Obama's "ambitious" State of the Union address

President Barack Obama walks with White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough down the West Wing Colonnade of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013, ahead of tonight's State of the Union speech on Capitol Hill. / CBS

President Obama will call for a $1.75 increase in the federal minimum wage, universal preschool for every four year old, $1 billion in new manufacturing research, $50 billion in "fix it first" road repair funds and a new trade deal with the European Union in a State of the Union address senior officials described as "ambitious and practical."

For the first time in his presidency, Mr. Obama will ask Congress to raise the minimum wage. He wants it boosted from its current $7.25 level to $9 by the end of 2015. House Republicans are sure to be cool to the idea. The minimum wage was last raised from $5.15 to $7.25 in May of 2007 after years of pressure on President George W. Bush.

• Complete coverage: The State of the Union 2013
• Full text: Obama's 2013 State of the Union address

"Every day, we should ask ourselves three questions as a nation," Obama said, according to excerpts released by the White House. "How do we attract more jobs to our shores? How do we equip our people with the skills needed to do those jobs? And how do we make sure that hard work leads to a decent living?"

The president will also ask Congress for $1 billion to fund 15 manufacturing research institutes. The White House said Obama will launch three such institutes via an executive and use existing funds from the departments of Energy and Defense, as well as private investment, as seed money. A pilot program of this kind exists in Youngstown, Ohio, created by an Obama executive order in August 2012.

Mr. Obama will also ask Congress for an additional $50 billion in infrastructure spending with $40 billion devoted specifically to what the White House calls "the most urgent upgrades." A White House fact sheet said the highest priority would be 70,000 bridges deemed structurally deficient.

As for early education, Mr. Obama wants Congress to provide access to all four-year-old children, especially those in moderate- to low-income families. He will also call on states without free, full-day kindergarten. Only ten states and the District of Columbia require free, full-day kindergarten.

Mr. Obama will also ask Congress to create accountability standards for colleges and universities that benefit from more than $150 billion in direct loan and grant aid. Obama wants Congress to measure colleges and universities on the basis of affordability and student outcomes when determining which receive federal aid.

On free trade, Obama will announce his intention to negotiate a new free trade pact with the European Union. The administration is currently in talks to create a free trade zone in most of Asia through the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Though there were other initiatives, these form the core of what senior advisers called a persistent focus on boosting economic growth and reviving sectors of the economy, like manufacturing, still reeling from the effects of the great recession and global competition.

Even so, top White House economic advisers offered no specifics on the total cost of Obama's new ideas or how they would be offset through spending cuts to existing line-items in the federal budget. Obama promised Congress he would not add to the deficit, projected this year at about $850 billion, the first time in Obama's presidency the deficit would be lower than $1 trillion.

"Nothing I'm proposing tonight should increase our deficit by a single dime," Obama will say, according to another excerpt. "It's not a bigger government we need, but a smarter government that sets priorities and invests in broad-based growth."

Mr. Obama will also continue his push for new gun control measures and comprehensive immigration reform. No new ideas will be put forward for either of these issues. Advisers said the legislative politics around both issues are complicating enough.

Fearful of looming across-the-board spending cuts of $85 billion due to begin March 1, Mr. Obama will ask congressional Republicans to accept some tax increases and other budget cuts to delay or soften the blow of the so-called sequester. Earlier in the day, House Speaker John Boehner said Republicans were finished raising taxes.

"The president has gotten his revenue," Boehner said. " I don't like the sequester and I hope we never get to the sequester. It doesn't need to happen. But it will happen unless the President and Senate Democrats get serious."

[CaringMom46]

What were the ratings on last night's production? I'm betting that more people didn't watch than did. In fact, I'd bet that the Westminster Dog Show was more popular than the dog and pony show in DC.

[adue2]

Why wait four years for kids to start school? Just have a government representative pick them up from the hospital when they are a day or two old and be done with it. Also if $9.50 per hour is really a good minimum wage we should make it at least $35.00 per hour. $9.50 is hardly going to pay for ones taxes and insurance.

[Tahitee]

At the rate we're going, the Chinese would simply take over the US without having to spend a single bullet or missile! In fact, if you go to Southern California cities, especially those in the San Gabriel Valley, you'll see the Chinese have already invaded much of it.

The real problem with the US economy today is the rise of China, which wants to topple the US from the superpower position. They've been spying on the US, stealing military technology secrets and manufacturing technology. And we have traitors like Apple Computers to make it easier for the communist Chinese to inflict more short- and long-term pain and suffering to the American people.

Jobs belonging to Americans have been destroyed by the rise of the communist Chinese. So, Obama has been talking the talk but has not done much to walk the walk. I start to feel sorry that I voted for him. But then again, what's new? Most politicians are useless and corrupt. The American people must consider another option: a REVOLUTION!

[Tahitee]

Obama must be more naive than I thought. What manufacturing research money is he asking for? Over the past decades, billions of dollars have already been spent at American taxpayers' expense on manufacturing research. But most, if not all, of manufacturing technology has been funneled to China, draining the American "investment" in manufacturing to a country now WE Americans owe money to! In other words, Americans spend their money to "invest" their future and their children's future. But instead of getting the payback and benefits from those dollars they spent on "manufacturing research", they are now having to put with inferior quality products made with American manufacturing technology by the Chinese, who have taken most manufacturing jobs from the Americans.

American corporations like Apple Computers have betrayed the American people by getting rich at the expense of the well being of the jobless Americans.

Obama talks a lot and may even mean well. But little action, at least not the effective ones but only politically driven bandaging actions. Obama may have the wrong people working for him on the recovery efforts from a very disastrous and failed government of George W. Bush.

The bottom line, the US is pretty cooked as it now owe so much money from the very country that has stolen most of key technology from the Americans: China!

Tell me what percentage of household items in your own home that are made in China and you'll see the real problem in the US today: we are flooded with Chinese inferior and even poisonous products. Yet, our manufacturing towns are struggling for basic food needs today.

Also, if you visit some of the existing so-called "manufacturing research centers" in the US, you'd see a large number of Chinese holding key positions there, not because they are any good, but because the Chinese mafia has taken stronghold in those places.

[cant_believe_stupid]

Boy I never understand conclusions some reach. OK, I didn't hear the speech - I read it. I never read the term 'manufacturing research' which you so ably quote. He did speak to investing in research that can impact future manufacturing. If some of Congress has its way, a lot of research going on in the medical arena will find its way elsewhere and have little return for US jobs. Now I would love to know where people got the idea that 'the Chinese, who have taken most manufacturing jobs from the Americans'. Americans have witnessed the death of mills regionally to the South then outside the US since the early '50s. Case in point - the US mills - have been steadily losing to cheaper labor, non-unionized plants. That's the pattern. So now for example we have seen textiles steadily lose out to Near East countries. Don't be a hater of the very economic system that has wrought this - free enterprise and trickle down economics. Whether we like it or not, there is a new paradigm we must face - the one town one manufactured product model is done. Kaput! Our children have to be more skilled and more flexible for work, possibly even to the point of working outside the US! The global economy now offers global possibilities for work. Now what can our government do? In my opinion several things, mostly all long term. That plant that closed or eliminated 1/2 of its work force isn't turning around any time soon. First, use the tax code to encourage companies to create more jobs at home. Secondly, use research & development to spur new jobs for the 21rst century. Use tax payer dollars to make sure our children are prepared to meet these demands. And please do what you can to make the banks stand up to their charters. Stop investing in paper and invest in people!

[justamaz]

Over 80% of Americans say we have a spending problem and Obama just doubles down on new Debt. He doesn't get it and why isn't this clown called on it?

[couldbesorry]

SUCK IT

[TessComments]

The main thing I got from Obama's Speech is he wants to continue to spend and spend and spend tax and tax.
If he really wanted to work on a Budget, he would have submitted HIS Budget on the First Monday in February.
Obama may talk a good talk but his actions are Nt Loud enough.

[fishguru00]

Where is the single dime coming from...