President Obama's Speech to the House Democratic Issues Conference
So the American people are watching. They did not send us here to get bogged down with the same old delay, the same old distractions, the same talking points, the same cable chatter. (Applause.) You know, aren't you all tired of that stuff?
AUDIENCE: Yes!
THE PRESIDENT: They did not vote for the false theories of the past, and they didn't vote for phony arguments and petty politics. They didn't vote for the status quo — they sent us here to bring change. We owe it to them to deliver. This is the moment for leadership that matches the great test of our times. And I know you want to work with me to get there. (Applause.)
If we do not move swiftly to sign the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law, an economy that is already in crisis will be faced with catastrophe. This is not my assessment. This is not Nancy Pelosi's assessment. This is the assessment of the best economists in the country. This is the assessment of some of the former advisors of some of the same folks who are making these criticisms right now.
Millions more Americans will lose their jobs. Homes will be lost. Families will go without health care. Our crippling dependence on foreign oil will continue. That is the price of inaction.
This isn't some abstract debate. Last week, we learned that many of America's largest corporations already laid off thousands and are planning to lay off tens of thousands of more workers. Today, we learned that in the previous week, the number of new unemployment claims jumped to 626,000. Tomorrow, we're expecting another dismal jobs report, on top of the half a million jobs that were lost last month, on top of the half a million jobs that were lost the month before that, on top of the 2.6 million jobs that were lost last year.
For you, these aren't just statistics. This is not a game. This is not a contest for who's in power and who's up and who's down. These are your constituents. These are families you know and you care about. I believe that it is important for us to set aside some of the gamesmanship in this town and get something done. (Applause.)
Now, I believe — I just want to repeat, because I don't want any confusion here. I believe that legislation of this enormous magnitude, that by necessity we are moving quickly — we're not moving quickly because we're trying to jamb something down people's throats. We're moving quickly because we're told that if we don't move quickly, that the economy is going keep on getting worse, and we'll have another 2 or 3 or 4 million jobs loss this year.
I'd love to be leisurely about this. My staff is worn out, working around the clock. So is David Obey's staff. So is Nancy Pelosi's staff. We're not doing this because we think this is a lark. We're doing this because people are counting on us. So legislation of this magnitude deserves the scrutiny that it's received, and all of you will get another chance to vote for this bill in the days to come. But I urge all of us not to make the perfect the enemy of the absolutely necessary.
Understand the scale and the scope of this plan is right. And when you start hearing arguments on the cable chatter, just understand a couple of things. Number one, when they say, well, why are we spending $800 billion — we've got this huge deficit? First of all, I found this deficit when I showed up. (Applause.) Number one. (Applause.) I found this national debt doubled, wrapped in a big bow waiting for me as I stepped into the Oval Office.
Number two, it is expected that we are going to lose about a trillion dollars worth of demand this year, a trillion dollars of demand next year because of the contraction in the economy. So the reason that this has to be big is to try to fill some of that lost demand. And as it is, there are many who think that we should be doing even more. (Applause.) So we are taking prudent steps.
Reader Comments
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dear people this man is out to pad his pockets not help the needy he don't care about us . If he did he would send out another stimulis check to help the people
Economy
Hello - I wanted to share this story I just read with the President in hopes he will take a second look at his decisions regarding taxes and the stimulas.
This is an actual letter from a small business owner in the Chicago area written to his employees.
To All My Valued Employees,
There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country.
However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interest. First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You've seen my big home at last year's Christmas party. I'm sure; all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life.
However, what you don't see is the back story.
I started this company 28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire apartment was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.
My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.
Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's. My friends refinanced their mortgages and
lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had. So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9 am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5 pm, I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a 1 year old spec
No commentary on social structure
Nothing in this speech goes to fixing the broken down engine of the American Economy - Men.
Men are the backbone of production and construction in all westernised economies, there can be no disputing that, women run the service industries, end of story. In terms of value adding men do it, women sometimes do it, it is implicit in the jobs that either sex chooses to do.
Yet, men are the ones who get boned up the backside by the law,and women are the takers in the game with the government providing cops and lawyers to what is largely an undeserving group in the economy, the lesser productive sector.
This demoralises men, they see no reason to go to work, and when they are at work, they are not as productive as they could be because they know their efforts will be garnished, sequestered - never to be returned, this is not a good investment in Americas economic future - 50% of marriages break down, 70% of the filers are women, women receive the bulk of the assets in the split, the kids, the house, the car, the cash, the paid for childcare, and even alimony for women quite capable of paying their own way. This is done to your men through your divorce laws and violence against women [VAWA] laws. The law stupidly presumes to give troublemakers a reward for doing nothing, that is evident in the fact that 70% of women initiate / start / agitate for / begin / make happen the violence that then befalls them, and then, unable to match the opponent that they have chosen to combat - a man - they end up being 95% of the victims, when in reality the man is the end victim.. 95% of the time, and your economy is the next victim of this vile stupidity.
I am not saying that it is right for men to attack women, what I am saying is that it is wrong for your society to condone the initiation of violence by one party and *reward* this by locking up the bloke who was merely defending himself - remember - 70% of the time!! It is wrong to lock up a man and impugn him for the rest of his life on a whim of a woman, because she 'fears' him on some supposition of violence that she has started, he may be just bristling to warn her against proceeding with what ever dangerous behaviour she is engaging in, then hey presto - 911, poof!! man gone - how handy is that???
Your laws have to be ammended, they have to be re-cast in the light of the actual statistics involving violence. For example, the VAWA must be scrapped and a return to common law assault be effected, as it is set out in your constitution!! The law should be forced to recognise who the initiator of the violence is and punish that initiation, for without it no violence would exist.
Your divorce laws should be cast to give men the rewards for their troubles in working to provide for the family that they bought into existence, instead of them being relegated to a life of slavery to some flibittygibbit's tea party life style.
You need to give your men hope and rewards, then your economy will recover.
Obama - fix it!!
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