President Barack Obama will ask for a "responsible step to bring down the deficit but is not likely to offer detailed plans on spending and taxes in a State of the Union address on Tuesday that will foretell the broad themes for political debate through the 2012 election.

The president is very likely to call for sacrifice that's required of both parties, and to reach out to the GOP with an approval for possible lowering of the nation's corporate income-tax rate as part of a revamp of the corporate-tax code, as stated by people familiar with speech preparations.

President Obama gives idea about what he'll ask of Congress on Tuesday. Found out from video taping from White House

The speech and the response of Republican are likely to bring out contrasting philosophies that will steer political discourse for the coming two years. Mr. Obama has chosen terms like investment and competitiveness to take along the discussion over how to create jobs, Republicans might resist his push for new spending in areas that he will cite crucial to the country's future. He will seek to protect infrastructure, education, science and energy from reductions and effectively he will make them the ground on which the 2012 campaign is to be fought.

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin has been chosen by Republicans to deliver the State of the Union response. Mr. Ryan has etched out a vision of smaller, less-intrusive government, stretching to popular programs such as Medicare, which he would turn increasingly over to the private sector.

Obama struck a deal with Republicans on taxes and has been remaking the White House with deal makers from Bill Clinton's White House schooled in bipartisan outreach. He also has approached business with promises to trim regulations and consult more intimately regarding trade, taxes and competitiveness.