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| Obama's second term begins in earnest as he takes his pitch to the people | Obama's second term begins in earnest as he takes his pitch to the people |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Barack Obama has embarked on an effort to rally grassroots support for his ambitious second-term programme outlined in his state of the union speech, including a bigger role for government in uplifting the poor and strengthening the middle class. | Barack Obama has embarked on an effort to rally grassroots support for his ambitious second-term programme outlined in his state of the union speech, including a bigger role for government in uplifting the poor and strengthening the middle class. |
| In an effort to pressure Congress to act on his proposals, the president kicked off a three-day tour in North Carolina to whip up backing for the plans, which included a raise in the minimum wage. | In an effort to pressure Congress to act on his proposals, the president kicked off a three-day tour in North Carolina to whip up backing for the plans, which included a raise in the minimum wage. |
| Obama pledged on Tuesday to restore "the basic bargain" of prosperity for the bulk of Americans as well as to push immigration reform and some gun control measures. | Obama pledged on Tuesday to restore "the basic bargain" of prosperity for the bulk of Americans as well as to push immigration reform and some gun control measures. |
| The proposals had a mixed reception. Republicans denounced proposals to make it harder for criminals and the mentally ill to obtain weapons, but gave a tentative welcome to immigration reform. They questioned whether the president can fulfill his promises without raising the national debt. | The proposals had a mixed reception. Republicans denounced proposals to make it harder for criminals and the mentally ill to obtain weapons, but gave a tentative welcome to immigration reform. They questioned whether the president can fulfill his promises without raising the national debt. |
| In a conference call with supporters immediately after the speech, Obama acknowledged that he would face stiff opposition in Congress to many of his proposals, particularly those involving the government in business. | In a conference call with supporters immediately after the speech, Obama acknowledged that he would face stiff opposition in Congress to many of his proposals, particularly those involving the government in business. |
| "It's going to be tough. There's going to be resistance in Congress on some of these initiatives, but this is not about me. This is about us. Our success is going to depend on how well we'll work together not just here in Washington, but all across the country," he said. | "It's going to be tough. There's going to be resistance in Congress on some of these initiatives, but this is not about me. This is about us. Our success is going to depend on how well we'll work together not just here in Washington, but all across the country," he said. |
| But Obama won broad public approval for his speech, with more than half of TV viewers giving it a "very positive" reaction and nearly a quarter saying they felt "somewhat positive" about it, according to a CNN poll. | But Obama won broad public approval for his speech, with more than half of TV viewers giving it a "very positive" reaction and nearly a quarter saying they felt "somewhat positive" about it, according to a CNN poll. |
| Obama put jobs and the economy at the heart of his speech with a call for the lower-paid to get a fair shake after years of wages falling in real terms while top earners have become richer. | Obama put jobs and the economy at the heart of his speech with a call for the lower-paid to get a fair shake after years of wages falling in real terms while top earners have become richer. |
| "Let's declare that in the wealthiest nation on earth, no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty, and raise the federal minimum wage to $9 an hour. This single step would raise the incomes of millions of working families. It could mean the difference between groceries or the food bank; rent or eviction; scraping by or finally getting ahead. For businesses across the country, it would mean customers with more money in their pockets," he said. | "Let's declare that in the wealthiest nation on earth, no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty, and raise the federal minimum wage to $9 an hour. This single step would raise the incomes of millions of working families. It could mean the difference between groceries or the food bank; rent or eviction; scraping by or finally getting ahead. For businesses across the country, it would mean customers with more money in their pockets," he said. |
| The present minimum wage under federal law is $7.25 (£4.65) an hour, well below much of western Europe, although some US states set it higher. | The present minimum wage under federal law is $7.25 (£4.65) an hour, well below much of western Europe, although some US states set it higher. |
| Obama said that the government will step in where even minimum wage jobs are in short supply by directing money toward using the unemployed to renew infrastructure "like the nearly 70,000 structurally deficient bridges across the country" and providing work "rebuilding vacant homes in run-down neighbourhoods". He said he will target "resources at public safety, education, and housing". | Obama said that the government will step in where even minimum wage jobs are in short supply by directing money toward using the unemployed to renew infrastructure "like the nearly 70,000 structurally deficient bridges across the country" and providing work "rebuilding vacant homes in run-down neighbourhoods". He said he will target "resources at public safety, education, and housing". |
| Republicans scorned the plans. Senator Marco Rubio, who the Republicans chose to give the response to Obama's speech, told PBS that there should not be such a thing as a minimum wage. | Republicans scorned the plans. Senator Marco Rubio, who the Republicans chose to give the response to Obama's speech, told PBS that there should not be such a thing as a minimum wage. |
| "We all support – I certainly do – having more taxpayers, meaning more people who are employed. And I want people to make a lot more than $9 – $9 is not enough. The problem is you can't do that by mandating it in the minimum wage laws. Minimum wage laws have never worked in terms of having the middle class attain more prosperity," he said. | "We all support – I certainly do – having more taxpayers, meaning more people who are employed. And I want people to make a lot more than $9 – $9 is not enough. The problem is you can't do that by mandating it in the minimum wage laws. Minimum wage laws have never worked in terms of having the middle class attain more prosperity," he said. |
| There was particular scepticism that Obama can fulfill commitment to implement his plans without adding to the deficit. | There was particular scepticism that Obama can fulfill commitment to implement his plans without adding to the deficit. |
| Republican congressman Cory Gardner called the pledge "economic fairy dust" and accused the president of being "more interested in campaign-style rhetoric than actual solutions". | Republican congressman Cory Gardner called the pledge "economic fairy dust" and accused the president of being "more interested in campaign-style rhetoric than actual solutions". |
| Congressman Steve Scalise, chairman of the conservative House Republican study group, was dismissive. "I think it doesn't pass the laugh test," he told CBS. "People realise the president promised to cut the deficit in half and it's more than doubled." | Congressman Steve Scalise, chairman of the conservative House Republican study group, was dismissive. "I think it doesn't pass the laugh test," he told CBS. "People realise the president promised to cut the deficit in half and it's more than doubled." |
| The president faces a looming fight over automatic budget cuts that will kick in on 1 March, slashing defence, education and government health spending unless a deficit reduction plan is agreed. | The president faces a looming fight over automatic budget cuts that will kick in on 1 March, slashing defence, education and government health spending unless a deficit reduction plan is agreed. |
| But there was more flexibility on the president's call for comprehensive immigration reform as the Republicans grapple with winning back Latino voters alienated by anti-immigrant legislation and hostile rhetoric from some Republican leaders. | But there was more flexibility on the president's call for comprehensive immigration reform as the Republicans grapple with winning back Latino voters alienated by anti-immigrant legislation and hostile rhetoric from some Republican leaders. |
| Republicans and Democratic party members of Congress stood and clapped the president together when he called for greater fairness toward the estimated 11 million people undocumented aliens in the US. | Republicans and Democratic party members of Congress stood and clapped the president together when he called for greater fairness toward the estimated 11 million people undocumented aliens in the US. |
| Republican congressman Raul Labrador said: "I've always said that this is the one issue where maybe Republicans need to be a little bit softer. There's other areas like the budget spending all those areas where we need to stand firmly on our conservative principles but on immigration i think we can move and we have moved," he said. | Republican congressman Raul Labrador said: "I've always said that this is the one issue where maybe Republicans need to be a little bit softer. There's other areas like the budget spending all those areas where we need to stand firmly on our conservative principles but on immigration i think we can move and we have moved," he said. |
| However, there's likely to be a tough fight in Congress over the detail of legislation with some Republicans pushing for much tougher border controls and sanctions against people entering the country without authorisation in the future. | However, there's likely to be a tough fight in Congress over the detail of legislation with some Republicans pushing for much tougher border controls and sanctions against people entering the country without authorisation in the future. |
| Obama made an emotional appeal for a measure of gun control following the massacre of 20 children at a Connecticut elementary school, noting that "in the two months since Newtown, more than a thousand birthdays, graduations, and anniversaries have been stolen from our lives by a bullet from a gun". Some members of Congress wore green ribbons in solidarity with the Newtown victims. | Obama made an emotional appeal for a measure of gun control following the massacre of 20 children at a Connecticut elementary school, noting that "in the two months since Newtown, more than a thousand birthdays, graduations, and anniversaries have been stolen from our lives by a bullet from a gun". Some members of Congress wore green ribbons in solidarity with the Newtown victims. |
| Democratic party congressman Steve Israel said many were moved by Obama's naming of some of the victims of gun violence. "That one moment where the president talked about the families of gun violence deserving a vote was one of most emotional moments that I have ever seen at a state of the union. And I hope we can translate that emotion into some common-sense reforms of our gun laws," he told NPR. | Democratic party congressman Steve Israel said many were moved by Obama's naming of some of the victims of gun violence. "That one moment where the president talked about the families of gun violence deserving a vote was one of most emotional moments that I have ever seen at a state of the union. And I hope we can translate that emotion into some common-sense reforms of our gun laws," he told NPR. |
| But a Republican congressman, Trent Franks, reflected some of the difficulties Obama will face in pressing gun control in the face of a powerful lobby. | But a Republican congressman, Trent Franks, reflected some of the difficulties Obama will face in pressing gun control in the face of a powerful lobby. |
| "The truth is all of us are moved in our hearts on this issue. We all desperately want to protect our children and yet I saw almost nothing [in the president's speech] that would actually protect them," he said. | "The truth is all of us are moved in our hearts on this issue. We all desperately want to protect our children and yet I saw almost nothing [in the president's speech] that would actually protect them," he said. |
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