St. Petersburg Times Editorial
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
President Barack Obama reassured a frustrated, impatient nation Wednesday night that he understands the pain Americans are feeling as unemployment rises, home values plummet and life savings evaporate. With his agenda stalled by partisanship and economic worries, the president focused much of his State of the Union address on efforts to create jobs and restore financial stability for families and businesses. It was a pivotal moment for an administration that took office a year ago with a compelling long-term vision that has been overwhelmed by more immediate fears.
Obama offered a variety of proposals to encourage job creation and provide relief to middle class voters furious about bank bailouts and Wall Street bonuses. He proposed a three-year freeze on domestic spending (aside from entitlement programs) and the creation of a bipartisan task force to recommend ways to lower the federal deficit, which has become a front-burner issue. But more important than the laundry list of initiatives was the president's acknowledgement of a "credibility gap'' between Washington and the rest of the country.
"We have to recognize that we face more than a deficit of dollars right now,'' Obama said. "We face a deficit of trust — deep and corrosive doubts about how Washington works that have been growing for years."