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    January 26, 2012

Obama to Push Energy Agenda in Nevada, Colorado

   VOA News
   President Barack Obama speaks about manufacturing jobs, at the Conveyor
   Engineering & Manufacturing plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, January 25,
   2012.
   Photo: AP
   President Barack Obama speaks about manufacturing jobs, at the Conveyor
   Engineering & Manufacturing plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, January 25,
   2012.

   U.S. President Barack Obama visits the gambling hub of Las Vegas,
   Nevada, and an Air Force base in the Rocky Mountain state of Colorado
   Thursday to push his new energy agenda in two states important to the
   2012 presidential election.
   Obama is expected to talk about energy reform at both stops, drawing
   attention to proposals for clean energy use and greater production of
   domestic oil and gas. His comments follow criticism by Republicans
   earlier this week on the suspension of plans to build a cross-country
   oil pipeline from Canada to Texas.
   Both Nevada and Colorado are scheduled to hold their Republican
   presidential caucuses within the next two weeks.
   Meanwhile, Republican presidential candidates Newt Gingrich, Mitt
   Romney, Rick Santorum, and Ron Paul prepare to face off in a debate in
   the state of Florida Thursday night. Florida holds its high-stakes
   Republican primary on Tuesday. The Florida race has shaped up to be a
   contest between frontrunners Gingrich and Romney and will likely
   address issues such as immigration and U.S. relations with Cuba, in the
   state closest to the communist island nation.
   On Wednesday, President Obama visited a conveyor belt factory in the
   midwestern state of Iowa, promoting the economic plan he unveiled
   during his annual State of the Union address Tuesday night. The
   president said the key to change is Congress passing a reformed tax
   code.

   He said his blueprint will work for everyone, not just the wealthy.
   Also Wednesday, Obama stood by his call for higher taxes on the
   country's wealthiest taxpayers, emphasizing its importance in boosting
   the American economy. He urged Congress to pass tax reform measures for
   businesses and more immediately a payroll tax cut for individuals.
   Obama brushed off Republican claims that his new tax code is "class
   warfare."
   The president is on a three-day, five-state tour both to sell his
   economic plan and to shore up support in politically crucial states for
   his contentious re-election bid later this year. The president will
   also stop in the states of Arizona and Michigan.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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