Weekly Address: End the Sequester to Keep Growing the Economy

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

WASHINGTON, DC— In his weekly address, President Obama said that businesses have created jobs every month for three years straight – nearly 6.4 million altogether, and have added 246,000 new jobs in February.  We must keep this momentum going, and that’s why the President recently met with Republican leaders to discuss how we can replace the harmful, arbitrary budget cuts, called the “sequester,” with balanced deficit reduction.  By working together, the President is confident we can reduce the budget by investing in areas that help us grow, and cutting what we don’t need.

The audio of the address and video of the address will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 a.m. ET, Saturday, March 9, 2013.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
March 9, 2013

Hi, everybody.  My top priority as President is making sure we do everything we can to reignite the true engine of America’s economic growth – a rising, thriving middle class.  

Yesterday, we received some welcome news on that front.  We learned that our businesses added nearly 250,000 new jobs last month.  The unemployment rate fell to 7.7% – still too high, but now lower than it was when I took office. 

Our businesses have created jobs every month for three years straight – nearly 6.4 million new jobs in all.  Our manufacturers are bringing jobs back to America.  Our stock market has rebounded.  New homes are being built and sold at a faster pace.  And we need to do everything we can to keep that momentum going. 

That means asking ourselves three questions every day: How do we make America a magnet for new jobs?  How do we equip more of our people with the skills those jobs require?  And how do we make sure that your hard work leads to a decent living?

That has to be our driving focus – our North Star.  And at a time when our businesses are gaining a little more traction, the last thing we should do is allow Washington politics to get in the way.  You deserve better than the same political gridlock and refusal to compromise that has too often passed for serious debate over the last few years.

That’s why I’ve been reaching out to Republicans and Democrats to see if we can untangle some of the gridlock.  Earlier this week, I met with some Republican Senators to see if there were smarter ways to grow our economy and reduce our deficits than the arbitrary cuts and the so-called “sequester” that recently went into place.  We had an open and honest conversation about critical issues like immigration reform and gun violence, and other areas where we can work together to move this country forward.  And next week, I’ll attend both the Democratic and Republican party meetings in the Capitol to continue those discussions.

The fact is, America is a nation of different beliefs and different points of view.  That’s what makes us strong, and frankly, makes our democratic debates messy and often frustrating.  But ultimately what makes us special is when we summon the ability to see past those differences, and come together around the belief that what binds us together will always be more powerful than what drives us apart. 

As Democrats and Republicans, we may disagree on the best way to achieve our goals, but I’m confident we can agree on what those goals should be.  A strong and vibrant middle class.  An economy that allows businesses to grow and thrive.  An education system that gives more Americans the skills they need to compete for the jobs of the future.  An immigration system that actually works for families and businesses.  Stronger communities and safer streets for our children.

Making progress on these issues won’t be easy.  In the months ahead, there will be more contentious debate and honest disagreement between principled people who want what’s best for this country.  But I still believe that compromise is possible.  I still believe we can come together to do big things.  And I know there are leaders on the other side who share that belief. 

So I’ll keep fighting to solve the real challenges facing middle-class families.  And I’ll enlist anyone who is willing to help.  That’s what this country needs now – and that’s what you deserve.

Thanks.

Serving communities since 1994, AmeriCorps volunteers touch the lives of millions. We honor this tradition as we celebrate AmeriCorps Week.

This week the White House is highlighting one initiative a day which demonstrates the Obama Administration’s continued commitment to open and accessible government -- the first in the series focuses on progress made improving the administration of the FOIA.

On Monday, March 11, First Lady Michelle Obama will be answering questions on Twitter

view all related blog posts

View the original article here

The Fastest Growing Job In America Pays Less Than $10 Per Hour

They swap out bed pans, tend to wounds, and assist with every facet of day-to-day life — sometimes even living with their patients. They’re home health care aides, and they are a crucial resource in caring for America’s sick, elderly, and disabled — and they do it all for an average wage of $9.70 per hour, less than the mean hourly compensation for lifeguards, food servers, and dry cleaners.

That reality will continue to affect more and more Americans, as growth in this particular portion of the health care industry has been fast — and it’s only going to get faster. Job growth in the American health care sector doubled from January to February, led by strong gains in ambulatory care givers, hospital workers, and home health aides. And as CNN Money points out, an uptick in America’s elderly population — fueled by aging Baby Boomers — will lead to an explosion in demand for such workers’ services.

But due to a loophole in labor protection laws, home health aides often make less than minimum wage, earning about $20,000 per year. And that’s just the full-time workers. Part-time health aides, who make up most of the profession, make even less and don’t receive benefits — leading to a sadly ironic situation in which health workers are often forced to forgo their own health care and turn to government safety net programs:

Under these conditions, it’s no surprise then that about 40% of home aides rely on public assistance, such as Medicaid and food stamps, just to get by.

“What you have is a situation here where the people that we count on to care for our families cannot take care of their own, and that’s got to change,” said Ai-jen Poo, director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. [...]

A recent study by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research estimates immigrants make up 28% of home health care workers, and of those, one in five are undocumented.

The Census Bureau has found that 53% of home health aides are minorities. By their calculations, it is the single most common job for black women, who alone represent nearly a third of the entire profession.

This is part of the reason workers are undervalued and underpaid, say worker advocates like Eileen Boris, a professor of feminist studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

The fact that the populations who are already disproportionately affected by poverty and poor access to essential services are turning to such low-wage, low-benefit jobs is a sad reflection on both America’s economic recovery and holes in the social safety net. In fact, most of the jobs added to the U.S. economy since the recession ended pay low wages.

Under Obamacare, home health aides will serve as essential foot soldiers in the fight to make America’s health care system more efficient. The Obama Administration has been pushing to revamp labor protections for home health aides, but that effort has not enjoyed much success so far.

View the original article here

Weekly Address: A Balanced Approach to Growing the Economy in 2013

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

WASHINGTON, DC— In this week’s address, President Obama called on Congress to work together on a balanced approach to reduce our deficit and promote economic growth and job creation. Our businesses created 2.2 million jobs last year, and we just learned that our economy created more jobs over the last few months than economists originally thought.  Our economy is poised to expand in 2013 if Washington politics doesn’t get in the way, and the President called on Congress to work together to keep moving us forward.

The audio of the address and video of the address will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 a.m. ET, Saturday, February 2, 2013.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
February 2, 2013

Hi, everybody. 

In the coming weeks, we face some important decisions about how to pay down our debt in a way that grows our economy and creates good jobs – decisions that will make a real difference in the strength and pace of our recovery. 

We began this year with economists and business leaders saying that we are poised to grow in 2013.  And there are real signs of progress:  Home prices are starting to climb again.  Car sales are at a five-year high.  Manufacturing is roaring back.  Our businesses created 2.2 million jobs last year.  And we just learned that our economy created more jobs over the last few months than economists originally thought. 

But this week, we also received the first estimate of America’s economic growth over the last few months.  And it reminded us that bad decisions in Washington can get in the way of our economic progress.   

We all agree that it’s critical to cut unnecessary spending.  But we can’t just cut our way to prosperity.  It hasn’t worked in the past, and it won’t work today.  It could slow down our recovery.  It could weaken our economy.  And it could cost us jobs – now, and in the future. 

What we need instead is a balanced approach; an approach that says let’s cut what we can’t afford but let’s make the investments we can’t afford to live without.  Investments in education and infrastructure, research and development – the things that will help America compete for the best jobs and new industries. 

Already, Republicans and Democrats have worked together to reduce our deficits by $2.5 trillion.  That’s a good start.  But to get the rest of the way, we need a balanced set of reforms. 

For example, we need to lower the cost of health care in programs like Medicare that are the biggest drivers of our deficit, without just passing the burden off to seniors.  And these reforms must go hand-in-hand with eliminating excess spending in our tax code, so that the wealthiest individuals and biggest corporations can’t take advantage of loopholes and deductions that aren’t available to most Americans. 

2013 can be a year of solid growth, more jobs, and higher wages.  But that will only happen if we put a stop to self-inflicted wounds in Washington.  Everyone in Washington needs to focus not on politics but on what’s right for the country; on what’s right for you and your families.  That’s how we’ll get our economy growing faster.  That’s how we’ll strengthen our middle class.  And that’s how we’ll build a country that rewards the effort and determination of every single American. 

Thanks.  And have a great weekend.

Vice President Joe Biden, Dr. Jill Biden, and Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter visit with Wounded Warriors and their medical caretakers at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (RMC) in Landstuhl, Germany.

Bragging rights aren't the only thing on the line for the mayors during tonight's big game -- the winning city will also get a day of service from the mayor of the opposing team.

In this week’s address, President Obama calls on Congress to work together on a balanced approach to reduce our deficit and promote economic growth and job creation.

view all related blog posts

View the original article here

POLL: Growing Plurality Of Minnesotans Support Marriage Equality

Gov. Mark Dayton (D-MN)

A new PPP poll of Minnesotans shows a plurality now supports marriage equality, by a 47 to 45 margin. Fully 75 percent of Minnesotans (including 65 percent of Republicans) back at least allowing civil unions. PPP estimates that given the trend and the age demographics, a majority Minnesotans will likely support marriage equality by the next election.

In November, Minnesotans defeated a marriage inequality constitutional amendment, proposed by the then-Republican majorities in the state’s House and Senate, by a 51-47 margin. At the same time, voters elected new Democratic Farm Labor (Minnesota’s Democratic Party) majorities in both chambers.

Armed with the popular mandate from November’s elections, supporters of marriage equality plan to push a bill to grant same-sex couples the right to marry in Minnesota in the next few months. Gov. Mark Dayton (D) has pledged to sign the bill if it reaches his desk.

View the original article here