Obama challenges Republicans
US: U.S. President Barack Obama previewed proposals on Monday for new
infrastructure spending and an extension of payroll tax cuts as part of
a major jobs package he will unveil this week, and challenged
Republicans to find common ground with him.
Obama used a Labor Day rally with cheering union workers in
economically hard-hit Detroit to set a combative tone before his
nationally televised speech to Congress on Thursday, signaling he is
ready to confront Republicans over their resistance to his agenda.
“We’re going to see if congressional Republicans can put country
before party,” Obama told a campaign-style gathering of about 13,000 in
a General Motors parking lot. “Show us what you got. The time for
Washington games is over. The time for action is now.”
Obama’s jobs speech has taken on new urgency after Friday’s Labor
Department report, which showed zero U.S. employment growth in August
and the jobless rate stuck at 9.1 percent. The dismal numbers stoked
fears the U.S. economy could slide back into recession and underscored
for Obama, whose popularity ratings are near the lows of his presidency,
that his 2012 re-election chances hinge heavily on whether he can
reignite the recovery and spur job creation.
The White House has taken care to guard most specifics of the plan
Obama will lay out before a joint session of Congress. But Obama told
his audience the package would include projects for rebuilding roads,
bridges and other infrastructure across the country to put construction
workers back on the job. Republicans who control the House of
Representatives have resisted such ideas as wasteful spending.
“There is work to be done and there are workers ready to do it. Labor
is on board. Business is on board. We just need Congress to get on
board. Let’s put America back to work,” Obama said.
Obama said he would also push Congress to extend soon-to-expire
payroll tax cuts to spur hiring and put more money in Americans’
pockets.
Obama also used his Detroit visit to try to rally support from the
U.S. labor movement, which backed him heavily in the 2008 race but has
shown signs of disappointment with some of his economic policies since
he took office.
Detroit, Tuesday, Reuters
|
