Blunt challenges to Congress

The State of the Union address, regardless of who is president, is usually an overly long and, frankly, not very interesting recitation of administration accomplishments, shout-outs to worthy citizens in the first lady’s seats, and an assurance that America is still great – but if Congress only does what the president asks, it will be even greater.

President Barack Obama’s speech Tuesday night was largely devoid of his customary soaring rhetoric – teleprompter or no, the man does speeches well. It did not stray far from the norm except in one respect. He laid down a series of blunt challenges to Congress, largely about the economy, the expected battleground of the fall presidential campaign.

Obama called for an end to tax deductions for companies that export jobs and a basic minimum tax on multinational companies. The money gained would be used to cut taxes for companies that stay and hire here, double for high-tech manufacturers.

Glossing over the complexity of writing such legislation, Obama declared, “Send me these tax reforms, and I will sign them right away.” It was a recurring theme.

Students who came to the United States illegally as youngsters and foreign students who acquire valuable skills here should be allowed to stay, “to staff our labs, start new businesses, defend our country,” rather than being required to return home.

“Send me a law that gives them the right to earn citizenship. I will sign it right away,” the president said.

He called on Congress to abolish regulations that discourage entrepreneurship and to expand tax relief to small business. “Both parties agree on these ideas,” he insisted. “Put them in a bill, and get it on my desk this year.”

He called for incentives for manufacturers to eliminate energy waste, cut pollution and create jobs: “Send me a bill that creates these jobs.”

The president said there were no real penalties for financial firms that are repeat offenders of fraud: “So pass legislation that makes these penalties for fraud count.”

There was more:

“Pass the payroll tax cut without delay. Let’s get it done.”

“Send me a bill that bans insider trading by members of Congress. I will sign it tomorrow.”