Obama Will Hit on Economic Inequality During Speech in Washington, Official Says

A White House official has confirmed President Barack Obama will talk about the "fundamental threat to the American dream" – economic inequality – during a speech Wednesday in the nation's capital.

The speech comes one month ahead of the 2014 State of the Union and will be indicative of the themes the president will carry over into the address, according to a story on The Hill.

"The decisions we make over the next few years will determine whether or not our children will grow up in an America where, if you work hard, you can get ahead," the official said.
Obama's renewed push for income equality comes at a time when the wealthy are prospering from record stock-market gains, and middle- and lower-class Americans are being hindered by sluggish employment gains. While the president addressed the same issues during the 2013 State of the Union, the proposals he made haven't leveled the playing field.

During the speech, which will take place in a primarily African-American area of Washington D.C. known as Anacostia, Obama will push Congress to pass a budget, agree on a farm bill and extend unemployment insurance – all by the end of the year.

Obama also will devote part of his speech to rallying interest in the Affordable Care Act.
"Healthcare security is an element of economic security, so they are interrelated,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said to reporters Tuesday. The speech is sponsored by the liberal think tank Center for American Progress.
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