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Columbus
Dispatch...
Obama’s speech
already doubted
Ohio Republican representatives want to hear president propose
something different on jobs
By Jessica Wehrman
WASHINGTON — When President Barack Obama addresses a joint session of
Congress tonight, he’ll face what comedians might call a “tough crowd.”
Obama will push a second stimulus plan that would pump hundreds of
billions into the economy through tax cuts and federal spending while
facing a Republican-led House that has bucked his will on everything
from the timing of the speech to the recent debate over how to handle
the debt ceiling.
He also faces a public that polls indicate is increasingly disenchanted
with his handling of the economy.
“The chances of a unanimous chorus of cheers and applause is zero,”
said Stu Rothenberg of the Rothenberg Political Report, who said Obama
will have to do something to “shake people” to convince them he’s not
just recycling “a bunch of old ideas he thinks are great.”
Central Ohio lawmakers acknowledge that it will be difficult for them
to buy into a second stimulus — many say the first stimulus, passed in
2009, did little to bolster the economy. Friday’s jobs report showed
the unemployment rate stalled at 9.1 percent, with no net gain of jobs.
Rep. Pat Tiberi said Obama “continues to recycle the same tired,
temporary measures that haven’t worked.” The Genoa Township Republican
said he wishes Obama would work toward fundamental tax reform instead
of such measures.
“It’s time for real, common-sense, long-term solutions, not more
gimmicks,” he said.
Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Columbus, said he hopes to see four things from
Obama’s speech: An emphasis on free-trade agreements with Colombia,
Panama and South Korea; support for patent reform; support for
corporate-tax reform; and an endorsement of increased offshore gas and
oil drilling to pay for much-needed infrastructure improvements.
“We don’t need a 56-point plan, we don’t need a 200-point plan,” he
said. “We need a four- or five-point plan that would make America
competitive.”
Stivers said he does not want to see Obama push to expand unemployment
compensation; the current system does little to encourage retraining.
“We need to modify it so it’s a pathway back to work,” he said.
But Sen. Sherrod Brown said he thinks investing in infrastructure will
create jobs and boost the economy. “There’s no question it will put
people to work, create jobs and spinoff jobs,” he said.
The Ohio Democrat said he wants Obama to “think big,” and though the
federal government needs to reduce its deficit, the nation needs jobs
more.
“The era of ‘small ball’ doesn’t work now for this country,” he said.
Obama also faces skepticism from the voters he hopes will re-elect him
next year.
Earlier this week, a Politico/George Washington University Poll found
that 72 percent of voters think the country is either strongly or
somewhat headed in the wrong direction — an increase of 12 percentage
points since May. Only 39 percent said they approved of Obama’s
handling of the economy.
Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia said most of Obama’s
proposals will be “dead on arrival” in the Republican-led House.
“I’m not sure Obama has accepted the fact that his legislative
presidency is all but over for this term, and maybe even if he wins a
second term,” he said. “The Republicans are not going to help him win
in 2012 by passing another economic program this fall.”
Read it at the Columbus Dispatch
Read FoxNews companion story on Obama speech here
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