Challenging Congress

The lead story in today’s New York Times, “Obama Challenges Congress to ‘Pass This Jobs Bill,’” showcased a President who was determined to reason with his opponents and provide a moderate proposal to help the economy. The speech, before a joint session of Congress, seemed to illustrate the very partisanship the President was railing against, with Democrats and Republicans applauding separately depending on the issue being discussed.

The President’s proposal, called the American Jobs Act, is a $447 billion program of tax cuts and infrastructure spending, no surprise there. But the speech was delivered in a forceful tone and could represent an inflection point for the Obama presidency. It was to be followed by the President touring around the nation, promoting his new legislation.

The centerpiece of the proposal is a renewed and expanded payroll tax cut, this time for both employees and employers, and this section has the best chance for passage. Eric Cantor, the House Majority Leader, was surprisingly conciliatory after the address, noting that there were some areas where the two parties could work together. How that works in practice remains to be seen as several House committees would have jurisdiction over separate sections of the bill, and any one could help to tear it to shreds.

With 14 months to go before the next election, the hopes for major progress remain slim.