On The Road To American Recovery?
February 14, 2009, 9:30am
President Obama today celebrated Congress’ final passage of legislation designed to stimulate the American economy. In his weekly video address, Obama said his recovery plan will “save or create more than 3.5 million jobs over the next two years.” Here is an excerpt from the address:
This is a major milestone on our road to recovery, and I want to thank the members of Congress who came together in common purpose to make it happen. Because they did, I will sign this legislation into law shortly, and we’ll begin making the immediate investments necessary to put people back to work doing the work America needs done.
The work of modernizing our healthcare system, saving billions of dollars and countless lives; and upgrading classrooms, libraries, and labs in our children’s schools across America. The work of building wind turbines and solar panels and the smart grid necessary to transport the clean energy they create; and laying broadband Internet lines to connect rural homes, schools, and businesses to the information superhighway. The work of repairing our crumbling roads and bridges, and our dangerously deficient dams and levees.
And we’ll help folks who’ve lost their jobs through no fault of their own by providing the unemployment benefits they need and protecting the health care they count on.
Republican National Committee Michael Steele, on the other hand, suggested that two months in power of the White House and Congress has gone to the Democrats’ heads. He said the way to stimulate the economy is “individual empowerment” through tax cuts, not spending on “uncontrolled spending” through pet projects for members of Congress.
“Republicans stand ready to work with reasonable Democrats to do what is right for America,” Steele said. “But it will take more than bipartisan words from the president. It will require fair-minded action from Democrats in Congress.”
Categories: Producer's Picks, Budget, Economy, Weekly Video Address, Michael Steele
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