Weekly
Address: Expanding Opportunity for the American People
The White House
February 8, 2014
Hi, everybody. In my State of the Union Address, I talked
about the idea of opportunity for all.
Opportunity is the idea at the
heart of this country – that no matter who you are or how you started out, with
hard work and responsibility, you can get ahead.
I ran for President to restore
that idea, and I’m even more passionate about it today. Because while our economy has been growing
for four years, and those at the top are doing better than ever, average wages
have barely budged. Too many Americans
are working harder than ever just to get by, let alone get ahead – and that’s
been true since long before the recession hit.
We’ve got to reverse those
trends. We’ve got to build an economy
that works for everyone, not just a fortunate few. And the opportunity agenda I laid out last
week will help us do that.
It’s an agenda with four
parts. Number one: more new jobs. Number two: training folks with the skills to
fill those jobs. Number three:
guaranteeing every child access to a world-class education. And number four: making sure that hard work
pays off, with wages you can live on, savings you can retire on, and health
insurance that’s there when you need it.
I want to work with Congress on
this agenda where I can. But in this year of action, whenever I can take steps
without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, I
will. I’ve got a pen and a phone – a pen
to take executive action, and a phone to rally citizens and business leaders
who are eager to create new jobs and new opportunities. And we’ve already begun.
In Wisconsin, I ordered an
across-the-board reform of our training programs to train folks with the skills
employers need, and match them to good jobs that need to be filled right now.
In Pittsburgh, I directed the
Treasury to create “my-RA,” a new way for working Americans, even if you’re not
wealthy, to start your own retirement savings.
In Maryland, I rallied the
leaders of some of America’s biggest tech companies to help us make sure all
our kids have access to high-speed internet and up-to-date technology to help
them learn the skills they need for the new economy.
And at the White House, I brought
together business leaders who’ve committed to helping more unemployed Americans
find work, no matter how long they’ve been looking. And I directed the federal government to make
hiring decisions the same way – based on whether applicants can do the job, not
when they last had a job.
So when you hear me talk about
using my pen and my phone to make a difference for middle class Americans and
those working to get into the middle class, that’s what I mean. And I’m going to keep asking students and
parents and business leaders to help – because there are millions of Americans
outside Washington who are tired of stale political arguments, ready to move
this country forward, and determined to restore the founding vision of
opportunity for all.
And so am I. Thanks, have a great weekend, and to our
Olympians in Sochi, go Team USA! |
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