Politics. On Point.

President Obama makes strong push to get Congress pass his proposed tax cut plan, extending the George Bush era tax plan.  Congress has 26 days 9 hours (essentially, before the end of the year to do so). Speaking today in the James Brady briefing room, President Obama remarked : "A year ago at this time, both parties came together to cut payroll taxes for the typical American family by about $1,000.  But as soon as this year ends, so does that tax cut.  If Congress fails to renew this tax cut before then, that same family will see a tax hike of about $1,000 a year.  There aren’t many folks either in the middle class or those trying to get into the middle class who can afford to give up $1,000 -- not right now.  And that's why Congress must act", the president said.  President Obama speaking today in the James Brady briefing room. "My message to Congress is this: Keep your word to the American people and don't raise taxes on them right now....

Leading veterans’ organizations joined President Obama at the White House and announced their support for the Returning Heroes and Wounded Warrior Tax Credits, two provisions in the American Jobs Act Congress is scheduled to consider this week. President Obama also announced three executive actions that will help veterans find jobs. Today’s announcement is part of a series of executive actions to put Americans back to work and strengthen the economy. The Returning Heroes Tax Credit provides firms that hire unemployed veterans with a maximum credit of $5,600 per veteran. The Wounded Warriors Tax Credit offers firms that hire veterans with service-connected disabilities with a maximum credit of $9,600 per veteran.   “No veteran should have to fight for a job at home after they fight for our nation overseas,” said President Obama. “Congress should pass the Returning Heroes and Wounded Warrior tax credits, but we can’t wait for Congress to act. That’s why today, I am directin...

Speaking with the Key Bridge in the backdrop, President Obama set out once again to express the urgency for Congress to pass his American Jobs bill. President Obama speaking to workers with the Key Bridge back drop.  The bridge is one of many across, the country, in need of repair.  Photo/CD Brown. "The truth is, the only way we can attack our economic challenges on the scale that’s needed is with bold action by Congress", the President said.  "They hold the purse strings.  It’s the only way we’re going to put hundreds of thousands of people back to work right now - not five years from now, not 10 years from now, but right now.  It’s the only way that we’re going to rebuild an economy that’s not based on financial bubbles, but on hard work, on building and making things right here in the United States of America." True to form, Congress blocked the president's bill.  But so did Democrats, who fell nine votes short of the 60 needed to move ...

Administration's Announcement of 14 Infrastructure Projects to be Expedited Through Permitting and Environmental Review Process The Obama Administration announced the selection of 14 infrastructure projects around the country that will be expedited through permitting and environmental review processes, an important next step in the Administration’s efforts to improve the efficiency of federal reviews needed to help job-creating infrastructure projects move as quickly as possible from the drawing board to completion.  This announcement comes as a result of the Presidential Memorandum President Obama issued in late August at the recommendation of his Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. Through the Presidential Memorandum, the President directed agencies to expedite environmental reviews and permit decisions for a selection of high priority infrastructure projects that will create a significant number of jobs, have already identified necessary funding, and where the significant s...

Our First Lady, Michelle Obama, continues to stay busy.  In this episode of 'Keeping of With The First Lady' we've highlighted some of the activities she's participated this week, as well as give you a peek inside her upcoming schedule. For starters, the First Lady made a cameo appearance in an edition of Extreme Makeover : Home Edition that aired last evening. Next we find her looking fabulous at this year's Congressional Black Caucus Phoenix Awards Dinner on Saturday evening.    Read below for these events, and more. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition First Lady Michelle Obama traveled to Fayetteville, North Carolina to join Extreme Makeover: Home Edition as they build a dream home for an African American woman veteran, Barbara Marshall and her family. Barbara Marshal had a 15 year career in the Navy but her service to her country didn't stop there. Marshall went on to combat homelessness among female veterans and military families in the Fayetteville ...

The letters J-O-B-S hang down the front of the Commerice building in Washington.  Just a block from the White House.  Photo/CD Brown. Yesterday we learned that more than 70,000 FAA employees were returned to work after almost a two week long furlough after Congress worked together to end the FAA shutdown. Today, we learn that the July jobs report shows shows that private sector payrolls increased by 154,000 in July. The economy has added 2.4 million private sector jobs over the past 17 months, despite a slowdown in economic growth from substantial headwinds in the first half of the year. Still, unemployment remains at an all time high, hovering around 9.1%. In some cities, mainly urban, overall unemployment tops 20%. Unemployment in Detroit is currently at a staggering 30%.   President Obama continues to make jobs creation his top priority. But the affects are slow, and people remain impatient, while the White House remains optimistic. In an alm...

President Barack Obama announced the Administration’s action plan, under the America’s Great Outdoors initiative, to achieve lasting conservation of the outdoor spaces that power our nation’s economy, shape our culture, and build our outdoor traditions. This initiative seeks to reinvigorate our approach to conservation and reconnect Americans, especially young people, with the lands and waters that are used for farming and ranching, hunting and fishing, and for families to spend quality time together. Recognizing that many of these places and resources are under intense pressure, the President established the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative last April to work with the American people in developing a conservation and recreation agenda that makes sense for the 21st century. The report released today outlines ways in which the Federal Government will help empower local communities to accomplish their conservation and recreation priorities by recognizing that the best ideas come f...

The Republicans in the Senate are like the weather.   You never know which way they'll blow. Or decide. Today marked one victory for the Obama administration, and on the other hand yet another setback from what president Obama calls the "partisan minority." The heavily debated jobs bill was finally approved today after months of delay.  Welcoming the news, President Obama said, "The small business jobs bill passed today will help provide loans and cut taxes for millions of small business owners without adding a dime to our nation’s deficit.  After months of partisan obstruction and needless delay, I’m grateful that Democrats and a few Republicans came together to support this common-sense plan to put Americans back to work.  I look forward to signing the bill on Monday." It is expected that the bill will allow small business owners to benefit from tax breaks and additional lending to allow companies have the capital to grow and hire more p...