President Obama:Working When Congress Won’t Act

[cal04]

Source: White House

In this week’s address, the President discussed actions to expand opportunity for more Americans, with or without the help of Republicans in Congress, including his Administration’s efforts to cut red tape for major transportation infrastructure projects. In the coming days, the President will meet with business leaders to highlight the importance of bringing jobs back to America and will also discuss the economic benefits of making it easier for tourists to visit and spend money at attractions in the U.S., which in turn helps local businesses and grows the economy for everyone. The President has called 2014 a year of action, and he will continue to do whatever he can to continue to strengthen our economy, create jobs and restore opportunity for all.

(snip)
Here’s the problem: If Congress doesn’t act by the end of this summer, federal funding for transportation projects will run out. States might have to put some of their projects on hold. In fact, some already are, because they’re worried Congress won’t clear up its own gridlock. And if Congress fails to act, nearly 700,000 jobs would be at risk over the next year.

That’s why I put forward a plan to rebuild our transportation infrastructure in a more responsible way. It would support millions of jobs across the country. And we’d pay for it without adding to the deficit by closing wasteful tax loopholes for companies that ship jobs overseas.

Now, the Republicans in Congress seem to have very different priorities. Not only have they neglected to prevent this funding from running out, their proposal would actually cut by 80% a job-creating grant program that has funded high-priority transportation projects in all 50 states. And they can’t say it’s to save money, because at the very same time, they voted for trillions of dollars in new tax cuts, weighted towards those at the very top.

Think about that. Instead of putting people to work on projects that would grow the economy for everyone, they voted to give a huge tax cut to households making more than $1 million a year.


Read more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/05/17/weekly-address-working-when-congress-won-t-act

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Transcript
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/05/17/weekly-address-working-when-congress-won-t-act

[madokie]

1. Thats why I voted for him to begin with

and still support him 100 percent now

[okaawhatever]

9. +100 nt

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. Obama is competent Republicans are not

The GOP voters should be told how incompetent their GOP representatives are.

[Third Doctor]

3. Sadly I don't think

a lot of the GOP want to understand that they are voting for people that don't give two damns about their interests.

[EEO]

4. How many more bridges need to collapse before we invest in our infrastructure again?

[benld74]

5. Fed Worker here can tell you how much MORE work

had to be done by workers with all the GOP crap about budgets for agencies

[davidpdx]

10. Here's a good site to spread around in terms of info

http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/a/#p/home

Oregon got a C-

135 High hazard dams
433 Structurally deficient bridges
65 % of roads are poor or mediocre quality
$2.8 needed for drinking water
$3.8 needed for waste water

California and Washington did a little better with C's.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

6. But but but

The Republicans have no leadership since Boehner's constantly schnockered.

[red dog 1]

7. K&R...Thanks for posting

Can President Obama "close wasteful tax loopholes for companies that ship jobs overseas" without Congressional approval?

Can he do that by Executive Action alone?

[Cha]

8. Thank you for this, cal..