The Edge: Is Obama Acting Like a Lame Duck?

Updated: February 11, 2013 | 5:12 p.m.
February 11, 2013 | 3:52 p.m.

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For a president who won reelection decisively and made ambitious promises in his inaugural, Obama is acting more like a lame duck ahead of Tuesday’s State of the Union.

The Washington Post reported Sunday that Obama will be relying on executive actions to implement policies on housing, climate change and gun control, all but giving up on persuading Congress. On Monday, The Hill reported he’ll be announcing an executive order on cybersecurity. He’s focused on dividing the Republican party with the address, according to Politico, without much of a paean to bipartisanship.

That’s hardly a ticket for second-term accomplishments.

Yet the biggest issue on most Americans’ minds is the economy, which is now receiving renewed focus in the State of the Union. And that economy will likely determine his legacy. He’d be well-served to not just talk about it, but to tackle tax reform, entitlement reform, and smarter spending cuts to help promote long-term growth.

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