One of the questions surrounding President Obama's upcoming jobs plan is whether it will be a real legislative proposal -- one that could pass the Republican House -- or a political plan used to bash the GOP in the 2012 election.

Or possibly both.

Obama told radio host Tom Joyner that the plan he'll unveil next week will include bipartisan ideas, and "Congress needs to act."

"If Congress does not act," Obama said, "then I'm going to be going on the road and talking to folks -- and this next election very well may end up being a referendum on whose vision of America is better."

Joyner asked Obama, "When you come next week with your jobs plan, how are you going to get it passed when everybody in the Republican Party seems to say no to everything you say yes to?"

Obama said a key "is to communicate directly with the American people."

"The American people voted for divided government, but they didn't vote for dysfunctional government," Obama said. "And if they see one side not willing to work with the other to move the country forward, then that's what elections are all about.

"So we're going to be in a struggle for probably the next 16, 17 months."