Health & Fitness
Obama vs. The NFL
It could perhaps be the most important speech of his Presidency but let's just make sure it doesn't get in the way of the Saints and Packers.
Mark the date. Thursday, September 8. The New Orleans Saints take on the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers to kick off the 2011 NFL season. For many Americans, it’s the most important event of the year. Heck, even President Obama’s jobs speech before a rare joint session of congress is taking a back seat to it.
Last month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the U.S. failed to add new jobs to the market for the first time since 1945. With unemployment sitting at an ungodly 9.1%, one might think that a football game would seem trivial in comparison but not the Obama Administration. White House Spokesperson, Jay Carney says that the president’s address to Congress will conclude before the 8:30 p.m. ET football broadcast begins. President Obama won’t tangle with kick off.
Hurray for small favors! After all in New Orleans and Green Bay there are nearly 60,000 unemployed people. Now, thanks to President Obama, they can watch his speech and of course enjoy the game as well. Nothing better than a double header, especially when you don’t have much else going on like perhaps commuting home from that job that your family so desperately needs.
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Keep in mind, competing with the NFL on Thursday wasn’t the Administration’s first choice. They wanted it held on Wednesday but House Speaker John Boehner wouldn’t have any of that. No way was the president going to upstage the already planned GOP presidential debate. Republicans held their ground there.
So there you go, talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place. It’s either the NFL or the GOP. I guess you can say President Obama chose the lesser of two evils.
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Regarding the speech itself, one that’s going to be shorter than it should so as not to interfere with kick off, the president is expected to lay out proposals to increase hiring with tax incentives for business and more government spending for public work projects. He also wants to extend the payroll tax cuts for workers and jobless benefits for the unemployed. Those proposals should cost the U.S. some 175 billion dollars.
More importantly though. Are you ready for some FOOTBALL???!!!
