English subtitles for clip: File:2013-08-03 President Obama's Weekly Address.ogv
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1 00:00:05,567 --> 00:00:06,967 The President: Hi, everybody. 2 00:00:06,967 --> 00:00:09,867 This week, I went down to an Amazon warehouse in Tennessee 3 00:00:09,867 --> 00:00:11,467 to talk more about what we need to do 4 00:00:11,467 --> 00:00:14,100 to secure a better bargain for the middle class - 5 00:00:14,100 --> 00:00:16,567 to make sure that anyone who works hard can get ahead 6 00:00:16,567 --> 00:00:18,734 in the 21st century economy. 7 00:00:18,734 --> 00:00:19,967 Over the past four and a half years, 8 00:00:19,967 --> 00:00:22,000 we've fought our way back from the worst recession 9 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:24,400 of our lifetimes and begun to lay a foundation 10 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:27,133 for stronger, more durable economic growth. 11 00:00:27,133 --> 00:00:29,900 Today, our businesses have created 7.3 million 12 00:00:29,900 --> 00:00:32,266 new jobs over the last 41 months. 13 00:00:32,266 --> 00:00:34,000 We now sell more products made in America 14 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,533 to the rest of the world than ever before. 15 00:00:36,533 --> 00:00:39,867 Health care costs are growing at the slowest rate in 50 years, 16 00:00:39,867 --> 00:00:44,433 and our deficits are falling at the fastest rate in 60 years. 17 00:00:44,433 --> 00:00:46,800 But as any middle-class family will tell you, 18 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:49,000 we're not where we need to be yet. 19 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:50,834 Even before the crisis hit, 20 00:00:50,834 --> 00:00:53,633 we were living through a decade where a few at the top 21 00:00:53,633 --> 00:00:54,633 were doing better and better, 22 00:00:54,633 --> 00:00:57,333 while most families were working harder and harder 23 00:00:57,333 --> 00:00:59,233 just to get by. 24 00:00:59,233 --> 00:01:03,632 Reversing this trend must be Washington's highest priority. 25 00:01:03,633 --> 00:01:05,567 It sure is mine. 26 00:01:05,567 --> 00:01:07,366 But too often over the past two years, 27 00:01:07,367 --> 00:01:10,233 Washington has taken its eye off the ball. 28 00:01:10,233 --> 00:01:12,900 They've allowed an endless parade of political posturing 29 00:01:12,900 --> 00:01:16,400 and phony scandals to distract from growing our economy 30 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:19,367 and strengthening the middle class. 31 00:01:19,367 --> 00:01:22,600 That's why I'm laying out my ideas for how we can build 32 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:24,100 on the cornerstones of what it means 33 00:01:24,100 --> 00:01:26,500 to be middle class in America. 34 00:01:26,500 --> 00:01:27,967 A good education. 35 00:01:27,967 --> 00:01:29,533 A home of your own. 36 00:01:29,533 --> 00:01:31,500 Health care when you get sick. 37 00:01:31,500 --> 00:01:34,600 A secure retirement even if you're not rich. 38 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:36,866 And the most important cornerstone of all: 39 00:01:36,867 --> 00:01:39,834 a good job in a durable, growing industry. 40 00:01:39,834 --> 00:01:43,934 When it comes to creating more good jobs that pay decent wages, 41 00:01:43,934 --> 00:01:46,433 the problem is not a lack of ideas. 42 00:01:46,433 --> 00:01:48,033 Plenty of independent economists, 43 00:01:48,033 --> 00:01:50,967 business owners and people from both parties agree 44 00:01:50,967 --> 00:01:52,900 on what we have to do. 45 00:01:52,900 --> 00:01:55,333 I proposed many of these ideas two years ago 46 00:01:55,333 --> 00:01:57,133 in the American Jobs Act. 47 00:01:57,133 --> 00:01:59,866 And this week, I put forward common-sense proposals 48 00:01:59,867 --> 00:02:03,166 for how we can create more jobs in manufacturing; 49 00:02:03,166 --> 00:02:05,467 in wind, solar and natural gas; 50 00:02:05,467 --> 00:02:07,900 and by rebuilding America's infrastructure. 51 00:02:07,900 --> 00:02:11,600 What we're lacking is action from Washington. 52 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:13,700 And that's why, in addition to proposing ideas 53 00:02:13,700 --> 00:02:15,632 that we know will grow our economy, 54 00:02:15,633 --> 00:02:17,100 I've also put forward a strategy 55 00:02:17,100 --> 00:02:20,166 for breaking through the Washington logjam - 56 00:02:20,166 --> 00:02:22,567 a "grand bargain" for the middle class. 57 00:02:22,567 --> 00:02:25,000 I'm willing to work with Republicans to simplify 58 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:28,200 our tax code for businesses large and small, 59 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,466 but only if we take the money we save by transitioning 60 00:02:31,467 --> 00:02:34,600 to a simpler tax system and make a significant investment 61 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:37,200 in creating good, middle-class jobs. 62 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:38,500 We can put construction workers 63 00:02:38,500 --> 00:02:41,333 back on the job rebuilding our infrastructure. 64 00:02:41,333 --> 00:02:44,400 We can boost manufacturing, so more American companies 65 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:46,900 can sell their products around the world. 66 00:02:46,900 --> 00:02:50,066 And we can help our community colleges arm our workers 67 00:02:50,066 --> 00:02:52,767 with the skills they need in a global economy - 68 00:02:52,767 --> 00:02:56,400 all without adding a dime to the deficit. 69 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:58,700 I'll keep laying out my ideas to give the middle class 70 00:02:58,700 --> 00:03:01,100 a better shot in the 21st century, 71 00:03:01,100 --> 00:03:04,299 and I'll keep reaching out to Republicans for theirs. 72 00:03:04,300 --> 00:03:06,734 But gutting critical investments in our future 73 00:03:06,734 --> 00:03:09,767 and threatening national default on the bills that Congress 74 00:03:09,767 --> 00:03:11,500 has already racked up - 75 00:03:11,500 --> 00:03:13,734 that's not an economic plan. 76 00:03:13,734 --> 00:03:15,967 Denying health care to millions of Americans, 77 00:03:15,967 --> 00:03:17,233 or shutting down the government 78 00:03:17,233 --> 00:03:19,567 just because I'm for keeping it open - 79 00:03:19,567 --> 00:03:21,834 that won't help the middle class. 80 00:03:21,834 --> 00:03:23,600 The truth is, there are no gimmicks 81 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:25,000 when it comes to creating jobs. 82 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:28,000 There are no tricks to grow the economy. 83 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,633 Reversing the long erosion of middle-class security 84 00:03:30,633 --> 00:03:32,600 in this country won't be easy. 85 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:36,500 But if we work together and take a few bold steps - 86 00:03:36,500 --> 00:03:38,633 and if Washington is willing to set aside politics 87 00:03:38,633 --> 00:03:41,200 and focus on what really matters - 88 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:42,433 we can grow our economy 89 00:03:42,433 --> 00:03:45,166 and give the middle class a better bargain. 90 00:03:45,166 --> 00:03:46,900 And together, we can make this country a place 91 00:03:46,900 --> 00:03:50,000 where everyone who works hard can get ahead. 92 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:52,333 Thanks, and have a great weekend.