President Obama took to one of his favorite hobbies this weekend and lectured Republicans about their supposed lack of progress. In his first address to the American people since returning from vacation on Martha's Vineyard, Obama began by hyping the job growth America has experienced after the 2008 recession, hinting that his administration deserves much of the credit.
Hampering this economic momentum, Obama asserted, was Congress’s decision to go on recess last month.
“Unfortunately, Congress left town for five full weeks and they left behind a stack of unfinished business," he said.
Legislators will find themselves racing to beat the Oct. 1 fiscal cliff deadline when they come back to Washington, Obama warned.
"When they return from vacation, they'll only have a few weeks to do so or shut down the government for the second time in two years," the president added. "They've had all year to do this."
He reminded viewers that he put forward his own economic plan months ago, to no avail. The GOP rejected his proposals because they relied on “more taxes and more government,” House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said at the time.
The president also said he will veto any budget that "locks in" the sequester, which he calls “senseless cuts to domestic and national security priorities.
“We can’t cut our way to prosperity.”
The president had a few other specific priority items in mind. He said that reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank should be at the top of Congress’s checklist and that investing in education and infrastructure would help move our country “forward.”
While the president balks at Congress for delaying its to-do list by five weeks, some could argue that he has had 6 and a half years to get this country on track. Americans are still waiting.