In President Obamas State of the Union, ambition goes missing By Dana Milbank <http://www.washingtonpost.com/dana-milbank/2011/02/24/ABhhJwI_page.html> , Published: January 28
President Obama spoke Tuesday <http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-will-promise-to-expand-opportu nity-with-or-without-congress/2014/01/28/53d5573a-8869-11e3-833c-33098f9e526 7_story.html> about the state of our union <http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/full-text-of-obamas-2014-state-of-th e-union-address/2014/01/28/e0c93358-887f-11e3-a5bd-844629433ba3_story.html> , but the actions he discussed were largely his own. I will act on my own to slash bureaucracy. Ill cut red tape to help states get those factories built. Ill use my authority to protect more of our pristine federal lands. I directed my administration to work with states, utilities and others. Im going to pull together a coalition of elected officials, business leaders and philanthropists. My administration has made more loans to small-business owners than any other. This was by design part of what has become Obamas Ive got a pen and Ive got a phone approach to governing: Hes not counting on Congress doing much of anything, and hes going to use executive orders and actions to work around <http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-prepared-to-avoid-congress-go- it-alone-on-carrying-out-modest-initiatives/2014/01/28/61b68280-8845-11e3-a5 bd-844629433ba3_story.html> the paralyzed legislature. Wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, thats what Im going to do, Obama said. Do it! called out Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.). On the Republican side of the House chamber, faces were stony. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (Va.) coughed. Rep. Paul Ryan (Wis.) squinted as if having trouble focusing, then scratched the back of his neck. The president made requests of Congress, including vague appeals for action on immigration and tax reform and unspecified spending on infrastructure. But for the most part, he spoke as if congressional participation was optional. Ive asked Vice President Biden to lead an across-the-board reform of Americas training programs, he said. And if Congress wants to help, you can concentrate funding on proven programs. Likewise, he said he would issue an executive order increasing the minimum wage for federal contractors, then added, Of course, to reach millions more, Congress does need to get on board. The address was an implicit acknowledgment that his once-grand legislative ambitions are over. This approach is, by definition, limited in scope (it doesnt change laws) and temporary (the next president can undo Obamas executive orders with a stroke of the pen, just as Obama undid many of George W. Bushs orders). But instead of greeting Obamas pen-and-phone workaround as his admission of legislative defeat, congressional Republicans either complained that he wasnt engaging with them, mocked him for being out of ideas or accused him of constitutional violations. (Never mind that Ronald Reagan and the younger Bush both issued more executive orders in their first terms than Obama did in his.) There was the usual pageantry and stagecraft: the aisle-sitters who staked out seats early in the day to get a handshake with the president; the women in bright colors providing relief from the sea of dark suits; the stoic Supreme Court justices (a bare majority of five); the bellicose cheers from the presidents party and awkward fidgeting of the opposition; and the feel-good patriotic moments (extended applause for Sgt. First Class Cory Remsburg, an injured Army Ranger, who stood with difficulty at the first ladys side and gave a wave and a thumbs-up). What distinguished this address was the gap between the soaring aspirations the president voiced and the modest prescriptions he floated. The speech took an hour to deliver, and the text filled 12 pages. The president didnt mention Obamacare until Page Eight. Foreign policy and national security debuted on Page Nine. Earlier, Obama spoke of what his second term is all about: lofty aspirations, coupled with small-bore proposals. What I offer tonight is a set of concrete, practical proposals to speed up growth, strengthen the middle class and build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class, the president said. That sounded ambitious. But the first item he cited after that was the first ladys anti-obesity initiative. The president was at his strongest when he made a populist appeal to extend unemployment insurance, to fight discrimination against women in the workplace and to raise the minimum wage. Its time to do away with workplace policies that belong in a <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics-live/liveblog/live-update s-state-of-the-union/?id=9c4773bd-a2c4-47ce-816a-4f5ad61fb30a> Mad Men episode, Obama said, drawing roars from the Democratic side and a wry smile from Cantor, who was either chewing gum or grinding his teeth. The president got another cheer from Democrats, and an amused smile from Ryan, when he urged Republicans to join the rest of the country in raising the minimum wage. But a moment later, Obama was back in the first person: Tomorrow, I will direct the Treasury to create a new way for working Americans to start their own retirement savings. Congress is welcome to help him out, of course. But its strictly optional. Twitter: @Milbank Read more from Dana Milbank <http://www.washingtonpost.com/dana-milbank/2011/02/24/ABhhJwI_page.html> s archive, follow him on Twitter <https://twitter.com/Milbank> or subscribe to his updates on Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/danamilbank> . Read more on this issue: The Post <http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/in-state-of-the-union-mr-obama-offer s-the-gop-opportunities-for-cooperation/2014/01/28/11669c02-885e-11e3-916e-e 01534b1e132_story.html> s View: A speech with ideas both parties could embrace Jennifer Rubin: The itty-bitty state of the union <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2014/01/28/the-itty-bitty -state-of-the-union/> Ann Telnaes: Obama <http://www.washingtonpost.com/posttv/editorial/read-his-2010-sotu-lips/2014 /01/28/01b9e4b4-8866-11e3-833c-33098f9e5267_video.html> s state of the union 2010 vs. 2014 Thé Mulindwas Communication Group "With Yoweri Museveni and Dr. Kiiza Besigye Uganda is in anarchy" Kuungana Mulindwa Mawasiliano Kikundi "Pamoja na Yoweri Museveni na Dk. Kiiza Besigye Uganda ni katika machafuko"
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