Obama Launches a Deal for the Middle Class

At Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, Obama explained his recipe for reviving the economy. The choice of place was not random: In 2005, this was where he embarked on his political climb with a speech that made him known to millions of Americans.

In his new speech, he put forward a five-point plan (the five “pillars”) to revive the middle class in the United States and, as a result, the economy of the whole country. In the lengthy speech, Obama put jobs first: “an economy that generates more good jobs and durable, growing industries.” The second pillar was education: “an education that prepares our children and our workers for the global competition that they’re going to face.” In third place was home ownership: “the clearest expression of middle-class security.” On this point, Obama brought up how during the financial crisis millions of people lost their houses or saw the collapse of the values of their homes. According to the president, we must add to these points another element, on which to focus our support of the middle class: a secure retirement, something that many families have seen vanish because of the crisis. The last point is health because “middle-class families and small business owners deserve the security of knowing that neither an accident or an illness is going to threaten the dreams that [they have] worked a lifetime to build.”

Obama dusted off some of the old left-wing talking points and brought up a concept to help explain who has it worse in times of crisis — injustice in America. The president tried to shake off the lethargy that has so far tainted his second term and to do so promised to dedicate “every minute of the remaining 1,276 days of [his] term” to the single goal of making the country more economically and socially just. In this promise of a more just America, Obama pointed the finger at CEOs, who are now earning more than they did in the pre-crisis period, while placing on the other side of the scale the millions of workers who have lost their jobs and are living on the brink of poverty.

So will this plan succeed? The stakes are high, and there are challenges across the board for the president. He warned that “part of our character will be lost” without these changes and underlined:

“Inequality will continue to increase. Money’s power will distort our politics even more … and the fundamental optimism that’s always propelled us forward will give way to cynicism or nostalgia.”

The right will probably never forgive him for this step, but Obama has played his cards and given a strong left-leaning speech, knowing at the same time that he needs to deal not only with the problems but also with Congress, against which he uses harsh words:

“We’re going to do everything we can wherever we can, with or without Congress. Whatever executive authority I have to help the middle class, I’ll use it.”

He said that he would fight for gun control, the defense of civil rights, environmental issues and for other key issues in the future of the country. In short Obama has proposed battle. We will see what his next move will be.

For Obama one of the first things that should be reviewed is the tax system, “an upside-down system where those at the top, folks like [him], get generous tax incentives to save while tens of millions of hardworking Americans who are struggling — they get none of those breaks at all.” For Obama, “no one who works full-time in America should have to live in poverty — we’re not a people who allow chance of birth to decide life’s biggest winners or losers.” Another issue that is very close to the president’s heart is the college system:

“It is critical that we make sure that college is affordable for every single American who’s willing to work for it. If you think education is expensive, wait until you see how much ignorance costs in the 21st century.”

The core of the president’s speech, which he returned to several times, was that the United States needs a true “deal” for the middle class, to strengthen the social class that is “the engine of our prosperity.” He then threw out a heartfelt message to all Americans, “I’m going to be calling on all of us to take up this cause.” Citizens and institutions, Obama said, must act together and put aside self-interest. Will he be able to convince Republicans to follow him, at least in part? The slow approach of the midterm elections in 2014 leads us to imagine that this fight between the left and the right is only the beginning. It seems like Obama will have to do it alone. But can he really do all this without Congress?