Obama's State of The Union Speech To Address Child Credit, Student Loans

On Wednesday, President Obama will give his annual State of the Union Address. His speech is will highlight several initiatives designed to aid families in the ailing economy. He will also address the health care overhaul which is in danger of becoming another casualty of partisan politics.

The speech, though still not entirely complete, is expected to bring ways of job creation and shaking up an economy that has been rocked by recession, plummeting stocks, and major job loss. The speech is seen as vital to the President’s standing. The recent win by Republican Scott Brown in Massachusetts only underlined voter discontent Obama’s increasing unpopularity.

America saw a little of what was to come in the State of the Union on Friday as a fighting Obama sought to defend his policies. This was the second leg of the “White House to Main Street” tour which was started as an effort to bolster job creation and get in touch with the average blue-collar worker.

In a town hall outside of Cleveland, OH, Obama addressed an audience of Americans from all walks of life. He took questions and sought to allay fears that America was not recovering from the recession. He talked about new initiatives to help foster job growth and relieve debt. These are the same initiatives that Obama put forth Monday to include in his State of the Union Address.

The initiatives are extensive and include among others a child care tax credit, which would give families who make under $85,000 annual income a credit $900; there is also a proposed cap on federal loan payments for recent college grads; an automatic paycheck deduction to help workers save their money versus spend it; increased financial aid to the elderly; and tax breaks for small businesses.

The initiatives are designed to help out the middle class who have struggled under the ailing economy. The cost of the plan, as usual, may prove a sticking point for approval. Though as a whole, costing less than usual government expenditures, this may not help with Obama’s image as a spendthrift. There is, however an effort to help in job creation. On Friday, the House of Representatives passed a $154 billion to do just that.

Obama’s top priority, health care reform, will naturally also be addressed. However, how Obama will tackle the issue remains to be seen. The issue has caused much ire among citizens and politicians alike. In a time when the deficit is already sky high, a health care overhaul seems excessive for many.

If all goes well Barack Obama's State of the Union should be a spur for getting America out of the recession and putting more jobs on the table. One thing is sure: it will definitely be a test of the Obama’s performance as President.

Written by Lani Shadduck