Jan 24, 2012 10:37am

The Presidential Planner – The State of the Union

Tonight President Obama will stand before a divided Congress to deliver his third State of the Union and outline his vision for an “America Built To Last.”

Echoing the themes of a speech he gave in Kansas last month, the president will detail his vision for economic fairness and a return to American values.

“This is not just another political debate. This is the defining issue of our time. This is a make-or-break moment for the middle class, and for all those who are fighting to get into the middle class,” the president said in Osawatomie, Kan.

Obama will make a renewed pitch for tax fairness and the “Buffet Rule” as he calls for wealthier Americans to pay their fair share. Billionaire Warren Buffett has argued that he shouldn’t pay a higher tax rate than his secretary and the president agrees. Buffett’s secretary, Debbie Bosanek, will be seated in the first lady’s box to listen to this evening’s address.

In a preview of the address, the president drew a clear line in the sand. “We can go in two directions: One is towards less opportunity and less fairness, or we can fight for where I think we need to go: building an economy that works for everyone, not just a wealthy few.”

Overall the president will lay out a roadmap for the economy based on four central pillars: manufacturing, energy, skills for workers, and American values.

Tomorrow Obama will take his message on the road, visiting five critical swing states in just three days.

SHOWS:

User Comments

The only Obama speech I want to watch is his concession speech after the next election.

Posted by: AngryMobVoter | January 24, 2012, 11:03 am 11:03 am

I never did hear, did Obama get that new teleprompter he wanted for Christmas? It’s a new, cutting-edge, high-tech model that not only shows and reminds him what his people wrote for him to say, but also quickly calculates and quickly revises on the spot, according to what will be the most effective wording of his dismal demagoguery.

Posted by: James D | January 24, 2012, 11:20 am 11:20 am

Another bs speech won’t help. Nothing has changed at all: Obama still sucks. And he’ll still suck come November.

Posted by: Sai | January 24, 2012, 11:24 am 11:24 am

“Obama will make a renewed pitch for tax fairness and the “Buffet Rule” as he calls for wealthier Americans to pay their fair share.” – Mary Bruce

OK but what about all Americans paying something?
What ever happened to Shared Sacrifice Shared Prosperity?

This smells of Cow Droppings.
NoBo is being disingenuous.

Posted by: Noz | January 24, 2012, 11:27 am 11:27 am

I see Warren Buffet secretary is going to sit in the box with Mrs Obama – maybe she will bring a check to pay the back taxes owed by Berkshire Hathaway (Buffets Co.) since 2002 – almosta bilion – maybe the POTUS will publiccaly address those not paying their fare share and shame Al Sharpton into paying his 3.7 million in back taxes – think he will do the right thing – maybe, but then maybe the Easter Bunny will come too

Posted by: jamescbuilder | January 24, 2012, 12:28 pm 12:28 pm

Obama would just crack me up — if he were the leader of another country, especially an enemy country. Unfortunately, he just needs to be removed from an office he was never even remotely qualified to occupy.

Posted by: Risky Business | January 24, 2012, 12:46 pm 12:46 pm

Our President is able to meet his publicity seeking opportunities in a timely fashion. Maybe he knows it wouldn’t look good if he just decided to delay it a week or so like he is doing with his budget obligations. The 1974 Budget Act REQUIRES the president to submit a budget request to Congress on the first Monday in February — which this year is Feb. 6. This year will be his 3rd time to fail to meet his statutory duties. I suppose it is nice to blame the Republicans for budget woes — and they sure share some of the blame — but he should at least do HIS part better before complaining about a “Do Nothing” Congress. Speaking of doing nothing, the Senate hasn’t even bothered to pass a budget for nearly 3 years! How do any of these people get to keep their jobs?

Posted by: Don | January 24, 2012, 12:47 pm 12:47 pm

At least it appears that no major sporting events will be pre-empted for this go-round of Obama listening to himself jabber and patting himself on the back and blaming others for his failures.

Posted by: Kimberly | January 24, 2012, 12:51 pm 12:51 pm

Tonight Obama give you his plan for revolution against America
The follower of Saul Alinsky will no doubt be coddled by the radical leftist media

Posted by: Yep I said that | January 24, 2012, 12:52 pm 12:52 pm

Watching another dishonest, windy speech by Obama is about as inspiring and exciting as watching the grass grow on Uranus.

Posted by: Noflyzone2 | January 24, 2012, 12:55 pm 12:55 pm

Mr. Prez, can’t you at least give us a side order of fries with the BS you constantly serve up?

Posted by: Oh Please | January 24, 2012, 12:57 pm 12:57 pm

Google “In Entitlement America, The Head Of A Household Of Four Making Minimum Wage Has More Disposable Income Than A Family Making $60,000 A Year”. No wonder we have the largest dependency class on the planet…just the way Obama likes it.

Posted by: Susan | January 24, 2012, 1:04 pm 1:04 pm

Obamanomics: Price Of Gas +83%, Ground Beef +24%, Bacon +22%… 1,000 Days Without a Federal Budget…

OBAMA___________VS______________AMERICA

Posted by: Yep I said that | January 24, 2012, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm

Obamanomics: Price Of Gas +83%, Ground Beef +24%, Bacon +22%… 1,000 Days Without a Federal Budget…

Posted by: Yep I said that | January 24, 2012, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm

CHANGE!

Posted by: Susan | January 24, 2012, 1:26 pm 1:26 pm

“The Head Of A Household Of Four Making Minimum Wage Has More Disposable Income Than A Family Making $60,000 A Year”

How much disposable income do both these families have compared to guys like Mitt Romney?

Posted by: jumbo shrimp | January 24, 2012, 1:32 pm 1:32 pm

The President will be as cool and articulate as ever, address the problems we face as a nation and propose sound solutions. He’ll talk about fixing the tax code so that all those millionaire republicans like Newt and Mitt will have to pay their fair share.

They’ll sit on their hands while their candidates fight about who cheated on their taxes the most.

The republicans will listen and learn nothing. They’ll stall on the middle class tax reduction extension and generally continue to be the annoyance they are.

Their minds are set on one thing, defeating this President. They could care less about fixing this recession because they feel it might help the President be elected. What a sorry group.

Posted by: tmferretti | January 24, 2012, 1:32 pm 1:32 pm

“How much disposable income do both these families have compared to guys like Mitt Romney?”

Posted by: jumbo shrimp | January 24, 2012, 1:32 pm 1:32 pm

What incentive do they have to earn more? Who prevented you from becoming a multi-millionaire?

Posted by: Susan | January 24, 2012, 1:48 pm 1:48 pm

“Their minds are set on one thing, defeating this President.”

Posted by: tmferretti | January 24, 2012, 1:32 pm 1:32 pm

Not true. The do-nothing Senate Democrats and RINOs need to be thrown out too.

Posted by: Susan | January 24, 2012, 1:50 pm 1:50 pm

Just another campaign speech, for a failed agenda, that is destroying our country.

Posted by: Rick McDaniel | January 24, 2012, 1:53 pm 1:53 pm

“What incentive do they have to earn more? Who prevented you from becoming a multi-millionaire?”

Go right ahead and keep telling working class Americans that they’re not rich like Mitt Romney because they’re lazy…and that’s why Mitt deserves to pay only 15% on his income. It’s going to work just great for you this election.

Posted by: jumbo shrimp | January 24, 2012, 2:00 pm 2:00 pm

“The President will be as cool and articulate as ever, address the problems we face as a nation and propose sound solutions. He’ll talk about fixing the tax code so that all those millionaire republicans like Newt and Mitt will have to pay their fair share.”

Posted by: tmferretti | January 24, 2012, 1:32 pm 1:32 pm

Obama doesn’t pay his fair share. He’s a multi-millionaire and has no out-of-pocket expenses. He spends huge amounts of taxpayer money during a deep recession to enjoy a lifestyle far, far above what he earns. He also used those evil Bush tax cuts (which he renewed) to save himself a boatload on taxes. I’m sure he’s very grateful for his many blind supporters who constantly defend him while he’s getting wealthier and wealthier on their dime. There’s a good reason why communists coined the term “useful idiot” to describe liberals.

Posted by: Susan | January 24, 2012, 2:05 pm 2:05 pm

Posted by: jumbo shrimp | January 24, 2012, 2:00 pm 2:00 pm

I didn’t use the word lazy, you did. Again, who stopped working class Americans from getting wealthy? Over the decades, many poor people became wealthy. There are immigrants who come here from all over the planet who can’t even speak English and many become millionaires inside of one generation. No politician prevented them from becoming wealthy. Who prevented you? Mitt and Newt? I doubt liberals realize how idiotic this line of reasoning sounds.

Posted by: Susan | January 24, 2012, 2:12 pm 2:12 pm

There is less upward mobility in this country now than there is in several European countries…so much for the American dream! And Why? Since 1980 the economy has doubled in size, yet adjusted for inflation wages for working class Americans have barely increased. All the financial gains of the last 30 years have gone almost exclusively to the super rich…and all because of tax policies put in place by Republicans to benefit guys like Mitt Romney. It’s time to stop the Republicans from continuing this massive redistribution of wealth at the expense of working class Americans.

Posted by: jumbo shrimp | January 24, 2012, 2:29 pm 2:29 pm

Does Mary Bruce even know who Warren Buffet is? See her post about who is sitting with Mrs Obama.No wonder journalism is in the state it is.

Posted by: Nephron | January 24, 2012, 2:59 pm 2:59 pm

Obamanomics: Price Of Gas +83%,
_______________________________________

Posted by: Yep I said that | January 24, 2012, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm

Gas hit $4.12 per gallon under Bush; it’s $3.37 per gallon now.

Posted by: James | January 24, 2012, 3:12 pm 3:12 pm

Republicans call for corporate tax breaks almost every day. It’s ironic how they sit on their hands when it comes to small business and middle class tax breaks. Americans better start paying close attention to who’s on the American peoples side and who’s only on the side of multi-national corporations and the super wealthy. When GOP politicians inject the term “the American people”, they are only talking about corporate America and the wealthy. They fight against employee rights, employee benefits and anything that may help employees and mom and pop businesses. They don’t care about true small business otherwise they would have voted for the bill in 2010 that was a loan bill specifically FOR SMALL BUSINESS!! They ALL voted against it! Don’t you get it?? The GOP are in the pockets of people like the Koch brothers. Joe the plumber need not apply!!

Posted by: Billy | January 24, 2012, 3:15 pm 3:15 pm

Hey James,what was the price of gas on Jan 20,2009?

Posted by: Nephron | January 24, 2012, 3:37 pm 3:37 pm

Posted by: Nephron | January 24, 2012, 3:37 pm 3:37 pm

The price of gas hit $4.12 per gallon in 2008 under Bush. The price of gas has never got that high under President Obama.

Posted by: Dan | January 24, 2012, 3:47 pm 3:47 pm

“Gas hit $4.12 per gallon under Bush; it’s $3.37 per gallon now.”

Posted by: James | January 24, 2012, 3:12 pm 3:12 pm

Big deal. It didn’t stay at $4.12 for very long. Millions of Americans find it much harder to afford $3.37 now. Gas prices went up 83% during Obama’s term at a time when incomes are falling. In 2011, the typical U.S. household spent $4,155 filling up their vehicles. That’s one out of every $12 of median household income—the highest proportion for filling up in three decades. I know it might not affect you since you don’t work and never leave your house but it affects the rest of us with families and jobs.

Posted by: Dane | January 24, 2012, 3:47 pm 3:47 pm

“Hey James,what was the price of gas on Jan 20,2009?”

Was that at the height of the recession? Sure, let’s advocate recessions as a good way to keep gas prices down….

Posted by: jumbo shrimp | January 24, 2012, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm

“Obama will make a renewed pitch for tax fairness and the “Buffet Rule” as he calls for wealthier Americans to pay their fair share. ”

Good timing,Mr. President. As it turns out Romney is on the wrong side of the argument. Not only that, his tax records destroy the notion that the wealthy are burdened by overtaxation. Mitt’s tax records also destroy his phoney baloney act, the one in which he acts like he understands the middle class and feels the average American’s pink slip fears. He’s from a whole other world. I have no problem with that– I’m comfortable and have ultrawealthy friends, associates and customers– the problem is that he tries so very hard to pretend it isn’t so. If he really wants to convince the middle class and small business owner that he understands, cares and knows what to do, he should put some energy into coming up with concrete and realistic plans and policies that actually benefit the middle class.

So far he has failed to do so.

As an aside, tax issues threatened, briefly, to destroy Romney’s gubernatorial ambitions back in 2002. Remember that was when state election officials discovered he had received a tax break on his home in Park City, Utah– a tax break reserved solely for primary residences, not for second homes, which the Park City, Utah home was according to Romney given that you had to be a Massachusetts resident for 7 years prior to running for governor, and Romney claimed he was and that his Massachusetts residence was his primary residence.

Posted by: Jen | January 24, 2012, 5:47 pm 5:47 pm

Umm Gas prices have nothing to do with Presidents..

Posted by: do do | January 24, 2012, 6:39 pm 6:39 pm

Big deal. It didn’t stay at $4.12 for very long. Millions of Americans find it much harder to afford $3.37 now.

Posted by: Dane | January 24, 2012, 3:47 pm 3:47 pm

Oh sure, $3.37 per gallon gas is a lot harder to afford than $4.12 per gallon gas.

And why would that be? Could it have anything to do with the economic collapse under George W. Bush stripping out millions of jobs from people – heavens no! Putting millions of people onto food stamps to survive – of course not! How could it!

Posted by: Alfie | January 24, 2012, 7:10 pm 7:10 pm

Posted by: Alfie | January 24, 2012, 7:10 pm 7:10 pm

You don’t have a job and you seem to be doing just fine. If we had a true economic collapse (versus a credit bubble-related recession that supposedly ended in June 2009) there would be widespread bank failures and your money would be worthless. Like the Great Depression, you’d be homeless and standing in soup lines. You’d be too concerned about survival to have the luxury of shilling for Obama 16 hours a day on a broadband connection.

Posted by: Dane | January 24, 2012, 8:29 pm 8:29 pm

enough bickering, what you absolutely NEED to know is that 25% of ALL the income in this country goes to 1% of the population, that 1% being the super wealthy. While this is happening almost ONE THIRD of the people in the country are AT OR BELOW THE POVERTY LINE, stop argueing about what the government is going to do, realise that we are a REPUBLIC, and we GIVE THE GOVERNMENT ITS POWER, and start thinking about what YOU can do.

Posted by: someone | January 24, 2012, 9:05 pm 9:05 pm

Posted by: someone | January 24, 2012, 9:05 pm 9:05 pm

Who prevented you from becoming wealthy?

Posted by: Susan | January 24, 2012, 9:10 pm 9:10 pm

If we had a true economic collapse (versus a credit bubble-related recession that supposedly ended in June 2009) there would be widespread bank failures and your money would be worthless.
…………………………………………….

Yeah, that 5+ trillion dollars in losses was nothing….what are you complaining about? LOL!

Posted by: GO ron paul | January 24, 2012, 9:35 pm 9:35 pm

Posted by: GO ron paul | January 24, 2012, 9:35 pm 9:35 pm

You think way too small. $5 trillion is peanuts. Last October, potential losses on Bank of America’s $75 trillion book of risky derivative contracts were dumped onto the FDIC by the Federal Reserve. American taxpayers are on the hook to guarantee $75 trillion of Bank of America’s investments in near worthless European derivatives. JP Morgan did the same for another $79 trillion. This was done without approval from the Federal Reserve but also without opposition. What this means is that when Europe finally implodes and banks fail, U.S. taxpayers will hold the bag for trillions in CDS insurance contracts sold by Bank of America and JP Morgan.

Posted by: Adrian | January 24, 2012, 10:01 pm 10:01 pm

If we had a true economic collapse (versus a credit bubble-related recession that supposedly ended in June 2009) there would be widespread bank failures and your money would be worthless

Posted by: Dane | January 24, 2012, 8:29 pm 8:29 pm

Yeah, that 5+ trillion dollars in losses was nothing….what are you complaining about? LOL!

Posted by: GO ron paul | January 24, 2012, 9:35 pm 9:35 pm
____________________________

As George W. Bush said before 8.5 million people lost their jobs,”it’s just a rough patch”.

******

Posted by: Jamie | January 24, 2012, 10:49 pm 10:49 pm

Just wait,Obamaphiles.Most gas price experts expect gasoline to go over $5.00 a gallon this summer. Obama’s rejection of the pipeline probably makes that a certainty.Sorry, but if gasoline is $5.00 a gallon in Oct. the Republicans will take the White House no matter who they run.That’s the fact,Jack.

Posted by: Nephron | January 25, 2012, 9:32 am 9:32 am

Nephron, who ever is the Repub candidate will take the White House no matter the price of gas.
Obama is a proven loser.

Well, except when he gets out of the way and let’s the military kill bad guy muslims around the world.
He’s good at that.

Well, that is if it’s a drone or a Navy Seal attack. The poor soldiers in Vietnamistan the Sequel™ have their hands tied and have a long list of rules for engagement.

Posted by: Noz | January 25, 2012, 10:18 am 10:18 am

Obama’s rejection of the pipeline probably makes that a certainty
—————————————

Such humor! Really though, we can set oil prices right where we want them whether you build that charming little pipeline or not.

Posted by: OPEC | January 25, 2012, 11:35 am 11:35 am

Leave a Reply

Do you have more information about this topic? If so, please click here to contact the editors of ABC News.