President Obama will walk into the U.S. Capitol Thursday night with a heavy assignment - deliver a plan that creates jobs and gets the economy moving again.
"This is an opportunity Mr. President. We'll look forward to hearing from you," Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said.
Last month, the U.S. economy failed to add any new jobs for the first time since President Franklin D. Roosevelt was in office.
In an attempt to address the problem, the president is expected propose a $300 billion jobs package full of tax cuts and federal spending.
The plan will include:
- A one-year extension of the payroll tax cut for workers.
- An extension on unemployment benefits.
- Tax incentives for businesses that hire.
- Spending on infrastructure improvements.
"We've got more than 1 million unemployed construction workers ready to get dirty right now," the president said earlier this week.
Kereakos Zuras, a businessman and former advisor to George W. Bush, offered his take on the president's plan on the CBN News Channel's Morning News, Sept. 8.
"He's talking about $300 billion of more spending and that's going in the wrong direction," Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., said.
However, White House officials say it will all be paid for.
"He will make the claim that these are the measures that can be taken, that have historically had bipartisan support, can be acted on very quickly by Congress and can have a very quick and positive impact on the economy and on employment," said Jay Carney, White House press secretary.
The president won't just be talking to members of Congress Thursday night. He'll also be addressing voters. His approval rating hit a record low this week and polls also indicated nearly eight in 10 Americans say the country is on the wrong track.
"I thought he was going to create those jobs he promised. I mean any kind of job, but it's gotten worse," said Grace Arroyo, a resident of Lorain, Ohio.
Scott Paul, executive director of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, hopes the president will present a short and long term vision of how to get Americans back to work.
"We need much more aggressive policies on trade, on taxes, on training a skilled workforce, on investing in our infrastructure, and certainly on innovation on research and development," he said.
At one point, it appeared the president's address might compete with pre-game coverage of an NFL game. But that's no longer the case.
What's clear is that he's battling an economy that's threatening his chances for a second term in the White House.