Unlike FDR, President Obama is burdened with dealing with perhaps the worst Congress in history according to some Congressional historians, the 112th Congress. Of course, the corporate media either ignores the actions of a Republican dominated House or blames Democrats with a false equivalency narrative. The 112th Congress will go down in history as passing perhaps the fewest bills despite being faced with a dire economic climate as Republicans members of Congress proudly skip the a joint session of Congress focusing on jobs in order to prepare to watch a football game. Yet, despite a historically bad Congress, members of the public will probably give their individual Republican law makers a free pass, and blame Democrats and/or President Obama.
This is why Republican lawmakers feel that they can almost brag about ditching a joint session of jobs despite our Nation's severe unemployment problems. They simply will not be held accountable, because the corporate media will run inteference and hide the fact that is hiding in plain sight: That the Tea Party dominated 112th Congress is perhaps the worst Congress in history and John Boehner, who is repeatedly backstabbed by his own lieutenants, is the worse Speaker of the House in History.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik-20110911,0,1556560.column
Obama spoke up for public works construction as both stimulus for now and investment in the future, proposing $90 billion to renovate schools, repair bridges and roads, and fund an infrastructure bank — echoing such New Deal work-relief programs as the Works Progress Administration.
Like Franklin Delano Roosevelt, he drew a bright line between the benefits flowing to the privileged and the struggles of ordinary Americans.
Obama: "While most people in this country struggle to make ends meet, a few of the most affluent citizens and most profitable corporations enjoy tax breaks and loopholes."
Roosevelt: "Our revenue laws have operated … to the unfair advantage of the very few, and they have done little to prevent an unjust concentration of wealth and economic power."