national

"Obama said he would try to accomplish that by calling for improvements in education, boosting clean energy production, and reducing the deficit in ways that don't burden the middle class, the poor or the elderly." How many times is he going to say this?! The never ending speeches this president gives is getting old. We have been asking him to "refocus" on the economy for a long time because it affects all of us dramatically. I truly believed that things would change throughout the past four years but we haven't moved forward at all! Consistently high unemployment and the people who are hurting are the ones that this president has vowed to protect in all of his speeches. He needs to stop blaming Washington and congress for everything. YOU ARE THE LEADER OF WASHINGTON, MR. PRESIDENT! Step up and lead.

Im sure he will have lazer focus on the economy like the last 4 years. 6 trillion in spending and unemployment moved a few tenths of a percent, were creating less jobs each month and the economy actually contracted in the 4th quarter. Gas has started to skyrocket, housing were hearing is a long way from healed and may take a dip with interest increases, consumer confidence is down and huge spending cuts looming, good luck with all that.

I wonder if hes going to be "laser focused on jobs" Again?

"He needs to stop blaming Washington and congress for everything. YOU ARE THE LEADER OF WASHINGTON, MR. PRESIDENT"

he is president, not king, and can only do so much without congress. Obama has a high approval rating and congress is less popular than the NFL replacement refs were.

There are issues with the economy due to a changing global economy. When everything you buy has a "Made in (somewhere else with lower wages than you)" and you wonder what's happening to your standard of living aren't you the problem!

Laughable at best. Re-focus? That would imply there was focus prior to now. Our media is worthless. The only reason he will speak about the economy is because the polls tell him to. Otherwise, he would simply continue to tell us how to live our lives.

Russ999, your point regarding Obama not being king is well taken. He absolutely needs congress to enact laws and make substantial change. Every budget he has proposed, however, has not even been brought to the floor of the senate because it does not even have enough democrat (and obviously republican) votes to pass. My point is that he has consistently blamed everyone else for why the economy is doing so poorly throughout his presidency when he has not been seriously focused on improving our economy ever. It just amazes me that after his first term and into his second term, people continue to make excuses ("changing global economy") for him when he has done nothing to improve our horrible financial situation or unemployment rate. We have reached a point where people are simply rooting on their team (republican or democrat) rather than objectively looking at the effort that has been made to improve our country, and in this case, the economy.

"economy actually contracted in the 4th quarter"

due to the reduced government spending you clamored for then blast the results of when it happens.

" 6 trillion in spending"

most of the deficit drivers are republicant spending and tax cuts. The deficit he inherited was 1.4 trillion and is now .8 trillion. Growth not drastic growth destroying austerity is the right course.

"Gas has started to skyrocket"

our trade deficit lowered dramatically last month largely due to our oil exports. Telling us the reason for our sudden gas prices are not domestic supply related.

"huge spending cuts loom"

as republicants wanted. Neither side should of agreed to the cuts if they weren't serious but it's the usual political electioneering gimmicks rather than dealing with the issues seriously.

MNSports24, what would happens when the 2 dramatically different House and Senate budgets comes back for reconciliation? Gridlock and endless amendments the republicants wanted so they could run out the clock on anything else getting through the Senate! That is why they passed the Budget Control Act instead.

Refocus? You media people make me laugh!

I wonder if he explain how unemployed job seekers will be impacted by continued flooding of the US labor market with 12Million more fradulently documented workers?