President Obama used his weekly address to talk about ways his administration is working to protect the middle class. And he mentioned actions being taken against Payday Lending as one way of protecting American workers.
But he also mentioned the recent budget by Congressional Republicans and the ways this budget is engineered to take from the middle class and give to the rich, and the president vowed to use his remaining time in office to fight against these tactics.
Video
In preparing for the upcoming Veteran’s Day celebration on Tuesday, President Obama used his weekly address to honor all the men and women who have put on the military uniform for this country.
Let’s honor our veterans by making sure they get the care and benefits they’ve earned. That means health care that’s there for them when they need it. It means continuing to reduce the disability claims backlog. And it means giving our wounded warriors all the care and support they need to heal, including mental health care for those with post-traumatic stress or traumatic brain injury. Some of the most moving moments I’ve experienced as Commander in Chief have been with our wounded warriors. Some have to learn how to walk again, talk again, write their names again. But no matter how hard it is, they never give up. They never quit. And we can’t ever quit on them.
Let’s honor our veterans by making sure they get their shot at the American Dream that they risked their lives to defend – by helping them find jobs worthy of their skills and talents, and making sure the Post-9/11 GI Bill stays strong so more veterans can earn a college education. When our veterans have the opportunity to succeed, our whole nation is stronger. And let’s work together to end the tragedy of homelessness among veterans once and for all – because anyone who has defended America deserves to live in dignity in America.
Finally, let’s honor our veterans by remembering that this isn’t just a job for government. It’s a job for every American. We’re all keepers of that sacred trust that says, if you put on a uniform and risk your life to keep us safe, we’ll do our part for you. We’ll make sure you and your family get the support you need. We’l have your backs – just like you had ours.
The economy has improved tremendously since President Obama took office. If you don’t believe me just turn off the doom and gloom from Fox News and the rest of the media, and go outside.
There are over 10 million more Americans working today as opposed to when 700.000 Americans were losing their jobs every month when Obama took over from Bush. Unemployment rate is below 6% and with a record 55 straight months of jobs growth, it is expected that the unemployment rate will continue to drop.
And ask Wall Street. It seems like every day the DOW has closed in record territory! Our GDP is improving, businesses are making money again and the deficit is decreasing.
Things are better and the economy is finally heading in the right direction. So the President used this week’s address to talk about some of these improvements and ways to keep the progress going.
Video
In this week’s address, the President discussed the measures we are taking to respond to Ebola cases at home, while containing the epidemic at its source in West Africa. This week, we continued to focus on domestic preparedness, with the creation of new CDC guidelines and the announcement of new travel measures ensuring all travelers from the three affected countries are directed to and screened at one of five airports.
The President emphasized that it’s important to follow the facts, rather than fear, as New Yorkers did yesterday when they stuck to their daily routine. Ebola is not an easily transmitted disease, and America is leading the world in the fight to stamp it out in West Africa.
In his weekly address, President Obama spoke about the Ebola situation overseas and the cases found here in The United States, and he talked about what America is doing to lead in the fight against this deadly disease.
First, what we’re seeing now is not an “outbreak” or an “epidemic” of Ebola in America. We’re a nation of more than 300 million people. To date, we’ve seen three cases of Ebola diagnosed here-the man who contracted the disease in Liberia, came here and sadly died; the two courageous nurses who were infected while they were treating him. Our thoughts and our prayers are with them, and we’re doing everything we can to give them the best care possible. Now, even one infection is too many. At the same time, we have to keep this in perspective. As our public health experts point out, every year thousands of Americans die from the flu.
Second, Ebola is actually a difficult disease to catch. It’s not transmitted through the air like the flu. You cannot get it from just riding on a plane or a bus. The only way that a person can contract the disease is by coming into direct contact with the bodily fluids of somebody who is already showing symptoms. I’ve met and hugged some of the doctors and nurses who’ve treated Ebola patients. I’ve met with an Ebola patient who recovered, right in the Oval Office. And I’m fine.
Third, we know how to fight this disease. We know the protocols. And we know that when they’re followed, they work. So far, five Americans who got infected with Ebola in West Africa have been brought back to the United States-and all five have been treated safely, without infecting healthcare workers.
Coming off another positive economic report for the month of September that resulted in the unemployment rate falling yet again to 5.9 percent, President Obama continued the message of a prosperous middle class in his weekly address.
President Obama used this week’s weekly address to continue his message that America is leading. Leading the world on confronting terrorists like ISIL, leading in confronting the Ebola epidemic and leading the world to combat Climate Change.
“American leadership is the one constant in an uncertain world. That was true this week, as we mobilized the world to confront some of our most urgent challenges,” the President Said.
In his weekly address, President Obama took his new call to degrade and defend ISIL directly to the American people, explaining the importance of taking the fight directly to the terrorist group.
As Commander-in-Chief, my highest priority is the security of the American people. And I’ve made it clear that those who threaten the United States will find no safe haven. Thanks to our military and counterterrorism professionals, we took out Osama bin Laden, much of al Qaeda’s leadership in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and leaders of al Qaeda affiliates in Yemen and Somalia. We’ve prevented terrorist attacks, saved American lives and made our homeland more secure.
Today, the terrorist threat is more diffuse, from al Qaeda affiliates and other extremists—like ISIL in Syria and Iraq. As I said this week, our intelligence community has not yet detected specific ISIL plots against our homeland. But its leaders have repeatedly threatened the United States. And, if left unchecked, these terrorists could pose a growing threat beyond the Middle East, including to the United States. So we’re staying vigilant. And we’re moving ahead with our strategy to degrade and ultimately destroy this terrorist organization.
Video
President Obama used his weekly address to talk about the start of a new school year and the importance of preparing for an education beyond high school.
Said the president;
And so today, I want to talk directly with students and parents about one of the most important things any of you can do this year — and that’s to begin preparing yourself for an education beyond high school.
We know that in today’s economy, whether you go to a four-year college, a community college, or a professional training program, some higher education is the surest ticket to the middle class. The typical American with a bachelor’s degree or higher earns over $28,000 more per year than someone with just a high school diploma. And they’re also much more likely to have a job in the first place – the unemployment rate for those with a bachelor’s degree is less than one-third of the rate for those without a high school diploma.
But for too many families across the country, paying for higher education is a constant struggle. Earlier this year, a young woman named Elizabeth Cooper wrote to tell me how hard it is for middle-class families like hers to afford college. As she said, she feels “not significant enough to be addressed, not poor enough for people to worry [about], and not rich enough to be cared about.”
Video
In this week’s address, president Obama called on congress to close the tax loophole that allow some American companies to adopt the leaching mentality. The leachers sell their products to the American people, collect huge amounts in profit, but avoid paying taxes on their income by claiming overseas tax status.
Walgreens, the company that calls itself “the pharmacy America trusts,” is one of these companies, currently considering moving their operations to foreign shores to avoid paying taxes here in America.
The President;
Even as corporate profits are as high as ever, a small but growing group of big corporations are fleeing the country to get out of paying taxes. They’re keeping most of their business inside the United States, but they’re basically renouncing their citizenship and declaring that they’re based somewhere else, just to avoid paying their fair share.
I want to be clear: this is only a few big corporations so far. The vast majority of American businesses pay their taxes right here in the United States. But when some companies cherrypick their taxes, it damages the country’s finances. It adds to the deficit. It makes it harder to invest in the things that will keep America strong, and it sticks you with the tab for what they stash offshore. Right now, a loophole in our tax laws makes this totally legal – and I think that’s totally wrong. You don’t get to pick which rules you play by, or which tax rate you pay, and neither should these companies.
Video
In his weekly address, President Obama spoke about the importance of educating and training today’s work force for the jobs of today and for the jobs of the future. Through his opportunity agenda, the President is focused on creating more jobs, educating more kids, and working to make sure hard work pays off with higher wages and better benefits.
President Obama used this week’s address to recapped his visits with folks who have written him letters about their own American stories — their successes and struggles. While Congressional Republicans are blocking meaningful measures that would strengthen the middle class, the President continues looking for ways to grow the economy and expand opportunity for more hardworking Americans.
