White House officials are hyping a major address President Obama plans to give next month on employment and the state of the economy. “The president’s plan,” the Associated Press reported Tuesday, “is likely to contain tax cuts, jobs-boosting infrastructure ideas and steps that would specifically help the long-term unemployed.”
There has also been talk of the creation of a new federal agency – potentially called the “Department of Jobs” – which could absorb the Commerce Department, the Office of the US Trade Representative, and some other economic offices at the State Department.
Americans will likely sigh a collective “heard that before” on the news of the president’s speech, since, well, they have. The Weekly Standard’s John McCormack compiled a list of every Obama speech meant to present a renewed focus on economic growth and job creation:
President-elect Barack Obama to deliver major speech on the economy on Thursday (change.gov, January 8, 2009)
President Barack Obama to Give Major Speech on the Economy at Georgetown University (Whitehouse.gov, April 13, 2009)
Obama to give major speech about economy on Monday (AFP, November 9, 2009)
President Obama to Deliver Major Speech on the Financial Crisis (Whitehouse.gov, September 10, 2009)
Obama To Promote New Job Ideas During Tuesday Speech (AP, December 5, 2009)
Obama preparing new push to add jobs, tackle deficit (WaPo, December 8, 2009)
In key speech Obama pledges to create jobs (AP, January 27, 2010)
Obama to tout job-creating efforts in Ohio speech (AP, January 5, 2010)
Here are some other newsy items to check out this morning:
A pair of Wisconsin State Senate Democrats withstood recall elections on Tuesday, a week after Democrats picked up two seats in the state’s upper chamber. Republicans retain a 17-16 majority. Meanwhile, efforts to recall Gov. Scott Walker (R) next year are losing steam, according to a Democratic polling outfit.
Connecticut Senator Joe Liberman, an Independent who caucuses with the Democrats, hasn’t decided whether to support Barack Obama next year. “I’m just waiting to see who the Republican candidate is and what President Obama’s positions are at that point,” Lieberman told radio host John McCaslin.
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, is backing legislation that could withhold aid from the Israeli Defense Force, Ha’aretz reported on Tuesday. Leahy’s staff objected to the charge, but left open the possibility that the bill’s punitive provisions could be enforced against Israel’s military.
