This week the President discusses the multitude of problems and opportunities before the world through the prism of Passover and Easter: “These are two very different holidays with their own very different traditions. But it seems fitting that we mark them both during the same week. For in a larger sense, they are both moments of reflection and renewal. They are both occasions to think more deeply about the obligations we have to ourselves and the obligations we have to one another, no matter who we are, where we come from, or what faith we practice.
This morning, having made progress on an international response to the financial crisis in Europe, the President met with Treasury Secretary Geithner, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, FDIC Chair Sheila Bair, SEC Chair Mary Shapiro and Comptroller of the Currency John Dugan to start working on next steps here at home.
(President Barack Obama confers with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke following their meeting
at the White House, April 10, 2009. White House Photo/Pete Souza)
at the White House, April 10, 2009. White House Photo/Pete Souza)
Meanwhile, the Recovery Act continues to pick up steam…
“Building repairs are underway on public housing in Imboden, Ark., and Cumberland, Ill., states across the country are receiving money to weatherize the homes of low-income residents, and the Silver Star Construction Co. is about to start work on two road-resurfacing projects in south-central Oklahoma with a total cost of $12 million. ‘We were thrilled to get some work,’ said Steve Shawn, president of the company. ‘Some of the work had started slowing down from the economy. The new work came in just around the right time.’ Slowly but surely, the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act — better known as the economic stimulus package — is beginning to percolate nationwide, six weeks after President Obama signed the legislation.”
“Stephen Lieber, president and CEO of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, looked tired but sounded pleased with the outcome of the trade association’s annual convention in Chicago… Offsetting the economy was the American Recovery and Reconciliation Act of 2009, signed into law by President Barack Obama in February, which by some estimates contains as much as $35 billion in federal dollars directed toward healthcare information technology spending. ‘We had more provider organizations represented here than we’ve ever had,’ Lieber said. ‘What else could you attribute it to? It’s the stimulus… They (providers) knew they had to pick up whatever intelligence they could this week.’ And that understanding of what the stimulus act held in store for them came not just from the educational sessions—government officials were somewhat limited in what they could say, since Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, HHS secretary nominee, has not yet passed through Senate vetting and been sworn in—but by ‘sitting across the coffee table’ at breaks during the show, exchanging ideas and information with IT industry peers, Lieber said.”
“The Denver area will have at least 38 active road construction projects this summer totaling $234.4 million, 14 of which are being paid for with federal stimulus money, the Colorado Department of Transportation said Wednesday. “With the funds we are receiving from [the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act], we will now be able to have a construction season similar to those of recent years,” CDOT Executive Director Russell George said in a statement. “We will be able to resurface roadways, replace poor bridges and improve safety all across the Denver metro area.”
“Kansas will get $18.4 million for child care and disease prevention for children, and $2.1 million for children’s vaccines, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Web site. Nationwide, $2 billion in stimulus money for the Child Care and Development Fund will help states support child-care services for working families, those seeking employment or those receiving job training or education.”
“Lieutenant Governor John D. Cherry, Jr. today announced that 67 communities in 27 Michigan counties will benefit from a total of $47.3 million in transportation enhancement (TE) funding. This total includes 22 projects funded through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act). The funding will complete 176 miles of bike paths and paved shoulders; enhance local roadways in communities statewide with lighting, landscaping, sidewalks, crosswalks and other improvements; preserve a historic bridge and two historic rail facilities. The projects are planned for the 2009 and 2010 construction seasons and will create or retain more than 1,300 jobs. ‘This is a positive step for Michigan’s economy,’ said Cherry. ‘These enhancement projects will create jobs and improve communities so they are more attractive to residents, businesses and visitors.’”
“Within a couple of years, Kansas City could become a green model for turning around some of its poorest neighborhoods, officials said Thursday. Up to $200 million in federal stimulus money will weatherize every home that needs it in a 150-block area, upgrade bus services and provide much more help, they said. ‘I’m so excited, I’m trying to calm down,’ said U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat who came up with the idea for a Green Impact Zone. ‘This is a perfect storm of opportunity.’ Kansas City is taking the lead in the nation by funneling as much stimulus money as possible over two years into rebuilding one area of the city, Cleaver said. Local, state and federal governments have agreed to work together on the plan. ‘The key is we are investing federal money wisely and building an inclusive green economy strong enough to create jobs for residents,’ said Cleaver, who met with more than 50 neighborhood and community leaders Thursday.”
“Over the next three years, New Hampshire will receive more than $23 million in federal stimulus money designed to create jobs and increase energy conservation by funding a major boost in home weatherization projects. The program is one piece of the job creation puzzle presented by the more than $900 million targeted for New Hampshire through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress in February…’This is great, exciting stuff,’ said Charlie Wolfe, weatherization manger for the Dover-based Strafford County Community Action Committee. ‘We’ve talked before what we could do if we had more money, and now we will have a chance to make a big difference.’ According to the Department of Energy, the low- and moderate-income participants in the Weatherization Assistance Program on average see a 32 percent reduction in heating bills – cutting a $2,000 annual heating bill, for example, to about $1,400.”
“The state of New Mexico has awarded contracts for four highway reconstruction projects to be funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Gov. Bill Richardson said this week. Construction on the projects, worth a total of nearly $50 million, is scheduled to start within 30 days. Among the projects is U.S. 491, the main north-south thoroughfare through the New Mexico portion of the Navajo Nation. The highway, which has earned a variety of notorious nicknames, is among the most dangerous in the United States. Construction began on the road formerly called U.S. 666, or the ‘Highway to Hell,’ almost a year ago. The ground-breaking ceremony occurred last May, signaling a $100 million collaboration between the state and the Navajo Nation to widen the two-lane corridor to four lanes. The agreement came after a nearly four-year struggle over rights-of-way and state funding. A compromise calling for the Nation to contribute $10 million in cash and in-kind donations was reached in January 2008, just months before construction began. Stimulus money, however, will not be used for the widening project. The state Department of Transportation awarded $8.9 million for rehabilitation of a portion of the two-lane highway, spokesman S.U. Mahesh said.”
“The 1,776 jobs expected to be created by the federal stimulus money earmarked for roads and bridges in the Rochester region give this spending package a patriotic ring. But in announcing the job-creation number in Canandaigua on Thursday, Gov. David Paterson noted that the projects must meet federal standards…To date, Paterson has certified projects for about $24 million of the $74 million that the seven-county region is scheduled to receive. The funds are slated to go to 115 projects.”
“Take, for instance, what Oregon’s Housing and Community Services Department needs to do to secure its $82 million. It has already applied for $38 million to weatherize low-income residents’ homes, and just received the first 10 percent of that, but still needs approval from the state legislature to spend it. It is awaiting guidelines for applying for $27 million in tax credits for affordable housing development. It just received the guidelines for applying for $8 million to help prevent homelessness, and expects that it will not spend that money before July. And Oregon will not apply until July for ‘neighborhood stabilization’ funding that will be distributed on a competitive basis for states to renovate or demolish abandoned homes. In fact, it is still getting ready to spend $19.6 million that it received for a similar purpose from a housing recovery bill President George W. Bush signed in late July. It is a lot of hoops to jump through, but officials say it is worth it. ‘This is a huge investment for us,’ said Rick Crager, Oregon’s deputy housing director. The process ‘is not an issue for us. It’s important that we’re accountable.’”
“U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett today announced that $2.4 million in federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be used for flood control projects along Plum Creek in Hays County. ‘Upgrading flood control along Plum Creek will protect people and property along the rapidly growing Kyle-Buda corridor,’ said Rep. Doggett, a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and House Budget Committee. ‘This recovery funding will create jobs, promote future construction in Hays County, and reduce the danger from any future flooding.’”
“United States Senators Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, both D-W.Va., along with Congressman Nick Rahall, W.Va.-3, today announced that West Virginia is slated to receive more than $1,643,000 in federal funding as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The monies will be distributed through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of a $197 million spending program across the country… The funds will be used for overseeing the assessment and cleanup of leaks from underground storage tanks or directly paying for assessment and cleanup of leaks from federally regulated tanks where the responsible party is unknown, unwilling, unable, or the clean up is an emergency response. ‘Many West Virginia families rely on groundwater as a source of their safe drinking water,’ said Byrd. ‘This funding will help to eliminate the backlog of more than 950 underground tank clean-up projects in West Virginia. And through this funding we will both create jobs and improve the health and safety of West Virginia communities.’ ‘The protection of West Virginia’s drinking water is essential. West Virginia families should be able to trust that the water coming from their faucet is safe,” said Senator Rockefeller.”
“A Teton County pathway project will receive $300,000 to complete a route from Jackson to the Gros Ventre River in Grand Teton National Park. On Thursday, the Wyoming Department of Transportation Commission approved $300,000 of federal economic stimulus money for the first phase of the pathway along Highway 89 north of Jackson. Tim Young, director of Friends of Pathways, said the stimulus money likely will provide the final funding needed to finish the path. Teton County has won competitive federal grants totaling $3 million, but Young said that money was just shy of what it will take to finish the project. ‘This stimulus funding helps bridge the gap,’ he said.”
(President Obama hosts a traditional Seder dinner in the Old Family Dining Room of the White House on Thursday night, April 9, 2009. Some friends and White House employees and their families joined the Obama family. This President demonstrates by example that he embraces multiculturalism in all its forms and faces – what or who could be better?
Official White House photo by Pete Souza)
Today the First Lady hosted Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and students from Bancroft Elementary, in the White House Kitchen Garden on the South Lawn of the White House to plant the garden and highlight healthy eating. The same school participated in the groundbreaking of the Garden on March 20 and will return later this year for harvesting and cooking with the food grown.
More lessons for our youth about being self-sufficient – eat what you grow, save money and be healthier at the same time – this is great for our nation.
(First Lady Michelle Obama and White House Chef Sam Kass show students from the Bancroft Elementary how to plant a garden. The White House Vegetable Garden was officially planted today.)
The President’s schedule has picked back up today tackling issues from the mortgage crisis to veterans’ care, but was light on Wednesday – and for good reason. Over the previous week, the rigorous pace of his tour of Europe fleshed out a new image and new role for America in the world. Over that week we published perhaps a dozen photos capturing that image, some more of which are peppered throughout this post. But now the White House Photo Office also gives us a slideshow that provides a more intimate glimpse behind the scenes at the President as he made this pivotal trip (best viewed full size).
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Even more importantly, read a compilation of key messages delivered by the President at various stops, which taken together speak to the new role America will play under his leadership. Find full video for most of the events by clicking through the links.
Well, I think if you pulled quotes from 10 years ago, 20 years ago, 30 years ago, from previous news reports, you might find similar contentions that America was on decline. And somehow it hasn’t worked out that way, because I think that there is a vibrancy to our economic model, a durability to our political model, and a set of ideals that has sustained us through even the most difficult times.
(President Barack Obama walks the grounds at Winfield House in London, April 1, 2009, with White Housee staff members Senior Advisor David Axelrod and Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. White House Photo/ Lawrence Jackson)
As I’ve said in the past, I think that over the last several years the relationship between our two countries has been allowed to drift. And what I believe we’ve begun today is a very constructive dialogue that will allow us to work on issues of mutual interest, like the reduction of nuclear weapons and the strengthening of our nonproliferation treaties; our mutual interest in dealing with terrorism and extremism that threatens both countries; our mutual interest in economic stability and restoring growth around the world; our mutual interest in promoting peace and stability in areas like the Middle East.
Today, we’ve learned the lessons of history. I know that in the days leading up to the summit, some of you in the press, some commentators, confused honest and open debate with irreconcilable differences. But after weeks of preparation, and two days of careful negotiation, we have agreed on a series of unprecedented steps to restore growth and prevent a crisis like this from happening again… To prevent future crises, we agreed to increased transparency and capital protections for financial institutions. We’re extending supervision to all systemically important institutions, markets and products, including hedge funds. We’ll identify jurisdictions that fail to cooperate, including tax havens, and take action to defend our financial system. We will reestablish the Financial Stability Forum with a stronger mandate. And we will reform and expand the IMF and World Bank so they are more efficient, effective and representative.
(President Barack Obama meets with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a bilateral meeting
at the G-20 Summit in London, April 2, 2009. White House Photo/Pete Souza)
We also know that the pollution from cars in Boston or from factories in Beijing are melting the ice caps in the Arctic, and that that will disrupt weather patterns everywhere. The terrorists who struck in London, in New York, plotted in distant caves and simple apartments much closer to your home. And the reckless speculation of bankers that has new fueled a global economic downturn that’s inflicting pain on workers and families is happening everywhere all across the globe. The economic crisis has proven the fact of our interdependence in the most visible way yet.
This effort cannot be America’s alone. All of NATO understands that al Qaeda is a threat to all of us, and that this collective security effort must achieve its goals. And as a signal of that commitment, I am pleased that our NATO allies pledged their strong and unanimous support for our new strategy. Keep in mind it was only just a week ago that we announced this new approach. But already with Secretary Clinton’s work at The Hague and with the success at today’s summit we’ve started to match real resources to achieve our goals. We’re leaving Strasbourg and Kehl with concrete commitments on NATO support. Our allies and partners have already agreed to provide approximately 5,000 troops and trainers to advance our new strategy, as well as increased civilian assistance. To support critical elections for August 20th, NATO will fully resource our election support force to maximize security. And our allies have committed additional funds to an Afghan elections trust fund that will provide the necessary resources for free and fair elections.
But no alliance can afford to stand still… The existence of thousands of nuclear weapons is the most dangerous legacy of the Cold War… Some argue that the spread of these weapons cannot be stopped, cannot be checked – that we are destined to live in a world where more nations and more people possess the ultimate tools of destruction. Such fatalism is a deadly adversary, for if we believe that the spread of nuclear weapons is inevitable, then in some way we are admitting to ourselves that the use of nuclear weapons is inevitable. Just as we stood for freedom in the 20th century, we must stand together for the right of people everywhere to live free from fear in the 21st century. (Applause.) And as nuclear power – as a nuclear power, as the only nuclear power to have used a nuclear weapon, the United States has a moral responsibility to act. We cannot succeed in this endeavor alone, but we can lead it, we can start it. So today, I state clearly and with conviction America’s commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons. (Applause.) I’m not naive. This goal will not be reached quickly – perhaps not in my lifetime. It will take patience and persistence. But now we, too, must ignore the voices who tell us that the world cannot change. We have to insist, “Yes, we can.” (Applause.)
(President Barack Obama waves as he and First Lady Michelle Obama walk out to address a cheering crowd,
April 5, 2009, in Prague’s Hradcany Square. White House Photo/Chuck Kennedy)
I enjoyed visiting your parliament. I’ve had productive discussions with your President and your Prime Minister. But I also always like to take some time to talk to people directly, especially young people. So in the next few minutes I want to focus on three areas in which I think we can make some progress: advancing dialogue between our two countries, but also advancing dialogue between the United States and the Muslim world; extending opportunity in education and in social welfare; and then also reaching out to young people as our best hope for peaceful, prosperous futures in both Turkey and in the United States… And as I said in my opening remarks, I think the most important thing to start with is dialogue. When you have a chance to meet people from other cultures and other countries, and you listen to them and you find out that, even though you may speak a different language or you may have a different religious faith, it turns out that you care about your family, you have your same hopes about being able to have a career that is useful to the society, you hope that you can raise a family of your own, and that your children will be healthy and have a good education — that all those things that human beings all around the world share are more important than the things that are different.
And so just as we thank you for what you’ve already accomplished, I want to say thank you because you will be critical in terms of us being able to make sure that Iraq is stable, that it is not a safe haven for terrorists, that it is a good neighbor and a good ally, and we can start bringing our folks home. (Applause.) So now is not the time to lose focus. We have to be even more focused than we’ve been in order to achieve success. The last point I want to make is I know how hard it’s been on a lot of you. You’ve been away from your families, many of you for multiple rotations. You’ve seen buddies of yours injured and you remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. [AUDIENCE: Ooh-ah.] There are probably some people here who have seen children born and have been missing watching them grow up. There are many of you who have listened to your spouse and the extraordinary sacrifices that they have to make when you’re gone. And so I want you to know that Michelle and myself are doing everything — (applause) — are doing everything we can to provide additional support for military families. The federal budget that I have introduced increases support for military families. We are going to do everything required to make sure that the commitment we make to our veterans is met, and that people don’t have to fight for what they have earned as a consequence of their service. The main point I want to make is we have not forgotten what you have already done, we are grateful for what you will do, and as long as I am in the White House, you are going to get the support that you need and the thanks that you deserve from a grateful nation. (Applause.)
(President Barack Obama receives a fist-bump from a U.S. soldier as he greets hundreds of U.S. troops
during his visit Tuesday, April 7, 2009, to Camp Victory, Iraq. White House Photo/Pete Souza)
Days after visiting our troops in Iraq, today the President unveiled a step to make sure that the gratitude he expressed to them – and to all who served before them – would not ring hollow. Before an audience of Wounded Warriors, he began his remarks commending Specialist Jake Altman and Sergeant Nathan Dewitt, two soldiers he met in Iraq who refused to let severe injuries stand between them and returning to their units. He singled out Tammy Duckworth, his nominee for Assistant Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, who lost her legs in Iraq and came home to continue service as a vibrant advocate for veterans care. Having told the audience of his inspiration, he then went on to announce the policy at hand:
It’s time to give our veterans a 21st-century VA. Over the past few months we’ve made much progress towards that end, and today I’m pleased to announce some new progress.
Under the leadership of Secretary Gates and Secretary Shinseki, the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs have taken a first step towards creating one unified lifetime electronic health record for members of our armed services that will contain their administrative and medical information — from the day they first enlist to the day that they are laid to rest.
Currently, there is no comprehensive system in place that allows for a streamlined transition of health records between DOD and the VA. And that results in extraordinary hardship for a awful lot of veterans, who end up finding their records lost, unable to get their benefits processed in a timely fashion. I can’t tell you how many stories that I heard during the course of the last several years, first as a United States senator and then as a candidate, about veterans who were finding it almost impossible to get the benefits that they had earned despite the fact that their disabilities or their needs were evident for all to see.
And that’s why I’m asking both departments to work together to define and build a seamless system of integration with a simple goal: When a member of the Armed Forces separates from the military, he or she will no longer have to walk paperwork from a DOD duty station to a local VA health center; their electronic records will transition along with them and remain with them forever. (Applause.)
He went on to discuss his proposed budget, which includes the largest single-year increase in VA funding in three decades; an attempt to ensure veterans funding is never again caught up in appropriations politics; a dramatic expansion of coverage; an unprecedented effort to address Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury; funding for a pilot program with not-for-profit organizations to make sure that veterans at risk of losing their homes have a roof over their heads; and finally, the implementation of the new GI Bill to ensure veterans can return to broad opportunity earned by their sacrifices.
(President Barack Obama presents new proposals to care for veterans to an audience of Wounded Warriors
in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. White House Photo, 4/9/09, Lawrence Jackson.)
Yesterday the Vice President spoke at the Welcome Home Ceremony for the XVIII Airborne Corps in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and captured the sentiment of today’s announcement well:
Ladies and gentlemen, if we only have $10 to spend in the entire federal government, then we are convinced that we have to spend six of it caring for those who come home in need. We will spend all six before we spend it on anything else — on the elderly, on children, on the poor, on our roads, on our security — because this is the only genuinely sacred obligation this nation has. The service that you and thousands and thousands of others who went before you in Iraq over the last six years — the services you’ve performed have come at great cost for some. Some of our warriors and their families have paid a much steeper price than others. Some had given their lives, the ultimate sacrifice, and we honor their memory.
But the best way to honor their memory, of those thousands — over 14,000 seriously injured coming home from the wars which we are engaged in and have been engaged in — we owe them the obligation to — we know we can never fully repay it, but we know we owe them the obligation to provide them the absolute best medical care and service they need. Some will need that for the rest of their lives. Their life expectancies will be 35 to 40 years, and some will need care for the entirety of those lives.
(Vice President Joe Biden inspects the 18th Airborne Corps with CSM Allen and Lt. General Austin
at the units’ welcome home ceremonies at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Wednesday, April 8, 2009.
Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)
During the recent online town hall, the President answered several of the top questions submitted and voted upon through our Open for Questions tool by around 100,000 people across the country. Naturally, though, there were a great many questions he could not get to, including many that garnered significant support. Last week we had Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy, address one of the best video questions the President could not get to. Today Jared Bernstein, who facilitated the original event and is the Vice President’s Chief Economist and Economic Policy Advisor, answers three more of the top questions on the economy that fell just short of the #1 spots in their categories:
1. “what is the US doing to bring back a solid manufacturing infastructure? the US used to be one of the most self sufficient countries in the world, now we can’t get the basics without importing. clothes,steel,cars,toys,food,oil. all imports”
– Scottg, PA
Thanks, Scott for this important question.
It’s a timely question too, because we’ve been thinking and doing a lot on the issue of manufacturing since we got here, both in terms of the auto sector and infrastructure.
It is obviously the case that we live in a more interdependent world today compared to yesterday. Back in the 1970s, imports were less the 10% of our economy (of gross domestic product, or GDP). Today they’re almost twice that. And, of course, our exports have grown too.
As the President stressed in the online town hall, this expansion of global trade yields great benefits for us, in terms of greater supply of goods and better prices. But—and he stressed this too—there are obviously considerable costs, and they fall disproportionately on folks in certain industries and communities. Our administration is committed to tackling the downsides of this competition by helping people get a leg up in the new economy. This means developing jobs in non-tradable sectors, including health care and the new energy sectors, as well as the skills to compete effectively in the global economy.
You, however, raise another question: Is there a tradeoff between global interdependence and self-sufficiency? I don’t think so. We need to do both: be full participants in the global economy while we, in your words, “bring back a solid manufacturing infrastructure.”
That’s why the President has aggressively supported a viable, competitive auto sector. It’s why he and our economic team believe strongly in the creation of green jobs—good jobs that can’t be outsourced.
What exactly are green jobs? See our middle-class taskforce staff report on this (pdf) for more info, but they are generally jobs that provide products and services that use renewable energy resources, reduce pollution, and conserve energy and natural resources. Investing in the clean energy economy at a time when good jobs at good wages are harder and harder to come by, we must find new, innovative opportunities.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act makes unprecedented investments in clean energy and job training, and along with our budget will spur job creation in manufacturing, construction, research, and management, both in the public and private sectors. These are the kinds of jobs that will take us closer to energy independence, and are the kinds of jobs that will rebuild and strengthen our infrastructure in a competitive 21st century economy.
2. “Do you have any plans to reduce military spending in favor of, say, infrastructure? I’m concerned that we’re prioritizing our operations in other countries over providing for the basic needs (education, healthcare, etc.) of the people in this one.”
– Phoenix, Santa Cruz, California
This question has good timing, Phoenix, because Defense Secretary Gates just announced our defense budget, and it reflects significant changes that I think you would view favorably in the spirit of your question.
I’ll get to those in a minute, but the larger point is this: we need to devote ample resources toward a strong, efficient military that can continue to protect our nation and our citizens. And just as importantly, we need to make the investments in health care, education, energy, and other areas that will improve the quality of life for our citizens, enable them and their children to realize their potentials, and preserve the environment.
In other words, we need to invest in both and cannot shortchange either.
And I think we’re making great progress in both areas. Regarding the military budget, we’re committed to ending our pursuit of costly systems poorly suited for the threats we face, or turning a blind eye to cost overruns on military contracts. Under Secretary Gates, you will see extremely rigorous fiscal stewardship of military spending that will elevate efficiency without sacrificing safety.
But you will also see, if you look at our budget that this administration is done kicking the can down the road when it comes to investments in the areas you ask about. We devote deep and lasting resources to health care reform, energy reform, and education.
3. “How does the White House plan to put our country on track to paying down our national debt and ensure the long-term stability of the American dollar?”
– Nick Troiano, Washington, DC
Nick, thank you for your question.
When we arrived here a few months ago, we inherited some tough challenges: a budget deficit over $1 trillion, an economy in recession, and a financial market that was pretty much frozen.
That meant we had a dual job: we had to quickly move legislation that would meet the economic challenges head on, and do so in the context of a budget that was fiscally responsible.
In fact, our budget not only funds the Recovery Act and other critical investments. It also cuts the deficit in half by the end of President Obama’s first term. It will reduce the deficit by $2 trillion over the next decade.
At the same time, we can’t afford to avoid responsibility for addressing an inefficient healthcare system, an under-funded education system, and a growing dependence on foreign oil. By once and for all addressing these issues, we’ll not only shrink the deficit, but build a strong sustainable 21st century economy.
All of these measures address your dollar stability question. The President has often said that the value of our currency in the international market ultimately reflects the strength of our economy and the soundness of our policies. The fact that the dollar remains the dominant currency amidst the economic turmoil both here and abroad is, in this regard, a real vote of confidence in our economy and our policies. In the same spirit, United States Treasury Bonds continue to be among the safest investments in the world.
Continuing in the transparent tradition of the White House Forum on Health Reform and the Regional Forums that followed, watch another discussion with key stakeholders streamed at WhiteHouse.gov/live. It will be a diverse group of stakeholders, from businesspeople to insurers to health professionals, sharing their views with Counselor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Health Reform Nancy-Ann DeParle.
- Watch the live-stream >> [UPDATE: The event has concluded]
Rebecca Adelman of HHS live-blogs the event below:
12:20: Nancy-Ann DeParle, who has spent the entire meeting listening to the diverse constituencies gathered at the White House, closes the meeting and urges all present to stay involved and stay in touch. She says, “we will need all of you” as the health reform details are fleshed out in the coming days.
11:58: Trevor Fetter from Tenet highlights the problems many insured Americans have when they need treatment in hospitals, but don’t understand their insurance plans well enough to know of the financial burdens they may take on from their hospital stays. He says we often talk about the uninsured, but we can’t forget about those who are insured but who still struggle to afford their medical treatment.
11:40: Brook Lehmann with Family Voices is speaking about health care for children. She makes the point that the CHIP law is a phenomenal achievement, but it doesn’t stop there. She is concerned that if children don’t have adequate access to care, then the insurance card is meaningless. She suggests that underserved children are best reached at their schools.
11:25: The meeting is tackling complicated issues at an impressive clip. Several participants have brought up the importance of educating patients about their choices for end of life care. Hospice care is being cited frequently as an option that would help reduce costs for the government and for families.
11:07: Dr. Susan Kelly, President of Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science, is giving a passionate presentation about the state of the health care system in southern Los Angeles. She notes that for over 1.5 million people there is one hospital, and that the average person in southern LA spends under a dollar each year on health care because so few people receive treatment. She is urging that the health reform conversation speak to the shortage of affordable care in communities like these.
10:53: There is a consensus at the meeting that we need to find ways to prevent illness before people even step into a health clinic. Ken Thorpe from the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease says the case for health reform is obvious. He says we need to redesign the delivery model for the treatment of chronic disease and implement innovative prevention programs for schools and communities.
10:33: Electronic medical records are a hot topic at the meeting as a way to reduce costs. One participant says that a lot of America does not understand what “wiring” health care means. Dr. Mayer with the Society of Thoracic Surgeons says there is a big appetite for this to be developed in a way that is best for the patient. He points to his pen and says, this instrument still controls much of what we do in medicine, and we can do better.
10:23: Now the participants are going around the table to introduce themselves. It’s a diverse crowd with a lot of valuable insights on this complicated issue. Nancy-Ann first calls on two small business owners who both are struggling to pay the health care premiums for their employees, some of whom have chronic illnesses that require expensive treatment. They both say that the costs are unsustainable for their businesses.
10:14: Nancy-Ann DeParle opens the meeting by citing the President’s promise at his Congressional Address in February – that health reform cannot wait, must not wait, will not wait another year. She says she wants to discuss the President’s principles for the health reform plan, and hear how the leaders around the table agree or disagree with the ideas he has laid out.
10:02: Nearly 30 key stakeholders in the health reform effort are gathering around a large table on the third floor of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. White House Office of Health Reform Director Nancy-Ann DeParle is going to arrive any minute and will facilitate a conversation with the group of insurance industry executives, business leaders, health professionals and advocates about the reform effort.
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On February 27th, President Obama announced his plan to bring the War in Iraq to a responsible end. Today he addressed the troops in Iraq in a surprise visit before coming home from Europe. Find the full transcript below:
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you, guys. Let me say Multinational Force Iraq, Multinational Corps Iraq, Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq First Corps, America’s Corp Band: Thanks to all of you.
Listen, I am so honored.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you.
THE PRESIDENT: I love you back. (Applause.) I am honored — I’m honored and grateful to be with all of you. And I’m not going to talk long because I want to shake as many hands as I can. (Applause.) And I’ve been talking all week. (Laughter.)
But there’s a couple of things I want to say. Number one, thank you.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: You’re welcome.
THE PRESIDENT: You know, when I was at Camp Lejeune I spoke about what it means for America to see our best and brightest, our finest young men and women serve us. And what I said then is something that I want to repeat to you, which is: You have performed brilliantly in every mission that has been given to you.
AUDIENCE: Ooh-ah.
THE PRESIDENT: Under enormous strain and under enormous sacrifice, through controversy and difficulty and politics, you’ve kept your eyes focused on just doing your job. And because of that, every mission that’s been assigned — from getting rid of Saddam, to reducing violence, to stabilizing the country, to facilitating elections — you have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country. That is an extraordinary achievement, and for that you have the thanks of the American people. (Applause.) That’s point number one.
Point number two is, this is going to be a critical period, these next 18 months. I was just discussing this with your commander, but I think it’s something that all of you know. It is time for us to transition to the Iraqis. (Applause.) They need to take responsibility for their country and for their sovereignty. (Applause.)
And in order for them to do that, they have got to make political accommodations. They’re going to have to decide that they want to resolve their differences through constitutional means and legal means. They are going to have to focus on providing government services that encourage confidence among their citizens.
All those things they have to do. We can’t do it for them. But what we can do is make sure that we are a stalwart partner, that we are working alongside them, that we are committed to their success, that in terms of training their security forces, training their civilian forces in order to achieve a more effective government, they know that they have a steady partner with us.
And so just as we thank you for what you’ve already accomplished, I want to say thank you because you will be critical in terms of us being able to make sure that Iraq is stable, that it is not a safe haven for terrorists, that it is a good neighbor and a good ally, and we can start bringing our folks home. (Applause.)
So now is not the time to lose focus. We have to be even more focused than we’ve been in order to achieve success.
The last point I want to make is I know how hard it’s been on a lot of you. You’ve been away from your families, many of you for multiple rotations. You’ve seen buddies of yours injured and you remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
AUDIENCE: Ooh-ah.
THE PRESIDENT: There are probably some people here who have seen children born and have been missing watching them grow up. There are many of you who have listened to your spouse and the extraordinary sacrifices that they have to make when you’re gone.
And so I want you to know that Michelle and myself are doing everything — (applause) — are doing everything we can to provide additional support for military families. The federal budget that I have introduced increases support for military families. We are going to do everything required to make sure that the commitment we make to our veterans is met, and that people don’t have to fight for what they have earned as a consequence of their service.
The main point I want to make is we have not forgotten what you have already done, we are grateful for what you will do, and as long as I am in the White House, you are going to get the support that you need and the thanks that you deserve from a grateful nation. (Applause.)
So thank you very much everybody. (Applause.) God bless you. (Applause.) God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)
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(President Barack Obama meets Tuesday, April 7, 2009, with Greek Orthodox Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew during their meeting in Istanbul. The White House / Pete Souza)
Patriarch Bartholomew during their meeting in Istanbul. The White House / Pete Souza)
