President Obama is sending his jobs plan to Congress on Monday, but House Republican leaders have already signaled that they intend to cherrypick parts they like instead of voting on the entire package. "A lot of this plan is probably dead on arrival," says Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), as quoted by the North County Times, San Diego. Plus, many employers say Obama's proposed $447 billion mix of payroll tax cuts, extended unemployment benefits, and infrastructure spending is unlikely to encourage them to do any hiring anyway, since they're waiting for broader economic improvement, not any particular incentive, before spending on new employees. Does Obama's plan stand a chance?
Nobody is buying what Obama is selling: You know Obama's in trouble when he's getting "a raspberry from businesses," says Yves Smith at Naked Capitalism. They are, after all, "the object of Obama's tender ministrations." Remember, the president's first "barely stimulative stimulus" destroyed the nation's faith in the sort of remedies he's proposing for our painful unemployment problem. America won't be fooled twice.
"Employers diss Obama job plan"
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But Obama intends to win this fight: It looks like Obama has "recovered his fighting mojo," says Jeff Tone at The Liberal Curmudgeon. His plan is heavy with tax cuts and other business incentives Republicans have supported in the past. When they try to block him, it will be obvious that the GOP primarily wants to hurt Obama, not help the unemployed. Obama is showing he's in this to win by taking his appeal on the road, and onto the home turf of GOP leaders, essentially daring them to stand in his way.
"Obama recovers fighting mojo with jobs speech"
Republicans won't bend on this one: The GOP is less likely to compromise with Obama now that he's tanking in the polls, says Ezra Klein at The Washington Post. Republicans might have bargained if the question were, "What's the best jobs package?" But to House Republicans the key question is really, "What's the best strategy for winning the White House in 2012?" This isn't pure cynicism — they truly believe electing a Republican president will "do more for the economy than any policy" Obama might sign into law.
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