The President will take to the airwaves tonight for the State of the Union address. It will be President Barack Obama’s fourth State of the Union and this one is expected to set the stage for his second term in office.
The main focus is expected to be growing jobs in this sputtering economy. With less than a month between the President’s inaugural address and the State of the Union, there is expected to be some similarities especially in theme. That theme will be making the economy grow for the middle class.
Less than a month after his second inaugural address, President Barack Obama steps to into the House Chamber tonight to deliver the State of the Union address. The big focus will be jobs.
“You will hear in the President’s State of the Union an outline from him for his plan to create jobs and grow the middle class,” said Jay Carney, White House Press Secretary.
Growing jobs and the middle class was an essential part of the inaugural address and will be an essential part of the President’s focus for the second term. A March 1 deadline of mandatory across the board cuts called sequestration is quickly approaching and no compromise is in sight. Talks are not fairing well. Both sides are taking a hard line.
“The President spent most of his first term avoiding the issues Americans’ cared about most. What I’m suggesting is that he not do the same thing this time around,” said Senator Mitch McConnell, (R) Kentucky.
There have been talks of another temporary fix or simply pushing back the deadline. But the American public is growing increasingly impatient with Congress, the President and the economy. A new Quinnipiac poll shows 53 percent of Americans still feel like the country is in a recession.
“There’s no pivot here. The President’s principal preoccupation since he ran for this office beginning in 2007 has been, you know, what we need to do to make our economy work for the middle class,” Carney said.
Gun control and immigration are sure to get some air time from the President as well. Experts think immigration is the easier of the two issues to be passed. Still, the President is not expected to get his complete way on either of the issues.
Maybe the most intriguing part of the evening will come after the State of the Union. Florida Senator Marco Rubio will deliver the Republican response. Rubio is considered an early, strong candidate for the Republican nomination for President. There is a fine chance that this could be his coming out party, with the next Presidential election less than four years away.