Will Obama's cheeky economic to-do list backfire?

The president unveils a five-point checklist of initiatives that he thinks Congress should get around to, but his sarcastic tone could turn lawmakers off

President Obama
(Image credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

This week, President Obama unveiled a simple economic to-do list for Congress, in a bid to underscore how gridlock in the legislative body is hurting the recovery. "I'm not trying to overload Congress here," Obama, his voice dripping with sarcasm, said at a rally in Albany. He also noted that the plan is "about the size of a Post-it, so every member of Congress should have time to read it." The Obama administration says all five aspects of the plan — new tax credits for small businesses, job aid for veterans, homeowner assistance, clean energy initiatives, and reducing tax incentives for companies that ship jobs overseas — have enjoyed bipartisan support in the past. But will Obama's to-do list just alienate lawmakers?

It could rub salt in the wound: Obama's proposals are directed at a "polarized Congress already on the defensive" over low approval ratings, and this isn't likely to improve relations, says Jackie Calmes at The New York Times. House Republicans are complaining that Obama is not the only one who has proposed economic recovery programs, noting that their "own ideas have languished in the Democratic-controlled Senate." And if Republicans further steel themselves against Obama's proposals, he could risk "seeming impotent in the face of his opposition."

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