Archangel
2009-03-07 19:01:33 UTC
Obama: Crisis is time of `great opportunity'
Mar 7, 8:36 AM (ET)
By BEN FELLER
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama on Saturday challenged his
country to see its hard times as a chance to "discover great opportunity
in the midst of great crisis."
"That is what we can do and must do today. And I am absolutely confident
that is what we will do," Obama said in his weekly radio and video
address, taped a day earlier at the White House.
The work week ended on more down news, with the report of 651,000 more
American jobs slashed and an unemployment rate climbing to 8.1 percent.
That is the highest rate of people out of work in more than 25 years, as
the recession continued to put enormous pressures on families and
industries.
Obama recapped the work of the latest hectic week in his young
presidency. His goal was to reassure the country that he and his team
are taking specific steps to create jobs in the short term and begin to
address huge issues such as health care.
His rundown of the past week: the launch of a more detailed plan to help
struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure; a new credit plan to spur
lending for people and businesses; an overhaul of the way the government
hands out private contracts to reduce waste; and a summit on how to
overhaul health care.
On the last point, Obama has set a goal of signing a bill this year that
would fix the U.S. health care system, which is the costliest in the
world and leaves an estimated 48 million people uninsured, plus many
others lacking adequate coverage.
"Our ideas and opinions about how to achieve this reform will vary, but
our goal must be the same: quality, affordable health care for every
American that no longer overwhelms the budgets of families, businesses
and our government," Obama said.
Obama says he is not wedded to a plan on how to fix the problem. But one
proposal he has endorsed, giving Americans the option of buying medical
coverage through a government plan, is drawing opposition from Republicans.
Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., emphasized that point in the Republican weekly
radio address.
"I'm concerned that if the government steps in it will eventually push
out the private health care plans millions of Americans enjoy today,"
Blunt said. "This could cause your employer to simply stop offering
coverage, hoping the government will pick up the slack."
As the White House takes on so many huge issues at once, Obama is
encouraging people to take a longer view, and not get caught up in the
fits and starts. The president said in his address that the nation will
continue to face difficult days in the months ahead. Still, he ended
with hope.
"Yes, this is a moment of challenge for our country," Obama said. "But
we've experienced great trials before. And with every test, each
generation has found the capacity to not only endure, but to prosper -
to discover great opportunity in the midst of great crisis."
Change you can count on!!!
Archangel
Mar 7, 8:36 AM (ET)
By BEN FELLER
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama on Saturday challenged his
country to see its hard times as a chance to "discover great opportunity
in the midst of great crisis."
"That is what we can do and must do today. And I am absolutely confident
that is what we will do," Obama said in his weekly radio and video
address, taped a day earlier at the White House.
The work week ended on more down news, with the report of 651,000 more
American jobs slashed and an unemployment rate climbing to 8.1 percent.
That is the highest rate of people out of work in more than 25 years, as
the recession continued to put enormous pressures on families and
industries.
Obama recapped the work of the latest hectic week in his young
presidency. His goal was to reassure the country that he and his team
are taking specific steps to create jobs in the short term and begin to
address huge issues such as health care.
His rundown of the past week: the launch of a more detailed plan to help
struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure; a new credit plan to spur
lending for people and businesses; an overhaul of the way the government
hands out private contracts to reduce waste; and a summit on how to
overhaul health care.
On the last point, Obama has set a goal of signing a bill this year that
would fix the U.S. health care system, which is the costliest in the
world and leaves an estimated 48 million people uninsured, plus many
others lacking adequate coverage.
"Our ideas and opinions about how to achieve this reform will vary, but
our goal must be the same: quality, affordable health care for every
American that no longer overwhelms the budgets of families, businesses
and our government," Obama said.
Obama says he is not wedded to a plan on how to fix the problem. But one
proposal he has endorsed, giving Americans the option of buying medical
coverage through a government plan, is drawing opposition from Republicans.
Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., emphasized that point in the Republican weekly
radio address.
"I'm concerned that if the government steps in it will eventually push
out the private health care plans millions of Americans enjoy today,"
Blunt said. "This could cause your employer to simply stop offering
coverage, hoping the government will pick up the slack."
As the White House takes on so many huge issues at once, Obama is
encouraging people to take a longer view, and not get caught up in the
fits and starts. The president said in his address that the nation will
continue to face difficult days in the months ahead. Still, he ended
with hope.
"Yes, this is a moment of challenge for our country," Obama said. "But
we've experienced great trials before. And with every test, each
generation has found the capacity to not only endure, but to prosper -
to discover great opportunity in the midst of great crisis."
Change you can count on!!!
Archangel