September 17, 2011
Photo: AP
President Barack Obama gestures while speaking in Alexandria, Virginia, September 16, 2011
President Barack Obama is continuing his appeal to Congress to pass his plan to boost hiring and the economy. The president plans to announce on Monday how he will pay for the plan and reduce the government's deficit.
President Obama used his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday to once again appeal for public support for his $447 billion jobs legislation.
"It is a jobs bill that does two simple things: put more people back to work and more money back in the pockets of people who are working," said Obama.
In the president's now-familiar message, he asked Americans to press their lawmakers to pass the bill, and he said members of Congress should act on it.
"So the time for action is now," added Obama. "No more games, no more gridlock, no more division or delay. It is time for the people you sent to Washington to put country before party, to stop worrying so much about their jobs and start worrying more about yours."
Obama says he will explain on Monday how he would pay for the jobs plan while reducing the government deficit. His goal is to cut the deficit by about $2 trillion over 10 years.
Opposition Republicans have indicated a willingness to accept some provisions of the jobs bill. But they object to the president's plan to pay for the initiatives with higher taxes on corporations and wealthy individuals.
Republicans also say the Obama administration is hindering job creation by placing too many regulations on industry.
In the weekly Republican address, Congressman Peter Roskam, from the central state of Illinois, said businesses should be able to focus on hiring, not on dealing with Washington.
"One Illinois farmer stood up at a town hall meeting last month and pleaded with the president. He said, 'Please do not challenge us with more rules and regulations from Washington.' I could not have said it better myself," Roskam said.
Since announcing his jobs plan September 8, President Obama has campaigned for it in states where next year's election could be decided.
He has made two visits to Virginia and one to North Carolina. His second visit to Ohio will take place Thursday in the city of Cincinnati, near Republican House Speaker John Boehner's district.
Obama's approval rating in public opinion polls has recently sunk to its lowest point of his presidency. A New York Times / CBS poll shows that almost half of those questioned believe the economy is headed for another recession. Almost three out of four think the country is moving in the wrong direction.