This week, President Obama will hold a series of speeches about the economy with the first Wednesday at a college in Illinois where he years ago spelled out his vision of a strengthened and expanded middle class while a freshman senator in Washington.
White House officials said the speech at Knox College on Wednesday would be Obama’s first of many regarding the U.S. economy that Obama will deliver over a period of weeks leading up to key deadlines for the budget this fall.
In October, the new fiscal year starts and the borrowing limit of the government will be met quickly.
The speech on the economy will come this week just before Congress is scheduled to have a month recess in August. The idea is to increases public pressure on Washington lawmakers to help avoid showdowns over spending and taxes that have been part of past debates over the budget.
In his pitch on the economy, Obama will discuss efforts to increase the country’s manufacturing, sign up those uninsured for the health coverage, broaden the country’s education opportunities for college students and pump more life into the housing industry.
He will also be promoting the benefits economically of an overhaul in immigration, as the House will soon be discussing that legislation.
The agenda of Obama faces strong opposition from Republicans in the House as they hold the majority. For example, on immigration John Boehner the Speaker announced that the House would not pass the bill sent by the Senate. He said, instead it will deal with the overhaul of immigration piecemeal.
Obama is trying to end the budget cuts in the federal government that kicked in on March, so they do not affect the fiscal year that is approaching in October.