Posted on 01/25/2010 8:29:23 AM PST by traumer
Populist or professor? Contrite or uncompromising?
President Obama will have a chance Wednesday to reintroduce himself to the nation when he delivers his first official State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress.
The prime-time speech, which will be aired on all major TV networks and cable stations, could hardly come at a more critical time for a president grappling with double-digit unemployment, sinking poll numbers and the possible collapse of his top domestic policy priority, an overhaul of the nation's health-care system.
"As often as the president has spoken over the past year, critics on the right and left have largely defined him," says University of Notre Dame American studies professor Robert Schmuhl. "For the State of the Union, he needs to redefine himself, who he is politically and what his core principles and policies are."
In Ohio on Friday, just three days after Democrats lost the 60th Senate vote that gave them an edge in pushing their agenda through Congress, Obama struck a decidedly populist tone.
Shunning a necktie for a midday town hall-style meeting in Elyria, Obama told the crowd again and again that he'll "never stop fighting" for them on issues from health care and jobs to education and accountability.
On Wednesday, however, the setting will be decidedly different: formal and steeped in history and tradition.
When he speaks to the nation from the House of Representatives' chamber, he will take "the biggest stage the president has" to speak to the people, says Michael Gerson, White House speechwriter for George W. Bush.
How he responds to last week's message from Massachusetts voters, who gave Republican Scott Brown the seat held by Sen. Edward Kennedy for nearly five decades, could set the political course for the next year and beyond.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Jennings, Koppel, and Donaldson had it in for Reagan. This isnt new.
I remember the ABC News the evening after the 1994 November election when the 'rats suffered their greatest losses in decades. Jennings was beside himself stating words to the effect "The American electorate thru a tantrum."
The arrogance of Jennings, still a Canadian citizen at the time, was astonishing.
Ever notice how it’s almost always liberals who must “reintroduce” or “reinvent” themselves. How many versions of Al Gore were rolled out with much media fanfare? Clinton? Kerry? Hillary?
Has there ever been a prominent conservative that had a “reintroduction”?
Authentic people don’t require reintroductions.
Wonder if he'll call it a 401k ?
Wow...Mr. So & Mrs. O
what a find!
I think the idea is from the same thought for the feds to take over 401K’s. I read about in 2008 before he was elected and it is another marxist power grab. A slush fund he can steal from. Instead of requesting the money be taken out, it is automatic.
http://www.economics21.org/commentary/savings-rate
Obama’s Universal Savings Plan May Not Be Right for Everyone
In early September, the Obama Administration launched an initiative to help people save. President Obama used his weekly radio address to announce administrative actions to expand automatic enrollment in employer-sponsored retirement plans, convert tax refunds into savings bonds, and allow employees to accept certain forms of compensation using deposits into retirement account. These administrative actions are but the first part of a comprehensive plan to create a universal system of savings accounts through an expansion of automatic enrollment.
But the notion that government is making it easier for a worker to save for retirement by encouraging employers to take money out of paychecks unless the worker objects misrepresents whats actually occurring. The issue is not about simplifying saving, but rather the presumption that people are making bad decisions.
Make sure you read the comments below this article. People not paying attention will think they are forced to have the money taken out and no opt out.
http://www.newamerica.net/blog/asset-building/2009/obama-supports-universal-401-k-s-10540
Obama Supports Universal 401(k)s
As this recent New York Times article pointed out, President Obama proposed in his State-of-the-Union-like speech that we must think about strengthening Social Security while creating tax-free universal savings accounts for all Americans.
Hello, my name is Barack. I’m from the government and I’m here to help...something like that?
A pig is a pig is a pig is a pig.
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