Wednesday night to pocketbook themes, from jobs to tax breaks to taming
the national debt.
Throughout the 70-minute speech, the president
strained to signal that he understands how angry, disappointed and even
cynical the American people are over their economic insecurity and
Americans “face more than a deficit of dollars right
now,” Obama said. “We face a deficit of trust, deep and corrosive
doubts about how
Even so, he insisted, because of the indomitable
spirit of the American people: “I have never been more hopeful about
America’s future than I am tonight. Despite our hardships, our union is
strong. We do not give up. We do not quit. We don’t allow fear or
division to break our spirit. In this new decade, it’s time the
American people get a government that matches their decency, that
embodies their strength.”
He returned repeatedly to one of the hallmarks of his 2008 presidential candidacy — the notion that he’d change the culture of
“I am not naive. I never thought the mere fact of my
election would usher in peace, harmony, and some post-partisan era,”
Obama said. “But what frustrates the American people is a
He revived his campaign theme that Republicans and
Democrats must work together for the nation’s good — as he said
previous generations did for centuries, to do “what’s best for the next
generation.”
That, he said, is the legacy that today’s leaders in
must seize: “We don’t quit. I don’t quit. Let’s seize this moment — to
start anew, to carry the dream forward, and to strengthen our union
once more.”
At the same time, he urged congressional Democrats
not to chicken out on their agenda for fear of a backlash at the polls
— and hinted that they should consider hardball tactics to force
bare-majority votes on big issues through
“Democrats, I would remind you that we still have
the largest majority in decades, and the people expect us to solve some
problems, not run for the hills.”
He said that under Obama, “the federal government is
simply trying to do too much.” He said one plan Obama detailed in his
speech, a three-year freeze on non-security discretionary spending, is
“a laudable step, but a small one.”
McDonnell called for limited government and lower
debt. He criticized the Democrats’ approach to overhauling health care:
“All Americans agree we need a health care system that is affordable,
accessible, and high quality. But most Americans do not want to turn
over the best medical care system in the world to the federal
government.”
The
We agree that victory there is a national security imperative,” he
said. However, he criticized the government’s decision to arrange a
civilian trial and full legal rights for the suspect in the
For his part, on health care Obama said, “I take my
share of the blame for not explaining it more clearly to the American
people. I know that with all the lobbying and horse-trading, this
process left most Americans wondering what’s in it for them.”
He didn’t detail how he intends to revive the plan,
but said it’s absolutely necessary. “I will not walk away from these
Americans. And neither should the people in this chamber.”
While domestic programs dominated his delivery, the
president turned briefly to foreign policy. He defended his decision to
send more troops to
He called for a broader international coalition to halt the nuclear ambitions of
He didn’t lay out new demands or deadlines for
Israelis and Palestinians to move the peace process forward, after both
sides resisted last year’s calls. Nor did he set a new timeline for
closing the terrorist detention facility at
On the economy, Obama said the economic stimulus
passed last year helped stave off a depression and that the economy is
turning around, even as jobs lag. While more than 3.5 million net jobs
have been lost since Obama took office, Obama said it could have been
worse. He argued that the stimulus had saved or created 2 million jobs
and is on track to save or create another 1.5 million by year’s end.
The president also outlined several plans for short-
and long-term economic improvement, some of which the administration
had leaked in the days leading up to the speech.
He called for using up to
He promoted other small-business tax incentives to encourage hiring.
He said he’s issuing an executive order to create a commission to recommend ways to cut the debt, after the
As expected, he announced plans to for a three-year freeze on non-security discretionary spending. Critics say the
He said he’d find
budget cuts to propose next week for fiscal year 2011. He also called
for more tax credits for the middle class, including for parents and
people who build their savings. He said that passing financial reform
legislation is essential if
The speech came as the president’s once-high job
approval ratings have slid to less than 50 percent, and as Democrats
brace for big losses in midterm elections.
Obama also urged
lobbyists to disclose all professional contacts with lawmakers and the
administration, and to publish all of their own spending requests for
earmarks, or pet projects, on a Web site for voters’ review.
The president reiterated but broke no new ground on
his support for liberalized immigration policy, cap-and-trade emissions
control legislation and ending the military’s ban on openly gay
soldiers.
—
(c) 2010, McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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