President Obama: Republicans Standing up for Outsourcing and Special Interests, Instead of Americans

[bigtree]

September 25, 2010

WASHINGTON – In this week’s address, President Barack Obama broke with Republicans in Congress who are putting special interests ahead of the American people and offering only a rehash of the very same economic policies that led to the financial crisis. When the GOP asked the American people, through a website, for ideas, one that drew great deal of interest is ending tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas. But when the administration closed one of the most egregious loopholes for companies creating jobs overseas, Republicans were almost unanimously opposed. Rather than offering a path to a better future, their plan is an echo of a disastrous decade the country cannot afford to relive.


Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
September 25, 2010

This week, the economists who officially decide when recessions start and end declared the recession of 2008 to be over. But if you’re one of the millions of Americans who lost your home, your job, or your savings as a consequence of the recession, this news is of little comfort or value.

Yes, the economy is growing instead of shrinking, as it was in 2008 and the beginning of 2009. We’re gaining private sector jobs each month instead of losing 800,000, as we did the month I took office.

But we have to keep pushing to promote growth that will generate the jobs we need, and repair the terrible damage the recession has done. That’s why I’ve proposed a series of additional steps: accelerated tax breaks for businesses who buy equipment now; a permanent research and development tax break to promote innovation by American companies; and a new initiative to rebuild America’s roads, rails, and runways that will put folks to work and make our country more competitive.

Taken together with the small business tax cut and lending plan we passed through Congress last week, these steps will help spur jobs in the short run, and strengthen our economy for the long run.

Now, the Republicans who want to take over Congress offered their own ideas the other day. Many were the very same policies that led to the economic crisis in the first place, which isn’t surprising, since many of their leaders were among the architects of that failed policy.

It is grounded in same worn out philosophy: cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires; cut the rules for Wall Street and the special interests; and cut the middle class loose to fend for itself. That’s not a prescription for a better future. It’s an echo of a disastrous decade we can’t afford to relive.

The Republicans in Washington claimed to draw their ideas from a website called “America Speaking Out.” It turns out that one of the ideas that’s drawn the most interest on their website is ending tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas.

Funny thing is, when we recently closed one of the most egregious loopholes for companies creating jobs overseas, Republicans in Congress were almost unanimously opposed. The Republican leader John Boehner attacked us for it, and stood up for outsourcing, instead of American workers.

So, America may be speaking out, but Republicans in Congress sure aren’t listening. They want to put special interests back in the driver’s seat in Washington. They want to roll back the law that will finally stop health insurance companies from denying you coverage on the basis of a preexisting condition. They want to repeal reforms that will finally protect hardworking families from hidden rates and penalties every time they use a credit card, make a mortgage payment, or take out a student loan.

And for all their talk about reining in spending and getting our deficits under control, they want to borrow another $700 billion, and use it to give tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires. On average, that’s a tax cut of about $100,000 for millionaires.

Instead of cutting taxes for the wealthiest few – tax breaks we cannot afford – I’ve called for tax cuts for middle class families who saw their incomes shrink by five percent during the last, lost decade. We’ve already cut 8 different taxes for small business owners to help them hire and grow, and we’re going to cut 8 more. We’re challenging our states and schools to do a better job educating our kids and making college more affordable so America can once more lead the world in the proportion of our kids graduating from college. And we’re putting an end to the days of taxpayer-funded bailouts so Main Street never again has to pay for Wall Street’s mistakes.

America is a great country. Our democracy is vibrant, our economy is dynamic, and our workers can outcompete the best of them. But the way for us to remain the greatest country on Earth isn’t to turn back the clock and put the special interests in charge. It’s to make sure all our people are getting a fair shake. It’s to make sure everyone who’s willing to work for it still has a chance to reach for the American dream. And that will remain my mission every single day so long as I have the honor of serving as President.

Have a nice weekend, everybody.


full audio of the address: http://www.whitehouse.gov/WeeklyAddress/2010/092510-QFJKNC/092510_WeeklyAddress.mp3


President Barack Obama waves as he arrives on the South Lawn of the White House on Friday, Sept. 24, 2010 in Washington (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

[Scuba]

1. Louder!!!

[old mark]

2. K&R - About time the President started this - I hope this is the wave of the future from the

administration rather than more "bipartisanship" bullshit. Mr. Obama you are one hell of a speaker, and you certainly have lots to use against the republicans - and our country really needs to hear it right now, and in the future.


:kick:

mark

[bigtree]

4. he really has no choice but to try and seize the offensive

didya hear the republicans today . . .? 'Obama Responsible for Unemployment'

[old mark]

6. They would hold him responsible for global warming, but they don't believe in it! nt

[w8liftinglady]

3. please speak loudly and frequently-the republican politicians are-my congressman's recent editorial

LETTER: Rep. Barton, Republicans make a “Pledge to America”
Published: Friday, September 24, 2010 1:38 PM CDT
WASHINGTON: Rep. Joe Barton (R-Ennis/Arlington), Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following statement on Thursday after Republicans presented their “Pledge to America.” This governing agenda was created using the ideas of citizens from across the country who shared them in person and online:

“For the past several months, Americans have been speaking out and sharing their ideas on AmericaSpeakingOut.com and at rallies and town hall meetings. Overwhelmingly, folks have told me they are frustrated about what the Democrats in Congress are doing, from the forced government takeover of health care, to cap-and-tax, to the piling up of record deficits and ignoring our nation’s jobs crisis. The legislative agenda we are rolling out today shows that Republicans have been listening. It gives a voice to people’s frustration by proposing real, solutions that will help everyday people in their everyday lives.

“The biggest concern I heard - ObamaCare. People are angry about all the federal mandates, the intrusion of the government into daily health care decisions and the multitude of tax increases.

“It’s only been six months since the law was signed and our concerns are already being realized ��“ you can’t keep the insurance you like, you can be dropped from health insurance coverage, and deep Medicare cuts are beginning. This agenda reaffirms the efforts already initiated in the House by me and my Republican colleagues to repeal the job-killing, tax-raising, care-rationing parts of the Democrats’ health ‘reform’ law. Republicans are listening and together with the citizens of this country we will work to keep the liberty-destroying portions of this bill from ever taking effect.”

You can read the entire Pledge to America at www.pledge.gop.gov.

[Scurrilous]

5. K & R

:thumbsup: