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President-elect Obama urged lawmakers Saturday to pass a massive
stimulus bill quickly after the 111th Congress opens next week. “Nearly two million Americans have lost their jobs this
past year – and millions more are working harder in jobs that pay less and come
with fewer benefits,” Obama said in his weekly radio address. “For too many
families, this new year brings new unease and uncertainty as bills pile up,
debts continue to mount and parents worry that their children won’t have the
same opportunities they had.”
The president-elect, who will meet with congressional
leaders next week to discuss the measure, said lawmakers from both parties
would have to join together to jumpstart the ailing economy.
“However we got here, the problems we face today are not
Democratic problems or Republican problems. The dreams of putting a child
through college, or staying in your home, or retiring with dignity and security
know no boundaries of party or ideology,” he stated. “These are America’s
problems, and we must come together as Americans to meet them with the urgency
this moment demands.”
Obama warned that inaction would plunge the economy in an
even deeper recession and touted his proposal to invest in infrastructure,
alternative energy, healthcare and education.
“This plan must be designed in a new way – we can’t just
fall into the old Washington habit of throwing money at the problem,” the
president-elect said. “We must make strategic investments that will serve as a
down payment on our long-term economic future. We must demand vigorous
oversight and strict accountability for achieving results. And we must restore
fiscal responsibility and make the tough choices so that as the economy
recovers, the deficit starts to come down.”
Obama added that “there is no reason we can’t do this.”
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