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| Obama to deliver major speech asserting priorities on US economy | Obama to deliver major speech asserting priorities on US economy |
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| Barack Obama was due to set out plans for how the US economy can "deliver on behalf of those people that are still struggling" in a major speech on Wednesday, according to his senior economics adviser. | Barack Obama was due to set out plans for how the US economy can "deliver on behalf of those people that are still struggling" in a major speech on Wednesday, according to his senior economics adviser. |
| Valerie Jarrett, a close confidante of the president, said Obama has become frustrated by "political antics" in Washington and wants to reassert his economic priorities outside the capital. | Valerie Jarrett, a close confidante of the president, said Obama has become frustrated by "political antics" in Washington and wants to reassert his economic priorities outside the capital. |
| Jarrett made the remarks on the eve of Obama's speech, which the White House hopes will be a major intervention, promoting the president's vision of investing in the economy "from the middle-out, not the top-down" and regaining the political agenda. | Jarrett made the remarks on the eve of Obama's speech, which the White House hopes will be a major intervention, promoting the president's vision of investing in the economy "from the middle-out, not the top-down" and regaining the political agenda. |
| Sceptics have pointed out this will not be the first time Obama has taken to the country to articulate his economic vision for the country. By some estimates, it will be his ninth comparable presidential speaking tour focused on rebuilding the US economy. | Sceptics have pointed out this will not be the first time Obama has taken to the country to articulate his economic vision for the country. By some estimates, it will be his ninth comparable presidential speaking tour focused on rebuilding the US economy. |
| Jarrett told a Washington luncheon of the Economic Club on Tuesday that Obama wanted to "refocus Washington's efforts on what the American people care about". Jarrett, a formidable figure in the White House, said Obama had been hampered by gridlock on Capitol Hill, giving the example of the time absorbed by Republicans in Congress trying to repeal his healthcare reforms. | Jarrett told a Washington luncheon of the Economic Club on Tuesday that Obama wanted to "refocus Washington's efforts on what the American people care about". Jarrett, a formidable figure in the White House, said Obama had been hampered by gridlock on Capitol Hill, giving the example of the time absorbed by Republicans in Congress trying to repeal his healthcare reforms. |
| "If you think about trying to revoke the Affordable Care Act 37 times – just imagine what we could have done constructively with that time on the floor, if we had been thinking of ways to help countries help the United States be a magnet for jobs," she said. | "If you think about trying to revoke the Affordable Care Act 37 times – just imagine what we could have done constructively with that time on the floor, if we had been thinking of ways to help countries help the United States be a magnet for jobs," she said. |
| She suggested the president would use his speech to highlight how, despite setbacks in the global economy, the US has proved it has a "core resilience" envied elsewhere in the world. "We should harness that energy and deliver on behalf of those people that are still struggling and looking for that leg-up into the middle-class," she said. | She suggested the president would use his speech to highlight how, despite setbacks in the global economy, the US has proved it has a "core resilience" envied elsewhere in the world. "We should harness that energy and deliver on behalf of those people that are still struggling and looking for that leg-up into the middle-class," she said. |
| Obama's speaking tour was mocked by Republican House speaker John Boehner. "If the president was serious about helping our economy, he wouldn't give another speech," he said. "He'd reach out and actually work with us." | Obama's speaking tour was mocked by Republican House speaker John Boehner. "If the president was serious about helping our economy, he wouldn't give another speech," he said. "He'd reach out and actually work with us." |
| The US economy has grown steadily since 2009, but critics say the government has been unable to ensure that modest growth translates into the market job, which was hit drastically by the recession. The current US unemployment rate is 7.6%, down from a peak of about 10% four years ago. | The US economy has grown steadily since 2009, but critics say the government has been unable to ensure that modest growth translates into the market job, which was hit drastically by the recession. The current US unemployment rate is 7.6%, down from a peak of about 10% four years ago. |
| However, Josh Bivens, from the liberal Economic Policy Institute, said that figure is partly explained by the long-term unemployed dropping out of the labour market altogether. "The No 1 problem facing the US economy right now is still far too high unemployment," said Bivens, the EPI's research and policy director. | However, Josh Bivens, from the liberal Economic Policy Institute, said that figure is partly explained by the long-term unemployed dropping out of the labour market altogether. "The No 1 problem facing the US economy right now is still far too high unemployment," said Bivens, the EPI's research and policy director. |
| "We are not even close to fully recovered from the Great Recession. If you look at the share of working age adults with a job, we've only recovered about a fifth of what we lost during the recession." | "We are not even close to fully recovered from the Great Recession. If you look at the share of working age adults with a job, we've only recovered about a fifth of what we lost during the recession." |
| Bivens said the president's forthcoming speeches were partly about "jockeying for position" ahead of budgetary negotiations due to begin after the summer. | Bivens said the president's forthcoming speeches were partly about "jockeying for position" ahead of budgetary negotiations due to begin after the summer. |
| Washington has been unable to overcome bipartisan impasse over government budgets, triggering a series of automatic spending cuts to social and defense programmes, known as "sequestration". | Washington has been unable to overcome bipartisan impasse over government budgets, triggering a series of automatic spending cuts to social and defense programmes, known as "sequestration". |
| Congress will resume negotiations over tax and spending priorities – and whether to raise the debt ceiling – when lawmakers return from their summer recess in September. Congressmen in the Republican-dominated House will be seeking further spending cuts. | Congress will resume negotiations over tax and spending priorities – and whether to raise the debt ceiling – when lawmakers return from their summer recess in September. Congressmen in the Republican-dominated House will be seeking further spending cuts. |
| Many in Washington are sceptical about the prospects of a Congress of reaching any "grand bargain" on fiscal policy – the idea of a single agreed package of spending and tax cuts. | Many in Washington are sceptical about the prospects of a Congress of reaching any "grand bargain" on fiscal policy – the idea of a single agreed package of spending and tax cuts. |
| However, Jarrett was more optimistic that the Obama administration could forge the type of budgetary agreement that has eluded Congress in recent years, and said preparatory discussions have been taking place for several months. "I think it is certainly doable," she said. "We could have reached a grand bargain back in 2011. I think the president has made it very clear that he is flexible, he is looking for good ideas. | However, Jarrett was more optimistic that the Obama administration could forge the type of budgetary agreement that has eluded Congress in recent years, and said preparatory discussions have been taking place for several months. "I think it is certainly doable," she said. "We could have reached a grand bargain back in 2011. I think the president has made it very clear that he is flexible, he is looking for good ideas. |
| "He is willing to make some tough decisions because we clearly need to live within our means, but he is unwilling to balance the budget on the backs of people who are really struggling." | "He is willing to make some tough decisions because we clearly need to live within our means, but he is unwilling to balance the budget on the backs of people who are really struggling." |
| She added: "We are heartened to find Republicans in the Senate who are interested in that balanced approach. Our hope would be that they can encourage their colleagues in the House to follow suit. It just can't be the continued status quo of continuing to say no to everything." | She added: "We are heartened to find Republicans in the Senate who are interested in that balanced approach. Our hope would be that they can encourage their colleagues in the House to follow suit. It just can't be the continued status quo of continuing to say no to everything." |
| Obama's speech has been heavily promoted by the White House. The presidential adviser Dan Pfeiffer took the unusual step of emailing reporters over the weekend, alerting them to to the speech. "The president thinks Washington has largely taken its eye off the ball on the most important issue facing the country," he said. "Instead of talking about how to help the middle class, too many in Congress are trying to score political points, refight old battles, and trump up phony scandals." | Obama's speech has been heavily promoted by the White House. The presidential adviser Dan Pfeiffer took the unusual step of emailing reporters over the weekend, alerting them to to the speech. "The president thinks Washington has largely taken its eye off the ball on the most important issue facing the country," he said. "Instead of talking about how to help the middle class, too many in Congress are trying to score political points, refight old battles, and trump up phony scandals." |
| The Obama administration has been forced onto the back foot in recent months, first over its handling of the terrorist attack on the US consulate in Benghazi and later by the fallout for national security leaks by the NSA contractor Edward Snowden. Wednesday's speech is being portrayed by officials as an attempt to reclaim the political agenda. | The Obama administration has been forced onto the back foot in recent months, first over its handling of the terrorist attack on the US consulate in Benghazi and later by the fallout for national security leaks by the NSA contractor Edward Snowden. Wednesday's speech is being portrayed by officials as an attempt to reclaim the political agenda. |
| "I'm excited about the speech, not because I think the speech is going to change any minds, but because it gives us an opportunity to refocus attention on the thing that the American people sent me to focus on," Obama told the Organizing for Action, a non-profit formed out his election campaign on Monday night. | "I'm excited about the speech, not because I think the speech is going to change any minds, but because it gives us an opportunity to refocus attention on the thing that the American people sent me to focus on," Obama told the Organizing for Action, a non-profit formed out his election campaign on Monday night. |
| "This is going to be more of a thematic speech, and then we're going to follow it up with a series of more concrete proposals, some of which I've made before, some of which will be new. | "This is going to be more of a thematic speech, and then we're going to follow it up with a series of more concrete proposals, some of which I've made before, some of which will be new. |
| He added: "Some of the proposals that we've put forward are ones that are going to be very difficult to get through this Congress. Of course, everything is very difficult to get through this Congress." | He added: "Some of the proposals that we've put forward are ones that are going to be very difficult to get through this Congress. Of course, everything is very difficult to get through this Congress." |
| The address will take place at Knox College, where Obama gave his first major speech on the economy after becoming a US senator in 2005. At that time, Obama's nascent political career was strongly backed by Jarrett, who he has known for more than 22 years. | The address will take place at Knox College, where Obama gave his first major speech on the economy after becoming a US senator in 2005. At that time, Obama's nascent political career was strongly backed by Jarrett, who he has known for more than 22 years. |
| "This will be really a bookend from his first speech at Knox," she added. "It is the same theme: what makes our country strong is if we build the a strong and vibrant middle class from the inside out, not from the top down." | "This will be really a bookend from his first speech at Knox," she added. "It is the same theme: what makes our country strong is if we build the a strong and vibrant middle class from the inside out, not from the top down." |
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