Obama to announce aid for middle class (AP)

Previewing key elements of his State of the Union address, President Obama is announcing on Monday a series of initiatives aimed at calming some of the economic fears of struggling middle class families. The proposals include nearly doubling of the child care tax credit and capping student loan payments.» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

WASHINGTON — Republicans say President Barack Obama’s second-term agenda will bring more tax increases and increase deficit spending. They’re vowing to promote economic growth to help middle-class families find good jobs. Republicans are responding to Obama’s State of the Union address with fresh appeals to voters on the economy and promises to rein in federal spending with a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans intend to cast President Barack Obama's second-term agenda as more "big government" and offer a series of steps to boost economic growth and reduce the federal debt, countering the president's agenda with competing visions for the country. Florida Sen.

Still hampered by the vulnerable economy, President Barack Obama is using his State of the Union address to appeal for new spending to create jobs while also pledging to cut the federal deficit, in part by raising taxes – issues Republicans are likely to o

Obama is set to announce a series of economic initiatives aimed at helping struggling middle-class families.

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will announce in his State of the Union address that 34,000 U.S. troops will be home from Afghanistan within a year, two people familiar with his remarks said Tuesday. That’s about half the U.S. forces currently serving there, and marks the next phase in the administration’s plans to formally finish the war by the end of 2014.

House Speaker John Boehner's office has released excerpts from Sen. Marco Rubio's GOP response to the State of the Union address tonight, in which Rubio plans to cast President Barack Obama's economic plans as "big government" proposals that will harm the economy. Rubio will attack Obama for an "obsession" with raising taxes as a means to reduce the budget deficit, saying it will not spur economic growth.