US President Barack Obama is set to unveil a jobs package totaling more than $300 billion aimed at jumpstarting the US economy, as he seeks re-election. The plan will focus on tax cuts for middle-class households and businesses, as well as increased spending on infrastructure projects. Obama will deliver a televised speech to Congress urging swift passage of the "American Jobs Act" in order to provide an economic boost and improve his chances of winning a second term. If the plan is unsuccessful, Obama will attempt to shift blame to congressional Republicans for hindering economic progress. On Thursday morning, White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley criticized the lack of action in Congress, urging them to do more than just reject proposals. Weak jobs data has raised concerns about another recession, leading the Federal Reserve to explore ways to boost demand. G7 finance ministers are expected to discuss encouraging countries to support growth. Obama is facing pressure to demonstrate stronger leadership. Both Republicans and Democrats have criticized his economic stewardship, which has put a shadow over his chances for re-election in November 2012. Terry Madonna, a political scientist at Franklin and Marshall College, believes that this is a crucial moment for Obama's leadership as he is running out of time before voters make a decision on his presidency. According to an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, Obama is no longer the favorite to win next year. The White House has stated that Obama will address the challenges facing the US economy and emphasize the importance of shared responsibility in helping the labor market recover, a message he will continue to promote as the 2012 election approaches. Last December, workers saw a renewal of payroll tax cuts, along with tax cuts aimed at incentivizing businesses to hire more employees, as the main components of the jobs plan. Media outlets have projected that the total cost of the package could be upwards of $300 billion. White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett informed Reuters Insider that President Obama plans to present the jobs proposals to Congress in the form of legislation next week. She stated that Thursday's speech was intended to promote a sense of "shared responsibility" for the current economic challenges, emphasizing that the burden does not solely fall on the president. The responsibility to address the issue lies with Congress, the business community, and the American people, according to the speaker. The White House's objective is to pass legislation this year to reduce unemployment by spring 2012. Obama needs to show economic progress by mid-2012 to enhance his chances for re-election. If Congress fails to act, the White House is ready to portray Republicans as hindering efforts to solve unemployment. The intense conflict in July over the nation's debt levels, which resulted in a ratings downgrade by Standard & Poor's, exposed a significant divide between President Obama's Democrats and the Republican majority in the House of Representatives. Republicans criticize the $800 billion economic stimulus package passed by Obama in 2009 as excessive spending and are calling for immediate deficit reductions. Democrats argue that while long-term deficits need to be addressed, the economy requires a short-term fiscal boost. The White House has stated that the jobs package will be funded through future cuts, but has not provided specifics. Obama plans to urge the congressional "super committee," which convened for the first time on Thursday, to exceed its $1.2 trillion budget savings target, but will not present his recommendations until next week or later. House Republican leaders John Boehner and Eric Cantor have shown willingness to consider some infrastructure spending and a program proposed by Obama to train unemployed workers as a gesture of reconciliation. However, Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in the Senate, criticized the president for accusing those who disagree with him of being overly partisan, calling it a political tactic. McConnell believes that opposition to Obama's economic policies is based on the fact that they are ineffective, rather than being driven by politics. He referred to Obama's proposed jobs plan as a strategy for re-election rather than a genuine effort to create jobs.