I can do in my bedroom AND to what House of Worship I can go to. Big Time Scary!
Unfortunatly there is no point, and that IS the point.This guy was finished when he got the Nobel peace prize.Remember that joke.?
The Republican Party owns the banks and Wallstreet and therefore hold the goverment.It makes no difference if his plan makes sense ,saves jobs,doesn't cost a penny.it won't pass .He is wasting his breath and our time.
It is payback time and Obama is the sacrificial lamb.
The point I fear is; just another attempt to look like the grown up in the room, then he'll cave once again to any republican whim and nothing will be done. Point ? Whats the point, there just isn't any point. Fight for campaign promises, there just isn't any fight. Cave in again... sure thing, it's what he does and that must be the point.
The purpose of the speech is to define the government options in this crisis. In reallty all he is doing is aiding the conservatives in establishing their negative talking points for the next 13 months. They're commited to the failure of the administration of Barack Obama, so; whatever he purposes they will be against. It's just that simple.
I assume that by repeating the same thing over and over again that it will somehow make it true?!? We have heard this from day one to today and nothing has changed. You can't put all the blame on him though, the congress is supposed to be fixing the problem and they don't do anything either. When the entire system is broken you can't fix it by replacing one part. We need an entire overhaul. Rob in NC
Unless hel boldly deals with housing debt, there is no point, Jack, since housing debt greater than housing value for a large segment of the market is what is causing the current Depression.
The point is to let the American people know what he is planning to do. Would you rather he be like the republicans and do everything in back rooms? "Reagan Economic Zones". Now, that's funny...... That's the twit you caused all of this mess in the first place.
-Stephen
Yarmouth, NS Canada
I don't know what the point of any speech from any president or even candidate, the u.s. is so far in the whole that nothing we are doing today will ever work.we would have to change the way we live as americans! It will never happen.
Jack: Correct me if I am wrong, but is it not Congress' responsibility to create jobs? Last time I looked, the House controlled the purse strings of the Federal Govt. So why blame the President? I guess because it is in their political interest to do so. They want him gone.
So to answer your question, I do not think anything will be accomplished with his speech on Thursday nite. The GOP have done their job. They are sucking the life out of this nation with their hate, and prejudice.
There is no point to this speech. Romney beat him to the punch today. In my local Sunday paper a political columnist wrote about How Unpreceidented The refusal of the Speaker of the House to deny the President of the United States an opportunity to speak to a joint session of Congress is. And ...Obama acquiesses!!! Obama was too inexperienced and wet behind the ears to lead our Country at such dire times. If the Democrats would simply DRAFT Hillary Clinton the Democrats would silence the Tea Party and win by a landslide!!! Let's use our heads in 2012 not our emotions.
It is only a campaign speech, and otherwise meaningless.
I do no tknow, haven't heard it yet. Will it be effective? Probably not.
Jails and prisions are full of people who only cared for them selves. As long as they got thiers, the rest do not count.
What I do know for sure that with cable news cast that are bot news casts, going 24/7 with nothing but negetives as they are now even Pres Regean would have been a one termeer.
The pres. we have now will never do anything to please the talking heads. Nothing, Never, Won't happen. You wont let him.
If by some hapstance things turn around, completly around, You will give credit to some one or something else. Any one or anything but Mr. Oboma. METALWORKER in IL
There is no point, no matter what he says the republicans will do what ever it takes to block any effort he makes in order to get him out of office. So after 2012 we'll have a republican president, and it will be the democrats turn to block progress. Mean while our country flounders. What a system we have. I wonder how China will run things?
Dave from Peterborough, NH.
Jack,
There is no point to President Obama's speech. I think he should just give up because no matter what he says, no matter how good his plan may be, it won't matter one bit because the Republicans intend to say "no" to it, even if it might have originated with them. Remember, their sole purpose for being in Congress and on planet earth is to make sure that President Obama fails, that he is a one-term president. Nothing else matters, not the economy, not the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, not the high unemployment, not jobs, nothing. Well, maybe not nothing else....tax cuts for the wealthy for matter, but first things first–destroy President Obama.
The power of the purse (spending power) is solely under Congress' control, not the President's. If anyone in government can create jobs, it has to come from Congress because they're the branch that authorizes spending. And that isn't their concern–they want to vanquish the president, give more money to the wealthy, eliminate what's left of the middle class, get reelected. But help the unemployed? Not if they have any breath in their bodies.
The main point will be to give the tea potty and repugnicans yet more opportunities to say "no, no, no, no..." He can give a speech, he can put his ideas in writing, he could engrave them in stone – all to no point. The party of "no" has made it plain that the only thing they care about is Obama's defeat and if it means taking the economy down with him, so be it. When a lunatic like Glenn Beck cheers because there were no jobs created in August, you know this country is on a downhill slide. Every right wing idiot was cheering along with him. Sad that it's come to this.
Once again our goverment is all talk and no real action. What amazes me is why our president had to wait almost 3 weeks form the time he had this revelation to make a speech about jobs to his delivery. To make matter worse there was this "conflict of interest" between the Republican debate and the anticipated jobs speech (what a surprise-a conflict between parties). One would think that that the most important issue of the day would be more important than a debate among scary politicians.
I'm not a betting person, but, this bet is a sure thing...the Point of yet another Obama speech , will be the same excuse
driven, blame game as usual, with no results. Blame Bush, blame the rich, blame the GOP, and continue spending the tax payer money for more stimulus to create more faux jobs. Hint: It doesn't work.
No point in speaking to Congress. Again. Obama needs to put out a vision and a plan that he believes in, then take it directly to the people. Forget the playground up the hill. They just want to play dodge ball.
Carol in Northampton, MA
Jack,
The point is to set a line of demarcation, which outlines for the American people how government will try to restore jobs, because American corporations controlled by the wealthy continue to stuff their BILLIONS, TRILLIONS into the outsourcing and sipping champagne. Meanwhile, millions of Americans are suffering, but who cares if you are the filthy rich. Get rid of all regulations, then go to Dimock, Pennyslvania and try to drink the water, but don't light a match, as it likely will catch fire.
Joe, Binghamton, NY
Once again our goverment is all talk and no real action. What amazes me is why our president had to wait almost 3 weeks form the time he had this revelation to make a speech about jobs to his delivery. To make matter worse there was this "conflict of interest" between the Republican debate and the anticipated jobs speech (what a surprise-a conflict between parties). One would think that that the most important issue of the day would be more important than a debate among scary politicians. Whats the point of the speech-there is none.
If Obama says the same thing about job growth that he has been talking about and nothing new, there will be no point in his speech. I think this may turn out to be nothing but a campaign speech. People want to hear about jobs and nothing more. I truly hope he doesn't place the blame on anyone else, we are in a mess and he needs to act now. The ball is in his court.
The point is to do something, even if there"s nothing he can do, short of dismantling Globalization.
you say "The president has made speech after speech on the economy for three years now. Where are the jobs?"
well when the "RepubliCAN'T's" in the Senate filibuster EVERY jobs proposal the administration has offered, what the HELL do you THINK is going to happen? they WANT the economy in the sewer because they think it's their "ticket to the White House". I hope that President Obama points that out in his speech, BUT I doubt he will.
Presdent needs to make this speech to ensure the American people that he is listening to their concerns, and he is working hard on fixing the economy. According to some economists, it may take some time, but things will get better.
Obviously he's got to pretend to be in charge sometimes otherwise the sheeple might get mad when they realize the levers of power have been moved from the white house to the Federal Reserve and have been for a while now.
this speech will consume air space with the same old rhetoric, flowering metaphors ans zero plan. obama gives great speeches but then promptly turns around and caves into the demands of the tea party, offers our social security/medicare/medicaid up, and lacks the spine to stand up to the tea party. obama allowed boehner to deny him the right to speak before congress and caved to boehner to change the date (don't want to interupt a debate would we?) we don't have a leader only someone who can give great speeches with little to no follow through.
Jack, the president is losing the propaganda war to the White-Wing media, this is his chance to go on the offensive and stand up for America and the American people.
I definitely feel it all about re-election.I was more devastated that he said," America would would rise and Fall together".
This country has never fallen nor should we plan on it.And even if it did our president should never admit it...
I think the public would be less inclined to believe the specious rhetoric about Obama’s policies if they knew that all this opposition is being orchestrated by one man to increase his own fortune, billionaire David Koch — The Man Who Would be King.
The point of the speech? Surely you jest jack. This is a campaign speech with no substance. He will blame everything on the GOP and tell them to get moving. He will try to get more stimulus dollars to pay hundreds of billions we do not have to the union construction firms -- he will blame corporate america and tell them to create the jobs. He will blame the GOP for playig politics... In shortg this is a blame, blame, blame speech – something he can use on the stump during his campaign for reelection -
If anyone thnks there will be anything valuable in this speech - I have a bridge in Brooklyn for sale – like new; hardly used.
There is only one point to his speech. To convince us to re-elect him. Nothing he says can change what will happen in the future. The only thing that will decide that is whether the Republicans will put up a decent candidate or not. Right now it does not look good. This country's politics are a nightmare to an Independent voter. Everyone in both parties must be stupid or crazy. That's right, both parties. Tea partiers are nothing more than the right wing extermists who elected Bush. Who knows maybe someday the Republican party will become the moderate voice of America.
Jack, Republicans have a plan that does not cost any more money and will help create jobs. That plan is to reduce regulations on businesses. Obama will never agree to it. His goal is to destroy the economy while lining up the pockets of his union and corporate buddies! – Minesh, Troy, MI
Does anyone seriously think a boob tube speech by Teleprompter Man will put 10 million Americans back on the job?
It's a campaign speech. It will change nothing. The sun will rise on Friday to 9.5% unemployment, and the blame game will still be in progress, with no end in sight. (Well, maybe we'll get a brief period of relief from the blame game after the general election in 2012.)
This president has been consistent in not taking ownership of anything – but rather, blaming everyone and anything he can to redirect the issues. I suspect – in answer to the question "What's the point of President Obama's job speech?"...to again, push more blame on Congress because that's truly the last leg he has to stand on at this point.
One word: Re-election.
A memorable episode in the last season of The West Wing had a presidential debate question: "How many jobs will [the presidential candidate] create?" The answer: None! The President does not have the ability to create jobs. He can recommend job creation plans to Congress, but they must pass the legislation and provide the funding for jobs programs. The Republican-controlled House and near-majority Senate have spent the last eight months crusading against abortion, against unions, against taxes, against regulation, and no time working to create jobs. Put the responsibility where it belongs!
The point of the speech is to get re-elected. Giving a speech to the American people about jobs, is nothing more than another "wait and things will get better" pep-talk. Who knows, maybe he'll throw a few punches and blame someone other than George Bush. Unfortunately, it will do little to actually stimulate job growth, and the economy will continue to further slide towards another recession.
There is absolutely no point to President Obama giving a speech about job creation. We all know that whatever he says, he will back away from it once the Republicans disagree with him. I'm tired and disappointed and I've lost confidence in anything President Obama says. And, I am a Democrat who voted for him.
Jack, Obama has waited for the Congress people who campaigned on jobs,jobs,jobs too long already. Even though his speech is probably campaign-related,enough is enough. Now that Obama IS making a jobs speech,it's funny but also not funny at the same time,the gop is also proposing a jobs ______(whatever they claim to be doing). yes,Obama has been preaching economy since day 1,however it's CLEAR that the gop will not do absolutely anything concerning creating jobs. Greg FL
Bring back the jobs from overseas by having the government pay for a third of those salaryies. Companies benefit becasue they'll pay 2/3 the salary and the government will get all that money back in taxes. Plus, the remaining 2/3 will be spent in the local economy.
Jack.the point is to demonize republicans and shift attention from his pitiful job performance!
If nothing has happened with jobs in the past 3 years, how is anything going to be accomplished in 1. There is no point in his making this speech since he has no influence on congress.
he needs to pint out, that the republicans are the ones who are holding the economy hostage!
There is no need for another speech from Obama. Its all the same empty words and means nothing to our economy. Obama does not know what he is doing and needs to be replaced in 2012 before he destroys our great country.
Well said Jack. What is the point? The only thing the poor guy does pretty well is give a speech, but he doesn't have much to say, and the people are beginning to believe that. So what is the point? Mr President. When you find yourself in a hole ... quite digging!
Jack, I have a better question ...... just take off the last two words of your question and you have it.
Like LBJ, maybe he's going to announce that it's time to step aside a let another democrat step up to the plate and move the country forward.
Mr. Obama just doesn't get it. The programs passed in the early term of his presidency (specifically health care) burned up all of his political capital. He completely focused on the wrong areas. I could go on and on about his misguided set of priorities...bottom line their is NO WAY he'll dig himself out of this mess.
PS. Winfield, Il
Jack,
There really isn't a point. We all know what's going to happen. All his plans will involve some kind of spending and the republicans will never let that happen (maybe rightfully so). As a nation we've become too polarized. Even if his ideas would generate jobs and growth, people have dug in and it won't go anywhere. Might as well hand this over to the republicans because we are stuck and we're pulling in different directions. Somebody give it a yank, anybody, lets just move in a direction and not be stuck. This is a joke and our founding fathers are laughing in their grave at us.
Jack, this is not about who smells blood in the water–this about whether the President will finally offer a plan instead of words. I will be watching to see whether the President doubles down on his failed policies and essentially launches his 2012 campaign, or whether he offers a real plan that has the potential to pass congress and actually help the economy. My gut tells me that the latter is a bad bet.
That 'thingy' you mention Jack is the Republican guillotine over the necks of the American middle class. If Obama had a panacea the Republicans would do anything to discredit it. Their number one concern is not putting Americans back to work but making sure Obama is not re-elected.
He was in a no-win scenario from the start. We didn't realize just how bad the damage was from the previous 8 years of Republican rule. If he loses we all lose...
What's the point? Why dont the American people ask WallStreet and corporate America. The President cannot create private and corporate jobs without the help of CEO's of the same companies. Obama was just elected during the second 'depression", which actually started after 9/11, so I really don't see anyone bringing us out of this depression, tea party or whoever. Obama is a good man, just elected in a bad time.
Jack. It's gotta be about growth, not about jobs. Jobs are a by-product of growth. And there is only one thing that will put this economy back on a growth track: stabilization of the real estate market.
Well the point should be about inspiring people and instilling a sense of pride and confidence in our ability to recover. After all this is a crisis of confidence not of a lack of money. Policy will not really solve the problem because the problem is not really understood and accepted by the people. The right questions are not being asked. The first question that is not really being asked is, what jobs do we actually need? Answer that question honestly and put the answer into action and we will be on our way. A little bit of imagination, inspiration, and a look into reality is all we need.
Well isn't it obvious, Jack? Obama is looking to make a campaign speech on the national stage. He will say that job creation takes a long time and to trust in his leadership to see the plan carried out. The Presidency does come with a couple of campaigning perks such as this, don't you think?
He's just trying to keep himself from going the 99er route.
"And the Republicans know it." You bet they know it, their policies created the unemployment problem in the first place!
Obama is in the fight of his political life.
We have a crisis of confidence. Using boxing imagery, we have a president that has lost his punching power, in fact he is barely going the distance with the republicans. So for the next round he has to come out punching. While he won't be able to knock them out (until the election), he can at least regain control of the fight. He needs to jab jab and jab some more, he needs to dance and frustrate the opponent, and whenever there is an opening, he has to punch hard. If he can do that, he will regain our confidence. That speech is the beginning of his comeback. Make it short and aggressive, and put your opponent on the defensive. Then keep dancing and punching. We respect a good fighter, but we will reject a compromiser.
The only point is to try to gain more support for his failed efforts and failed presidency by using the bully pulpit to further insult our intelligence and bore us with his endless persiflage.
Where are the jobs? Ask the corporations who seem to be sending the message loud and clear..."Vote Republican or we won't give you a job!"
This speech has one point: to get Obama re-elected. He has had 3 years to turn things around. Two of those years he had huge majorities in both houses, but he opted to use his capital on health care. The problem now is he has no capital to create jobs and he's only going to propose things he knows will never pass the House. Then he will play his favorite song, "It's (fill in the blank with the name of a Republican)'s fault. The buck is supposed to stop in the White House but to do so one has to have bucks. We're broke in more ways than one.
Bill Brown
Dallas, TX
Maybe if the Rushpublicans would stop obstructing the President at every turn in a quest to make him fail and focus on helping the American public we might get out of this prolonged unemployment crisis.
To remind the American people that it is the Republicans who are blocking any progress on jobs. There are bills there they won't pass. Bills that stand on their own and should pass. The simple fact that they won't extend the Payroll Tax Deduction for the middle class and poor but will extend Tax Breaks for the wealthy is an absolute abomination! They won't pass Infrastructure bills that would put hundreds of thousands to work, but will continue Tax loopholes so Corporation CEO's pay less taxes than their secretaries!!!! On and on the lies and evil of the far right infects this Congress with hypocritical nonsense and no one will say "Republican"!!! No one will blame "Republicans", they just say Congress??? Why Jack?
Love,
Ron
Unless he grows a pair, there is no point.
Obama's problem is that he can talk-the-talk, but he can't walk-the-walk. His other problem is that he's losing the ability to talk-the-talk. I'm beginning to think that Obama is really a Republican in Democratic clothing.
The President has has the bully pulpit and needs to use it. He has had many opportunities to do so but has stood back and left the whiners run the country. It is time he grab the bully pulpit with two fists and put it straight. He did make progress until other politicians, on both sides of the isle, take their heads out of their political butts and make it work.
Of course I do not believe we have people in the congress that understand the problem and are incapable of making the country solvent again. Until we crack we will not rebuild. Bad thing is it is not that hard do.
The President needs to lead and that is what he has failed to do throughout his Presidency. If he lectures the Republicans and the nation on Thursday night like he has in the past; he, Michelle and the kinds better start packing because there is no second term. The nation wants a vision of what could be, not a dull, dry lecture on our problems and some half-baked ideas on how things could be better. After reading the President's two books before voting for him in 2008, I am starting to believe he had one hell of a good ghost writer because he certainly has not lived up to what he wrote in those books being in office.
Obama is a convincing liar when he makes speeches, so I think he is trying to make himself look good.
Rudy P.
Roanoke, VA
Jack, I've always been of the mind that there is very little a President can actually DO to create jobs. Inspire, motivate, push in a particular direction, yes, but that's about it. However, I think the bigger question here, dare I say...the elephant in the room, is when do folks start putting Country interests ahead party interests? Kill the economy and jobs in order to help come election time? Folks are dumber than they look if they don't remember these tactics when they're standing in the voting booth next year.
Dacula, Georgia
Giving a speech is all Obama knows how to do, really. He outsourced his policymaking to Pelosi-Reid, which blew up in his face in 2010. He has no experience outside the faculty lounge and the campaign trail. He has no idea how an economy works. His advisors tell him what he wants to hear.
The point of his speech is to attempt to lay a trap for the GOP via offering the same half-baked Kenseyian ideas and subsequently blaming the tanking economy on the opposition when it rejects these failed ideas. The trap will not work. The country has seen the wages of Obamanomics (debt, unemployment and stagnation), and will not be fooled a second time.
The President needs to "take control." A works program is the answer, he should propose it, be specific, advise how the results will help the country recover and dare the Republicans to vote agaist jobs for their own areas. So far, the President has been the only reasonable grown up in the room and the Republicans have used it against him. It is time for him to "grow sharp teeth" and do what he knows needs done and take a bite out of the rump of every Republican who tries to stop it. Go Mr. President.
Mitt Romney unveiled his plan today relying on advisers from the Bush administration. Seems similar to what all the other GOPers are proposing. The point of Obama's speech is to provide an alternative to what W. would do. We don't need anymore of that.
You are right, its pointless. The Republican House will give him nothing. They smell blood in the water and they want to finish him off. They will dictate terms of surrender per usual and he will oblige as usual. Obama is doing this out of a most pathetic desparation. He should have stepped down after losing the House in 2010 as the Speaker has been running the government and earned that privilege ever since. If we had a parliamentary system of government that might have happened in a formal way. Obama has lost his relevance and is already a lame duck. Now many who passed on the GOP race may be sorry they didn't jump in. Our new regime is just Right around the corner.
I'll give him the jobs. It took decades of ignoring the root problem to get here, it will take a while to get businesses back. My question is where is the real-world plan? Stimulus money is like gasps of air for a person about to drown. We need a solid plan to bring back business that have been run off by taxes, regulations, lower wages, etc.
The purpose is to blame the current economic disaster on everyone and anything other than himself and his job killing ideology.
What's need for writing articles like this? Obama is tied because of the Republicans. If he had been allowed to do what was needed in the beginning, things would be quite different (better)... but he has been blocked from the word go and so it looks like it is his fault, when it definitely is NOT... this whole econonical collapse began in the Bush term and has continued because the Republicans are so afraid of letting someone else be in charge. That's all they (the Republicans) care about... whether they are in power or not. What a shame. This man could have been one of our greatest Presidents, but he has been beaten down so much that he may be on his way out.
The point is to get the republicans to quit stalling on creating jobs.
Whats the point of ANY campaign speech?
I'm a 46 yr old African American male who has never witnessed a sitting African American president. Since Obama's inauguration, he has done ALL in his presidential power to make good on the platform he campaigned for back in 2008. And despite his efforts, he has not been given the slightest bit of respect a sitting president deserves.This particular president inherited a huge amount of "unfinished business" 3 wars, a failed Wall Street and a very poor job market. Regardless of whether Obama gets a 2nd term in office, whoever is voted in will have even more unfinished issues to deal with. So the real question SHOULD be: "What does he have to lose at this point?" Giving the speech is for the people of this country. To give some hope in an overall hopeless situation.
The point is the misguided right-wing teaparty Republicans don't get it, they would rather sit on their hands while American citizens are unemployed and need help. I hope we can relieve them of their position since these misguided fools are the major problem facing this country... they certainly are not the cure. All they can agree on is they are unhappy they lost the last election..which they did fair and square. That, and they want even more for the wealthiest few at the expense of the many.
There is no point, Jack, except to offer the same old tired, worn-out ideas that have already failed to create jobs. The prez spent two years bashing business leaders, banks, insurance companies, energy companies, "millionaires and billioanires", while pandering to labor unions – what the heck did he expect? And then Congress gave us Dodd-Frank ... the economy's a train wreck and we are all watching it unfold in front of our eyes.
Jack:
I believe that Mr. Obama's Thursday evenings speech will be viewed with anticipation. The ` wrong direction ' fails to realize that it has been the Republicans playing politics and basically they seek to take the President down. Can you imagine if the Congressional Democrats did this to the previous President ? Any way the Grand Obstructionist Party will wallow in their own stew because the American People seek real across the board solutions. President Obama needs to become Trumanesk and go on the offensive. There are more of us (John/Joan Q. Public) than the CEOs, Corporate Board Members, etc. Greed needs to end for the common good. If people can contribute $61.5 Million to MDA; why can we rise to the occasion to do what's best for the country. The Republicans were never the champion of the American People but now would be an excellent time to form a partnership. Did not the Democrats do that post 9/11 ? !!
The point will likely be to, once again, try and find some common ground where Republicans and Democrats can agree to try and create more jobs. Unfortunately, I expect Republican politicians to be more eager to see Obama fail than to help our country improve.
There should be only one point to O'Bama's speech: To declare war on the Tea Party and the Ultra Conservatives who want to re-define what our country stands for. As a long-time Republican, I am appalled at what they are doing to my party. "W" stopped me from voting, and Perry makes emigration to Canada a real possibility. O'Bama should give up his misguided "above the fray" posture and come out fighting ... his party deserve at least that.
The point of the jobs speech is that he is trying to save the only job he cares about .... his.
I think that he's addressing Congress/the American people because it's the better of two evil options. Mr. Obama gives a speech, everybody talks about how all he can do is "talk" and that there are never any specifics or actions behind his words. Mr. Obama doesn't talk or address Congress/American people, all we hear is about how he's a Communist or a case-in-point of "big government" overstepping its authority and userping on our "Constitutional Rights". If I were him, I'd rather be called an empty windbag than be compared to the likes of Stalin and Hitler too!! Additionally, if some of his ideas are actually adopted, he can run on his "jobs plan" being put into action on the campaign trail next year....
Nothing. It's a political speech not a meaningful one. Nevertheless, I'm certain it will entail more spending, because that has created a wealth of jobs the last three years. This administration doesn't seem to have a clue as to what to do other than blame the previous administration or the other party. Wouldn't necessarily be a bad strategy except for how do you blame the last guy with a straight face after doubling up on the Bush bailouts, putting the Bush stimulus on steroids, sticking with the Bush Iraq withdrawal and using the Bush troop surge policy in Afghanistan, followed by extending the Bush tax cuts?
Jack, the President has been put in a trap by his advisors. Expectations were raised for the last month that he would deliver some spectacualr speech that would have people dancing in the aisles. He would annouce a grand plan to create jobs and spur the economy. Now the brakes are on. His spokesman says, woah, all the pieces to this is going to come out over the next few MO)NTHS, so do not expect immediate results because all the parts are not in place. POP, did you hear that baloon burst? THUD, did you see his polls hit bottom?
As we all know JOBS! So the reason we do not want to raise the taxes on the top 2% and we keep the BUSH tax cuts is?????My guess is he intends to show the American people just what the TEAPARTY/REPUPLICAN party stand for BIGBUSINESS!!! Ya think?????
Jack,
The fundamental choices to get the economy going are clear – lower taxes, reduced business regulation, and expanded oil and gas production in the US. Obama won't even consider these options because they conflict with his values and the special interests that support him. Who is the one really putting party before country?
Thanks,
Tom
I wouldn't count Obama out just yet. There's a long way to go until November, 2012. Lots of promises will be made by
all of the candidates and there's no one out there that can instill enthusiasm and hope like the President. Many will fall by the wayside in thei interim and the electorate still has the inate ability to see through the rhetoric. Obama will be the last man standing.
Obama's upcoming Jobs speech is purely political theater. The president is not worried about our economy or our citizens – he is concerned about losing his cushy job in 2012. This is just more campaigning for Obama, without the big campaign donations.
His purpose obviously is another 'campaign speech." He has to keep his mouth moving
or he's on the back pages if he doesn't make Headlines. I've read enough of his proposed
outline that I can now skip his speech, and won't miss a thing.
Two bold actions can start improving employment at virtually no cost.
First, implement fair trade. Start by eliminating trade deficit with Chiina to zero. Break WTO rules, and enforce dollar for dollar imports for exports.
Second, sweep one or two states for all illegal workers. Out they go. Replace with legal workers. Review the effect, and if positive continue to our other 48 States.
Jack, I'm sick to the brim of talk out of our President. Many of us voted to see a change - and of course, the proverbial "hope." I have seen no change, and I have very little hope. In fact, I am doing all that I can to keep people in my family from what seems like a rampant case of moderate depression. Things have never been this bad in the USA.
Obama needs to prove to the American people where Republicans really stand. Do Republicans represent their district first or the national party first? Do Republicans side with Mitch McConnell who has gone on record as saying his number one job is to NOT help Obama get re-elected by creating jobs or do House Republicans side with their local constituents who are truly hurting? Obama should propose 242 infrastructure projects in 242 congressional districts, as a way to put one-million construction workers to work. Why 242? Because that's how many districts are represented by Republicans. This would force those Republican representatives to show their true loyalty: to the folks back home they supposedly represent or to not helping Obama and the country as a whole by blocking any jobs package. Obama's not gonna do that, but I sure as hell would.
Jobs, jobs, jobs... Who can actually create 'a job' in Corporate America, demand for products and services create more R&D, customer service, and sales jobs... If the only people who have money are buying gold, depositing it in foreign accounts, buying up foreclosed homes, and just waiting for a rainy day, how does a job get created? Demand creates jobs people... our President MUST spend money and raise taxes to create a J-O-B... Please Jack can CNN help fund some remedial Economics 101 classes for the misinformed? Republicans want to cut spending = NO J-O-B, No raised tax revenues = NO J-O-B... clueless people...
Good question! Where are the shovel ready jobs he promised in the 2008 election? What infrastructure projects need to be done that weren't done in the first $4 trillion stimulus package? What is he going to do with major American manufacturers sending their jobs abroad? Remember that sucking sound of American jobs going down the drain that H. Ross Perot heard. Didn't FDR discover that government sponsored jobs don't fix an economic downturn?
Perhaps, he will announce that the Federal government is taking over the banking industry of the US and will start lending all that money they made off of TARP and the first stimulus so that small business can grow and hire. Maybe, he will allow oil exploration. We can only hope he will take on China's unfair trade practices. Halleujah, he's going to turn over to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac all the underwater mortgages and let them finally resolve the housing crisis rather than just foreclose on everybody. Surely, he's not going to propose tax credits and insentives for the billionairs to profit from.
Maybe he needs to tell the truth and point out that the only way to get the jobs going is for government to create them since the private sector isn't going to do anything. Remember they are invested overseas now and have no concern for America other then paying off lobbyist to ensure they don't get taxed for any profits. As for the money, we have to borrow it since the wealthy are tax exempt and the middle class is tapped out. We do nothing, Obama doesn't lose as much as America does. Actually, Americans don't comprehend anything that will get jobs going because they have been brainwashed. The Tea Party and Republicans are the problem here, not the President. He want to create jobs and they don't. I wonder why?
Good luck Barack, I'm pullin' for you!
What he wants to do is off the scale chauvinism! He wants to create jobs to fix the infrastructure which is a very good thing but those are temporary jobs and we will be back to square one again as soon as they are done. Also, most of those jobs require a lot of physical strength which means they are jobs for men. How about all the women out of work? Where are jobs for the women? Especially women raising children by themselves thanks to deadbeat fathers?
Also, what about all the jobs stolen by 11 million illegal hispanics in our country who are also bilking us for welfare handouts?Why doesn't he make any effort to enforce the immigration laws? Oh, I forgot, he wants the illegal alien votes when they go to the polls with their fake I.D.s.
The GOP would rather watch the nation slide into a depression than allow Pres. Obama a second term. The statements made by Mitch McConnell " the only thing that matters is to make Obama a one term Pres." would seem to enforce that. I don't know what the President can do to turn this around, without Congress. But I think that until people wake up and look at why the GOP acts and votes as they do, and who benefits, there will be no change in Congress.
Tuftonboro, NH
If the bickering and disrespect between both parties continues then there is no point to the speech. We are at war and the enemy is within. We the people are looking for leadership. The 2012 election will determine Obama's fate but in the meantime I think it's time the leadership of both parties in the House and Senate step down from their posts and yield to more enlightened members, regardless of tenure, who are willing to put the good of our Country above ideology.
The only point to Obama's job speech is to show that he still has one. Too bad we have to wait till November 2012 to hand him his pink slip.
Steve in Philadelphia
A waste of time IMO, basically he wants Stimulus II, which he is not going to get. He shouldn't have deferred his duties with Stimulus I to Reid and Pelosi in deciding where it was to be spent. They (Reid and Pelosi) paid for all the Dem pet projects sitting on the shelf for years at the expense of Obama's reputation/political capital. The WH is already trying to downplay the upcoming speech. I'll stick to the Packers vs Saints and give his speech a pass.
No point. Government can't really provide jobs. Sadly, Americans being as stupid as they are, they'll buy the republican garbage and blame Obama for not creating jobs for them, while, at the same time, buying into the governemnt-is-enemy republican nonesense. Republicans want small government, unless government is pushing their religious agenda, employing them and their families, or squandering precious resources on idiot foeign wars that make republican defense-industry pals wealthy. Republicns have a knack for getting poorly educated white trash to vote against their best interests. Not too hard, really. All one has to do is to appeal to prejudice, hatred, stupidity, and kook nut-case religious ideology. Obama, however, has played right into their game by failing to stand up to their treasonous crap. Unless Amricans educate themselves quickly, this nation is doomed .... in other words, this nation is doomed, because while our economy falters, while our nation continues to prosecute immoral foreign wars, and while our educational system falls to levels far below world standards, most Americans are watching sports on TV and getting fatter and more stupid.
I hope Mr. Cafferty, we don't hear anything at all which is Non Specific. We can put folks to work, pay for more infrastructure, both new and rebuilt, if we would simply pull all of our troops home from countries that hate us. We could then line the Mexican-U.S. Border with the troops and eliminate the drugs coming into our country which are killing our young people. Simple plan for demanding times.
It is obviously a campaigner kickoff. We have heard how "it's time to concentrate on jobs", "our number one priority is jobs for Americans", "it's time to stop shipping jobs offshore", "we are going to dedicate our effort's on getting Americans back to work" so many times....Why then is his Job Czar not paying taxes and opening new business in China? He is too busy trying to get reelected sucking up to the Unions and skirting the Constitution to see American wanted a uniter and got a divider...
Since taking office, obama has done nothing but react. He is incapable of leading because he has no principles and he won't fight for anything. This speech is just a reaction to accusations that he's not doing enough to create jobs. Of course, with the republicans determined to destroy his presidency, even if it means destroying the economy and the country, this speech will serve no useful purpose whatsoever. The republicans have won, and they know it. Obama is just a place-holder for the next republican marauder. That is all he was ever intended to be.
What he's going to focus on jobs during the speech? Wait, wasn't he focused like a "laser beam" or some other meaningless focus group tested term for the last 21/2 years. President Obama is clueless and handcuffed by his socialist ideology to actually pivot and focus on anything else besides his latest golf outing and his pending reelection campaign. Hope and change, is now blame and complain!
I hope people remember this period if or when a Republican gets elected again. I will judge them within the first 18 months of their candidacy if they will get re-elected in the next term. For crying out loud. We are a nation of whiners and instant gratification adolescence. Actually, adolescents behave better than our country has in the last 10 years. The President is not in this mess by himself. If Congress would get their heads out of their.......'s, he could get something done. Is Obama holding up job growth because he wants us to fail? Of course not. Get real U.S.A
Your question is based on the premise that it may or may not be relevant for our elected President to share his ideas for repairing an economy that has stalled. This is ridiculous...it ALWAYS matters for us to know what our president's ideas are. It is up to Congress to implement the plan (or not). This is still a representative democracy and the elected executive is one third of our system.
John Eugene, OR
Not sure I'm that concerned with the president's position. Nor am I concerned about republican angling to take advantage of that position. All I want is cooperation and problem solving on all sides of the issue for the good of our country.
I voted for President Obama and it saddens me to see how this country has evolved over the past three years. Is this Obama's fault entirely? I don't think so. Everyone knows he inherited a mess from the Republicans. Is he getting the right advice to help him make decisions. Somehow I don't think so. Everyone had faith in his ability to be a good president but the reality is that he WAS inexperienced in government and business. He had a lot of high level ideas all untested so the obvious result is that he has not been a success. But, and not the least of his troubles, is the blatant racism that is the undercurrent evident every day from the Republicans, Tea Partiers, and the right wing conservatives. He has to fight two battles every day, the job development one and RACISM that is still alive in this country. That coupled with the wars in the middle east and the economy would be a difficult job for any human to overcome. I want success for him. I want to see him re elected. I want him to be the president I had hoped for. I beleive in him. Now he just has to show me he can do it.
Don't know what the point is, Jack. But where is the emphasis on job creation the Republicans promised for the 2010 election? Anybody knowwhat the Republican House has proposed? They've spent the entire time since then attacking Obama, blocking anything from being passed and bringing the country to the brink of default.
The President cannot produce or create jobs, unless they are government jobs, and we all know how the Republicans are against that. I think corporations are sitting tight, hoping that the GOP will take the Presidency and the Congress. They will then get regulations eliminated, larger tax breaks and begin hiring. The result, the GOP will tell you, I told you so. Meanwhilte the average American worker will continue to work for lower wages and no benefits. Americans just don't get it.
Soley o prepare the ring for his next boxing bout with congress. This is the main event coming, folks. The kid from Chicago ain't up to his old 2008 fighting weight, but he's still got heart. And, if he can duck his tendency to want to be the most reasonable adult in the room, and instead deliver a few bad-boy body blows to the Republicans and Tea Pariers, he just might advance himself out of the lightweight division and re-take the title.
Hope springs eternal, I wish a point was apparent. Our Nation is reeling due to a lack of jobs for regular Americans. The highly skilled will always be needed, we need the production and manufacturing of the past. the workers in these industries
are skilled, however, an elitist education is not a requirement.
There is no point. That's the point. The president has no clothes. He hopes that his delivery will change the direction of his southward-bound approval rating. The speeches he makes damage the economy, e.g., his chastising of people for "blowing" their money in Las Vegas. The policies he pushes damage the economy, e.g., restrictions on credit card issuers that made borrowing more expensive and difficult to get. Now this "secret speech".... While the economy was floundering, he was playing basketball or playing golf, or analyzing professional basketball or analyzing college basketball or analyzing profe ssional football. So why does he even bother with the speech now? Because he wants a second term, but he wants to rely on charisma and delivery to win it. But it is hard for people to simply forget that they have been out of work for months, lost their homes, lost their possessions just because Barack Obama appears on TV screens in their living rooms. This worked for some in 2008 and 2009. It is not effective anymore.
Obama's speech should exist as a rallying cry for bipartisanship among Congress, which delivers the actual federal force behind job creation. However, it in our tense environment obsessed with partisan line drawing, his call will fall on deaf ears.
This president had two years with a congressional supermajority to focus on jobs but chose to give us a healthcare bill nobody wanted. This has to be the most anti business administration we have ever had and corporations will sit on their trillions until the next election. Too little too late.
This is a double-edged question if there ever was one: what's the point of re-iterating things he's been saying for three years? And: what's the point of prescribing fixes that will never pass a hostile congress?
Answer: The president has the opportunity on Thursday to do something he hasn't yet done, to the dismay of those of us who were awed by his oratory gifts during the campaign, and that is to use the bully pulpit of the presidency to reassure a weary country and show us a way forward, much in the way FDR did during the depression.
I wish President Obama will put his fist down on Thursday and say ENOUGH of this childish behavior. Now let's get some business done.
So Pres. Obama's poll numbers are low, and the Republicans are sitting on their hands and not lifting one finger to help out "WE the people" so we are supposed to vote him out...not on your life. I don't like the way the economy is going, but I'm not going to give it back to the destroyers...one pollster says, what... well good for Chicken Little. Where are the jobs, lets ask corporate America. They will bring them back if we cave in and take Chinese wages. What a way to make America strong? As soon as the "Tea par tiers" win, kill the unions, cut government and we all wake up angry standing in bread lines. The united States will fall. Or we could rise up and demand that corporate America pays taxes like "we the people" period...simple as that.
Soley to prepare the ring for his next boxing bout with congress. This is the main event coming, folks. The kid from Chicago ain't up to his old 2008 fighting weight, but he's still got heart. And, if he can duck his tendency to want to be the most reasonable adult in the room, and instead deliver a few bad-boy body blows to the Republicans and Tea Pariers, he just might advance himself out of the lightweight division and re-take the title.
That is a pretty scary position for our country . Let's say the president delivers the perfect solution to the unemployment crisis. Does this writer truly believe some or many of our congress members would refuse to pass the issue simply because it could turn out to actually create jobs, which might lead to the reelection of president Obama? I admit to being somewhat removed from politics outside of voting in elections, I don't follow everything closely. Its just plain wrong that voting seems entirely based on who presented the bill and not at all on whether its the best option for our country.
president obama,speech 2 American people on the of their economy is nt bad.at least he is been sincere and i think with that he wil win wit a landslide during the presidential election and 4 his ability 2 have ever silenced bin laden and rahman atiye is enogh 2 win the votes of Americans
From Maplewood, NJ. – the purpose of the speech is to show that republican will refuse compromise for the good of most Americans. The election will be choice between letting a small group dictate to masses what's best for the small group or a solution that holds everyone accountable
I think he needs to inspire all of us who have lost jobs. That's a very important part of a president's job. He can not create jobs himself as some seem to think he can, but he can raise our spirits.
Wish bo had a point, all of his speeches have been nothing more than partisan finger wagging from the bully pulpit. Our country wasted 3 years chasing an agenda than even he now seems to be backing away from. Too late sir, you failed to lead by placing country and jobs at the top of the list. The first 2 years of a world apology tour and social medicine, has set us back a decade. Election day 2008 sent a chill down my spine, I now know why. Thanks
The point? So that Obama can LOOK like he's doing something. In reality Obama has no idea what to do. He is truly clueless and needs to be replaced.
Sadly, the point of this speech is to dump the problem on the Republican party. He's hoping that by turning on the charm, he can convince the American people that the Republicans are obstructionists preventing him from delivering the "hope and change" that he's been promising for 3 years. The only point of this speech is for him to pass the buck and get his re-election campaign back on track.
Republican policies failed us before and the GOP candidates are offering the same meal once again. Obama may have low numbers, but no one else will fare better. The tea party movement was too quick to go apesh*t on Obama. They have had the same anger and intensity since he took office, well before he passed the health care act and stimulus. They are prejudiced, plain and simple. If their policies are truly for all Americans, how come only 1% of their membership are non-white?
There's a point? Guess we'll have to wait and see. But I don't think the Republicans are doing any better. I'm a lifelong Indepedent who was all set to vote for McCain in the last election untill he swung too far right and chose the bubble-head as his running mate. So I voted for Obama. And like a lot of people who voted for him I've found Obama to be a disappointment. He might as well get doormat tattoed to his forehead. Which means (like a lot of people in the center) I'm ripe to swing back in the other direction if the Republicans will finally learn the lesson of why they lost the last election, NO MORE EXTREMISTS! But no, they're giving us people like Bachman and Perry. I would say the best solution is to move to another country but the whole world seems to be going down the tubes. Anybody know where I can catch the next spaceship heading to a sane planet?
The point is to drown out the unlimited viewpoints of the right whose policies nearly destroyed the economy in the first place, so the President can yet again try to lay out a centrist position to the dismay of the left who are angry about giving so much and gaining little, and to the right who will incite claims of socialism. in the end we will hear some good ideas that will likely go nowhere or be blunted by those who are obsessed with long term debt rather than short term economic contraction.
The point is, Obama has to counter all the Republican lies and misinformation being spread 24/7. He'll propose ideas that conservatives have long agreed on and still be painted as a socialist – and then Republicans will block each and every job proposal, like they have been doing for the last 2.5 years, and blame him for the sick economy.
Jack,
The point of this speech is a opportunity to show America & the World that the President has a backbone. He needs to get angry at congress GOP & DEMS alike. This is a chance for this generation to hear a real "Give Them Hell Harry" speech. At this point President Obama has nothing to lose, but if he reads off of his teleprompter and gives a non-emotional speech like his many before. Then he's TOAST.
There surely is a point to Obama's speech! He feels he has not gotten enough attention lately. Why a joint session of Congress? The Obama 2012 coffers are not sufficient to book a similar venue; but as we have seen in the past, all things are possible on the taxpayers dime. More poll tested sloganeering that will appeal to the uninformed...you know the type and they won't be watching. So what is the point? Lights, camera, Obama and no action.
The point? In all honesty. The only way to reduce the government debt is to get people working and paying their federal taxes. We do not suffer from excessive spending but by a lack of revenue from the rich, big business, and the unemployed. The Republicans are proposing to do exactly what Herbert Hoover did in 1929...cut government spending (it well deflate the economy), lower taxes on the rich and big business (they don't spend it and drive economy, they are already sitting on 5 trillion dollars), get rid of social spending (they have been trying to do this sinjce 1932). The President well talk big and propose little. FDR wouldn't have got anything done with a Republican House either, nor Lyndon Johnson. Vote the Republican bums out. They do not care about the "people" (just rich ones).
Jack unfortunately for the American people President Obama is desperate and just trying to buy time with some glimmer I hope the economy changes its spiraling path. Hey I voted for him, but his administration team and the rest of Washington have nothing to really offer. The next election will be just a series of promises and miss calculations that will never reach the struggling American families. Washington is broken (both sides of the isle) and no one wants or can fix it unfortunately.
Obama waits until a zero jobs report to lay out a plan for economic growth? Just ridiculous. One of the worst President's ever. I wish Hillary Clinton would challenge him for the 2012 run!
To let the American pepole know what he believes needs to be done to get people back to work so the GOP can't say that he has nothing on the table..as they always try to say. Let's be honest Obama and Dems. tried to implement policies and the Senate Rep. fillabusterd everthing he tried to pass. Remember they were and still are the party of NO. So the policies in place right now are not even Obama's policies. That's why I don't put all the blame on the president and more on the GOP.
LOL, there is no point. This will be a campaign speech on things America "needs to do" as opposed to things we are doing.
This will join the ranks of Immigration "reform" as this administration refuses to secure the borders just like the previous administration. More grandstanding, more rhetoric, more promises. Obama does not have a plan...
Jack, it won't mean squat. Obama has proven to be a great speaker, and that's it. In the process he has proven to be a liar and has gone back on virtually every stance he took in 2008.
Wake up my fellow lefties. Democrats = Republicans. A vote for green or socialist parties may not result in anything, but it's just as useful as voting for a D or R.
Wake up my righties across the aisle. Your GOP is the embodiment of hypocrisy and has become a racist, xenophobic, homophobic nationalist party. Save yourselves and vote for a Libertarian (Ron Paul).
Our 2 party system makes us the political joke of the rest of the first world. What a great country we once were.
President Obama is going to pull a rabbit out of a hat... just like he did when his birth was an issue and when Ben Laden was running around cutting up! Watch 😉
Gee, if he's got any great job creation ideas, I wish he could have shared them 2 1/2 years ago. 30 million jobless are insulted by the timing of this issue which is too little too late for most. Americans who have lost everything aren't afraid of Republicans.
The only purpose of this speech will be getting the president some face-time on the taxpayers' dime. He will use every synonym for "stimulous", and will mention how this plan will cost trillions, but won't increase our national debt. Then, he will wiggle his nose, fold his arms, blink while nodding his head, and the recession will be over in a whisp of smoke. Unemployment will still be over nine percent, but we will all be able to take solace in the fact that it is still "Bush's fault".
It's all political, of course. If he knew what he was doing with the economy, he would have done it all ready.
To let Labor know he's "got their back" with unemployment insurance and food stamps!
Your Prez, NO Prez can create jobs.......you people can't see the forest for the trees can you?
The only purpose is to shift the blame for the lack of jobs on everyone but him and keep the smoke screen of Hope and Change alive!
He's making a campaign speech, just another campaign speech that I won't bother to watch.
Jack: The American voters made a big mistake voting in Tea Party ideologues instead of Republicans that would compromise to work with the President. Let's be fair to Obama, it's not that all his poilices have failed, it's just he cannot enact them. You can't demand leadership from a President while you refuse to let him lead you. This is what the GOP is doing. The fact of the matter is that Obama may propose the right soultions Thursday night, but the House will never work with him. Obama could just take his case straight to the American people, but they'll be watching football. Politics driven by money and ideology along with a dis-interested public equals the mess that we're in.
Obama wants to offer up yet again a ragged battle scarred olive branch in a futile gesture hoping the Republicans will take it. Sadly the Republicans would rather reach for a rattlesnake. The Republicans have made it clear they don't want anything fixed until he's out of office. I think Cheney ended all the debate last week about whether it's racially motivated when he said we'd be better off if Hillary was President. Remember how much they hated her?
Jack,
The point is contrast and revealing unpatriotic Republican obstructionism. How many people realize that 90% of major legislation in 2009 was filibustered by Senate Republicans ? Or in California, where Gov Brown proposed putting any tax hikes to a public vote, is still being blocked by state republicans. Time to throw water on these 'wicked witch ' GOP'ers and watch them melt away.
I've been asking myself that same question, Jack. I was a die-hard Obama supporter (and donor) in 2008, but I've just about given up on him. Obama has caved in so often to Republicans that he has no room to manuver if he wants to propose any new initiatives. Even if he does propose something bold (which is what we need), my guess is that it will get watered down to nothing by the time his "negotiations" with Republicans end. Then, congress will pass a largely symbolic bill that does nothing, and Obama will hail the accomplishment.
The president is doing the only thing a president can do – rallying public support in an effort to get Congress to act. People are so busy with the constant stream of criticism that they seem to forget that there is very little he can do to improve the economy without the support of Congress. The president does not have the authority to create laws as he sees fit. If he did, blaming him for the state of things might actually be productive.
President Obama came out loud and clear in Michigan yesterday when he said he is prepared to fight a new job growth plan, defend organized labor, and take steps "to restore the middle class in America"! The naysayers keep up their negativity and try to make anyone reading their words believe that President Obama is about to disappear......he isn't. I think all Democrats are waiting for his speech thursday night, if they're not then they aren't Democrats.
Politicians can make all the grandiose speeches they want, but real job growth needs to come proactively from the "capitalist" culture we've lost to the outsourced "global slave market" we've got now. No amount of reduction in taxes will overcome the drastic wage differentials we currently pay for slave labor in China, Japan, India, Honduras, Pakistan, Haiti,...
Business needs to step up. We recently were in California at a small chain spot......the staff was so limited it took forever to get a glass of water, much less to have food ordered and served. When we asked the waitress why it took so long, she kindly replied "management layed off 5 people....so the cooks are bussing the tables".....
So, Coco's looses, we won't go there again......almost 2 hours to have a bowl of soup, a glass of water and sandwiches.
Seriously......if management lays off their staff.....can they not see that patrons don't go back for bad service and disgruntled cooks and wait staff.
Sheesh.
Come to Costa Rica....and see what it's like to have service done right.
Obama has an empty quiver on the economy, and has shown that he doesn't know how to best use the power of the presidency. The joint session speech is just a desperate president pulling one of the only triggers he has left in a hail Mary attempt for public approval.
To ask the question is to answer it.
Unless he comes out and says he will open 8 million jobs illegals have so 14-22 million unemployed legal immigrants and citizens can apply and get back to work and directing ICE to do their job 100% followed by serious jail time and deportations for all illegals, his speech is pointless because Illegals will get those jobs too!!
Yorktown VA
He is still the president and rightfully in charge, although the Republicans are working hard to convince us otherwise. If people believe that he has nothing important to say, then the Republicans have surely succeded in duping the American people, which is not hard to do.
The point is to make sure the highest ratings for an NFL season opener in history occur.
The speech is a waste of time. The Republicans hate him and will never do anything that would help him in
his re-election bid. This country will only get out of this recession/drepression when we get another president.
The purpose of this speech will be to unveil his ability to perform magical acts. He will wiggle his nose, fold his arms, blink while nodding, and the recession will end in a whisp of smoke. Unemployment will remain above nine percent, but we will all be able to take solace in the fact that all of our economic woes are "Bush's fault". He will then state that he was told to never use his magical abilities until mortal solutions fail. Finally, he will tell Republicans to tone down the hateful rhetoric, and allow the Democratic leaders, along with Hoffa, to return to civility.
LOL his speech will be boring and plain – just more hot air & ways we can borrow more money to try more failed programs! We need a new president and we need him or her now! Not a guy who mirrors bush!!!
Election 2012: "Changing what we believe in"
Republicans want to help those who might some day hire more people. Democrats want to help those unemployed. These are mere symptoms of the real problems created by the Free Trade and automation of manufactories. Hopefully, the president can get congress to look at the problem instead of the symptoms. Otherwise, Congress may as well count angels on the head of pins.
He must like to hear himself speak. I have trouble tuning in to him anymore. All speeches – no action – or the same action. After three years, he is still campaigning. He never got to leading this nation. And please don't let me hear that we are in this mess because the Republicans/Tea Party are playing partisan politics. He wasn't asking to cross the aisle with Obamacare, Dodd-Frank, Card Check, Libya, Immigration, and all the regulations his agencies are putting into place now. Thanks heavens someone took a stand. Imagine – it could be worse if he had had his way and there were no mid-term elections. A leader takes ownership. If things were going good – he would get the credit but they are not. Man up Mr. President.
Everett, WA
No point, Jack. Republicans will oppose anything he proposes, so regardless of the content of his speech, nothing will come of it. Remember, the republicans oppose the man, not his policies.
Face it; our system is broken. There is no such thing as "loyal opposition," as there was in the days of Tip O'Neil and Ronald Reagan. Politics is a zero-sum game now. The only way for me to win is for you to lose. Thank Lee Atwater and Karl Rove.