Obama: Times are tough "but we're tougher"
DETROIT - President Barack Obama called for an end to "Washington games" and for Congressional Republicans to support initiatives to promote job creation benefiting the middle class.
Speaking to a Labor Day rally in Detroit, a city he said had been "to heck and back," Mr. Obama challenged Congressional Republicans to put the country ahead of party.
In a preview of his speech Thursday to a joint session of Congress, Mr. Obama proposed boosting construction and infrastructure projects - and included some finger-wagging at critics. "We have more than one million unemployed construction workers ready to get dirty right now," he said. "Labor's on board and businesses [are] on board. We just need Congress to get on board."
On Labor Day Obama to sell jobs creation
He called the union movement "the bedrock this country is built on: Hard work, responsibility, sacrifice, looking out for one another, giving everybody a shot, everybody a chance to share in America's prosperity. From the factory floor to the boardroom, that's what unions are all about."
"America cannot have a strong growing economy without a strong growing middle class and without a strong labor movement," he said.
The audience was quick with applause and chants of "Four more years," especially after the president rattled off measures he had fought for (affordable health care, a consumer financial protection agency) or against (ending collective bargaining). Perhaps because the president has reminded them of the bitter partisan battles of the recent past, they were cool when Mr. Obama said, "I still believe both parties can work together to solve our problems. And given the urgency of this moment, given the hardship that many people are facing, folks have got to get together.
But, he added, "we're not going to wait for them." The applause resumed.
Mr. Obama continued, saying "The time for Washington games is over. The time for action is now. No more manufactured crises and no more games. Now is not the time for the people you sent to Washington to worry about their jobs; now is the time for them to worry about your jobs."He also chided anti-labor and anti-union forces who, he said, "had their sights trained on you."
"After all the unions have done to build and protect the middle class, you have got people trying to claim that you're responsible for the problems middle class folks are facing. You have got some Republicans saying you are the ones exploiting working families. Imagine that! The fact is, our economy is stronger when workers are getting paid good wages and good benefits. Our economy is stronger when we have broad-base growth and broad-based prosperity."
He promised to continue to fight for workers' rights. "Having a voice on the job and a chance to organize and a chance to negotiate for a fair day's pay after a hard day's work, that's the right of every man and woman in America - not just the CEO in the corner office, but also the janitor that cleans that office after the CEO goes home. ...
"Look, the recession had a terrible effect on state and local budgets. We all understand that. Unions have recognized that. They've already made tough concessions. In the private sector we live in a more competitive global economy. So unions like the UAW understand that workers have to work with management to innovate to sell our products around the world. We understand that the world is changing. Unions understand that the world is changing. Unions understand they need to help drive the change whether on the factory floor or in the classroom or in the government office.
"But what unions also know is that the values at the core of the union movement, those don't change. Those are the values that have made this country great. That's what the folks trying to undermine your rights don't understand. When union workers agree to pay freezes and pay cuts, they're not doing it just to keep their job, they're doing it so that their fellow workers, their fellow Americans, can keep their jobs.
"You ask somebody here if times are tough, they'll say, 'Yeah, it's tough, but we're tougher,'" he said. "Yes, times are tough. But we've been through tough times before. I don't know about you, but I'm not scared of tough times. I'm not scared of tough times because I know we're going to be all marching together and walking together and working together and rebuilding together and I know we don't quit. I know we don't give up our dreams and settle for something less."
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Why are ther unions NOT protecting American workers but instead pander to the illegal aliens? Are the really just greedy for new members?
So come to Detroit and see a wonderful success showcase city of the Democrats and their union allies.
I have posted the truth about how the demos caused the meltdown, i have posted the truth about the lies of Obama, I have posted the truth about the failures of Obama so according to the hate mongering liberals I am a racist, traitor, Terrorist and etc... So I the world of the Liberals the truth is your enemy. Wow no wonder people say Liberalism is a brain disorder.
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You haven't posted the truth about one damn thing.
You've posted a bunch of link to far right wing whack job websites.
The rest is just your 'opinion'. None of which is supported by facts by organization and institution known and proven to be unbiased.
Fact of the matter is, your one of the most biased and partisan posters I've ever seen on here and you've proven time and again that you have no problem telling any lie, no matter how big, if you think it supports your cause.
In short, you're a moron.
Time to try something else.
Yes they did for example Nancy Pelosi came out just after the democrats took over congress in 2007 and claimed they would increase taxes by a trillion dollars. The ripple her statement caused was immediate and profound as investors started cashing in (before the taxes spiked). Anti-business democrats taking over was the catalyst that caused the economy to collapse. Everyone knows that.
One - she never said that. You're lying - AGAIN. (Or is that "still"?)
Two - congress can't just "raise taxes". You should learn how your government works - starting with the legislative process. (Assuming that you're actually an American.)
Why would she make that statement, when she KNOWS that congress can't raise taxes by itself?
Your lies are not only blatant, they're pretty foolish as well.
Sorry, you are right....Hoffa isn't a member of the administration, but Biden is.....It was another Chicago Thug, William Daley.....it's all part of Obama's corrupt associates, from Bill Ayers, Rahm Emanuel, Axelrod, Daley.....all part of the corrupt Chicago union thugs.
You forgot flag pin, birth certificate, Rev Wright, etc, etc.
More useless blather, with nothing of substance.
Thanks for being consistent.
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The democrats or in this case just RATS seem to think it is OK to call fellow Americans traitors, terrorist, racist etc.
Don't confuse members of the Tea Party with ACTUAL Americans.
Real Americans have NEVER called for the disbanding of the US government, they don't root for the ultra-wealthy while rooting AGAINST the middle class, nor do they think that programs like Social Security and Medicare are "un-American".