Category: weekly address

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Energy Politics weekly address

President Obama’s Weekly Address – An All-Of-The-Above Strategy to Energy Independence

President Obama used his weekly address to talk about energy. He mentioned his recent speech at the United Auto Workers meeting, and reminded us that if nothing was done about the auto industry, “Detroit would have gone bankrupt. “I refused to let that happen, the President said, “these jobs are worth more than just a paycheck – they’re a source of pride and a ticket to the middle class.”

Mr. Obama also mentioned that over the last two and a half years, over 200,000 more jobs were created in the auto industry.

Today, GM is the number one automaker in the world.  Chrysler is growing faster in America than any other car company.  Ford is investing billions in American plants and factories, and plans to bring thousands of jobs back home.  All told, the entire industry has added more than 200,000 new jobs over the past two and a half years.

He also spoke of new fuel efficiency standards put in place by his administration, that would require automobile producers to build vehicles capable of 55 miles per gallon. This, the President says, would save the typical consumer over $8000 over time.

And although the new fuel efficiency standards are a step in the right direction , the President spoke about an “all the above strategy” where fossil fuel wouldn’t be our main source of energy.

 While we consume 20 percent of the world’s oil, we only have 2 percent of the world’s oil reserves.  We’ve got to develop new technology that will help us use new forms of energy.  That’s been a priority of mine as President.  And because of the investments we’ve made, our use of clean, renewable energy has nearly doubled – and thousands of Americans have jobs because of it.

 

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Politics weekly address

Presidential Address – The Importance of Manufacturing Jobs in America

The President’s weekly address focused on American manufacturing jobs. Mr. Obama spoke from the Boeing Plant in Everett, Washington and commended the job being done by Boeing to bring manufacturing jobs all across the nation.

“Boeing has been in this community for half a century,” the President said, “but it’s what they’re doing here today that has folks really excited; because at this plant they’re building the plane of the future – the Dreamliner.  It’s an impressive sight.  And, to be honest, part of why I came was to see it up close.  But I also came because this is a great example of how we can bring jobs and manufacturing back to America.”

Mr. Obama also explained that because of new technology certain jobs have become obsolete, “but that doesn’t mean we have to settle for a lesser future,” he said, “I don’t accept that idea.  In America, there’s always something we can do to create new jobs and new manufacturing and new security for the middle-class.  In America, we don’t give up, we get up.”

We have a big opportunity right now to build not only an economy that will help us succeed today, but an economy that will help our kids and their kids succeed tomorrow. We know what we need to do.  We need to strengthen American manufacturing…

We can do this…!

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Politics weekly address

President Obama Reminds Us – No Action In Congress Could Raise Your Taxes This Month

President Obama used his weekly Presidential address to call on Congress to “do the right thing” on the expiring Payroll Tax issue. The tax extension recently agreed to is set to expire at the end of February.

… at the end of the month, taxes are set to go up on 160 million working Americans. If you’re one of them, then you know better than anyone that the last thing you need right now is a tax hike.  But if Congress refuses to act, middle class taxes will go up.  It’s that simple.

Echoing recent appeals to the public, the President called on Americans to pick up the phone and call their congressperson and demand that they extend the Payroll Tax Cuts.

 I hope you’ll pick up the phone, send a tweet, write an email, and tell your representative that they should get this done before it gets too late.  Tell them not to play politics again by linking this debate to unrelated issues. Tell them not to manufacture another needless standoff or crisis.  Tell them not to stand in the way of the recovery.  Tell them to just do their job.  That’s what our middle class needs.  That’s what our country needs.

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Barack Obama Politics weekly address

Presidential Address – Helping Homeowners Keep Their Homes

In this week’s Presidential address, President Obama spoke about keeping home owners in their homes, and he mentioned a new policy that, if passed by Democrats and Republicans in congress, will make a lot of homeowners happy.

That’s why I’m sending Congress a plan that will give every responsible homeowner the chance to save about $3,000 a year on their mortgages by refinancing at historically low rates.  No more red tape.  No more endless forms.  And a small fee on the largest financial institutions will make sure it doesn’t add a dime to the deficit.

I want to be clear: this plan will not help folks who bought a house they couldn’t afford and then walked away from it.  It won’t help folks who bought multiple houses just to turn around and sell them.

What this plan will do is help millions of responsible homeowners who make their payments every month, but who, until now, couldn’t refinance because their home values kept dropping or they got wrapped up in too much red tape.

The president urged the nation to contact their representatives and push them to approve this new policy measure.

 In order to lower mortgage payments for millions of Americans, we need Congress to act.  They’re the ones who have to pass this plan.  And as anyone who has followed the news in the last six months can tell you, getting Congress to do anything these days is not an easy job.

That’s why I’m going to keep up the pressure on Congress to do the right thing.  But I also need your help.  I need your voice.  I need everyone who agrees with this plan to get on the phone, send an email, tweet, pay a visit, and remind your representatives in Washington who they work for.  Tell them to pass this plan.  Tell them to help more families keep their homes, and more neighborhoods stay vibrant and whole.

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Politics State of the Union address weekly address

State of the Union – Let The Games Begin!

State Of The Union 2012

Let the games begin. President Obama made a forceful, compelling case for a balance of free market and governmental reforms on a wide range of issues, and defended his record on foreign policy and an improving economy. He called out both parties for inaction, and reminded us that one party’s class warfare is another’s common sense. He also sounded themes that will be part of his reelection campaign, such as tax cuts for businesses and investment in future technologies.

His call for fairness was in all of the previews, and evidently, that’s a dirty word among the Republican leadership. Tax fairness? Socialism. Economic fairness? Socialism. Fair access to social institutions, education, and job training? Socialism.

Ahead of the speech, Mitt Romney said of the economy that, “In a normal recovery under strong leadership, it could now be full of workers.” The problem is that this isn’t a normal recession, it’s a Republican-caused recession. And when the GOP screws the economy, the economy doesn’t walk right for years. Further, research has suggested that the economy would have been worse off under Republican policies and fewer people would have been employed. Electing either Romney or Gingrich would mean more tax cuts for the wealthy, fewer services, no stimulus and worsening infrastructure throughout the country (except for a very high wall on the Mexican border).

So what exactly is the GOP for? The right to make millions and to pay a lower tax rate because you’re not earning wages? Most working and middle class people earn only wages. The right to pay for a better education because you have money? Most working and middle class people can’t pay or don’t want to go into debt to the tune of $200,000 dollars. The right to health care only if you can pay shockingly high premiums, don’t care about preexisting conditions, or don’t take your medicine because the doughnut hole would cost you thousands? Running against the health care reform law might be good politics, but repeal would set us back decades

After months of listening to the radical right bloviate about the threat that gay marriage, financial and health reform, legal and illegal immigrants, and Sharia law presents to our nation, it’s about time that we heard some actual policies that make sense and serve the interests of actual citizens. And that’s exactly what we heard.

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Barack Obama Politics United States weekly address White House

Weekly Presidential Address: Helping American Businesses Succeed

In his weekly address, President Obama highlighted companies and businesses that are bringing the jobs back home.

This week, I invited executives from businesses that are insourcing jobs to a forum at the White House. These are CEOs who take pride in hiring people here in America, not just because it’s increasingly the right thing to do for their bottom line, but also because it’s the right thing to do for their workers and for our communities and our country.

And the President spoke about the tax incentives he is offering to these businesses;

I will put forward new tax proposals that reward companies that choose to do the right thing by bringing jobs home and investing in America – and eliminate tax breaks for companies that move jobs overseas.

Just another move by the President to put the American people back to work.

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Politics weekly address

President’s Weekly Address – Bring The Jobs Back Home

In his weekly address, President Obama had a message for the business committee – bring the jobs back home.

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Barack Obama Christmas Michelle Obama Politics United States weekly address White House

The President And First Lady’s Christmas Message

President Obama was joined by the First Lady for a joint address this weekend, as they both wished the American people a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. The couple especially thanked the men and women in the military, as some of them come home from the war in Iraq while others still serve in other areas of the world.

“This holiday season at the White House,” the First Lady said, “we wanted to show our thanks with a special holiday tribute to some of the strongest, bravest, and most resilient members of our American family – the men and women who wear our country’s uniform and the families who support them.”

The President continued, thanking the troops for their service, and expressing his joy with the families of those returning home for the Christmas holidays.

For many military families, the best gift this year is a simple one – welcoming a loved one back for the holidays. You see, after nearly nine years, our war in Iraq is over.  Our troops are coming home.  And across America, military families are being reunited.

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Politics weekly address

Presidential Address – Everyone Must Have A Fair Chance

President Obama used his weekly address to tell the American people that things will be better if everyone gets a fair shot at the resources necessary for success. He points out that the rich already have a multitude of lawyers and lobbyists in Washington working on their behalf.

That’s why he nominated Richard Cordray to head up a brand new consumer protection watchdog agency, whose sole purpose is protecting consumers from the unscrupulous predatory ways of Corporation. But surprise, Republicans have blocked Cordray’s nomination too.

The President.

So I refuse to take “no” for an answer.  Financial institutions have plenty of high-powered lawyers and lobbyists looking out for them.  It’s time consumers had someone on their side.

Republicans have also stood in the way of a balanced plan to extend the payroll tax cut for working families – and the President made it clear he believes that elected officials should not go home for the holidays until they’ve done what is right for the American people and for the economy by extending this tax cut.

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Politics weekly address

President Obama To Republicans – Stop The Politics And Put Country First

In another weekly presidential speech, President Obama urged Republicans to put country first and do what is necessary to uplift the economy, not a political party.

Unfortunately, too many Republicans in Congress don’t seem to share that same sense of urgency. Over the last few months, they’ve said “no” to most of these jobs bills. “No” to putting teachers and firefighters back to work. “No” to putting construction workers back on the job. And this week, they actually said “no” to cutting taxes for middle-class families.

You see, last year, both parties came together to cut payroll taxes for the typical middle-class family by about $1,000. But that tax cut is set to expire at the end of this month. If that happens, that same family will see its taxes go up by $1,000. We can’t let that happen. In fact, I think we should cut taxes on working families and small business owners even more.

And we’re going to keep pushing Congress to make this happen. They shouldn’t go home for the holidays until they get this done. And if you agree with me, I could use your help.

We’ve set up a simple tax cut calculator on WhiteHouse.gov so that you can see exactly what the stakes are for your family. Try it out. Then let your members of Congress know where you stand.

Tell them not to vote to raise taxes on working Americans during the holidays. Tell them to put country before party. Put money back in the pockets of working Americans. Pass these tax cuts.

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Politics thanksgiving troops weekly address

What Is President Obama Thankful For?

In his weekly address, President Obama wished the American people a Happy Thanksgiving, and he took some time to send a special Thanksgiving wish to the men and women serving our country oversees.

We’re especially grateful for the men and women who defend our country overseas. To all the service members eating Thanksgiving dinner far from your families: the American people are thinking of you today.  And when you come home, we intend to make sure that we serve you as well as you’re serving America.

We’re also grateful for the Americans who are taking time out of their holiday to serve in soup kitchens and shelters, making sure their neighbors have a hot meal and a place to stay. This sense of mutual responsibility – the idea that I am my brother’s keeper; that I am my sister’s keeper – has always been a part of what makes our country special. And it’s one of the reasons the Thanksgiving tradition has endured.

The president spoke about the unnecessary gridlock going on in Washington between Democrats and Republicans and suggested that if politicians can find a way to come together, America’s future will be bright.

With all the partisanship and gridlock here in Washington, it’s easy to wonder if such unity is really possible. But think about what’s happening at this very moment: Americans from all walks of life are coming together as one people, grateful for the blessings of family, community, and country.

If we keep that spirit alive, if we support each other, and look out for each other, and remember that we’re all in this together, then I know that we too will overcome the challenges of our time.

So today, I’m thankful to serve as your President and Commander-and-Chief. I’m thankful that my daughters get to grow up in this great country of ours. And I’m thankful for the chance to do my part, as together, we make tomorrow better than today.

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Politics veterans weekly address

President Obama Addresses Jobs For Veterans – Video

President Obama used his weekly address to ask Congress to “put partisanship aside,” and pass his jobs bill that would put America’s veterans back to work. “Today, more than 850,000 veterans remain unemployed,” the president said. “And too many are struggling to find a job worthy of their talents and experience.”

He continued.

That’s not right.  We ask these men and women to leave their families and their jobs and risk their lives to fight for our country.  The last thing they should have to do is fight for a job when they get home.

The President again, made his pledge to the men and women of our armed services.

As Commander-in-Chief, I want every veteran to know that America will always honor your service and your sacrifice – not just today, but every day.  And just as you fought for us, we’re going to keep fighting for you – for more jobs, for more security, for the opportunity to keep your families strong and America competitive in the 21st century.

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