Obama Puts Jobs, Health Care at Top of National Agenda

by Seth Michaels, Feb 25, 2009

Last night, as the doors opened into the halls of Congress, America’s working families breathed a sigh of relief as we heard these words:

“Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States!” 

What a difference a year makes. Although our economic condition is dire, hearing those words about our new president instills confidence that our leaders are listening to our deep concerns and are up to the task of putting us back on track. Ninety-two percent of those polled who watched President Barack Obama’s first address to Congress last night approved of the speech, in which he was both realistic in the assessment of the challenges we face and optimistic about the solutions to those problems.

As he acknowledged often during the campaign, Obama noted that the problems in our economy didn’t start with the housing crisis or the stock market collapse last year; for too many of America’s working families, the economy hasn’t been working for much longer than that.

Obama noted that, in his first month, he worked with Congress to create an economic recovery bill that aided the families most in need, created jobs, prevented layoffs of teachers and police at the state and local level, and made down payments on his top priorities: a new energy economy, a reformed health care system and aid to America’s public schools.

But, as Obama said, the recovery plan is just a start. To build an economy with broadly shared sustainable prosperity, we absolutely must make long-term investments in energy, health care and education, and in the infrastructure that creates jobs and keeps our economy moving in the long term. With these priorities clear, Obama said:

But while our economy may be weakened and our confidence shaken; though we are living through difficult and uncertain times, tonight I want every American to know this:

We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before.

On health care, in particular, Obama gave a strong message that he’d make it a priority. Noting that the health care crisis is deeply related to other economic issues—premiums have risen four times faster than wages and millions of bankruptcies and foreclosures arise from the failure of the health care system. Starting with the new budget he’ll be sending to Congress this week, Obama says he’ll commit to health care reform.

We must have quality, affordable health care for every American…so let there be no doubt: Health care reform cannot wait, it must not wait and it will not wait another year.

Another note: the guests who sat with First lady Michelle Obama included Lilly Ledbetter, the woman whose fight against pay discrimination led to one of Obama’s first legislative successes, and heroic US Airways pilot Chesley Sullenberger, whose professional skill and attention to safety aboard Flight 1549 saved 155 lives, and who drew attention this week to the dangerous workplace conditions facing pilots.

Obama’s speech was aimed directly at the issues that matter most to workers and our economy. AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, who also was an invited guest for last night’s speech, said Obama “has shown tremendous leadership towards improving the lives of America’s workers.” Obama’s focus on workers, jobs and rebuilding broadly shared prosperity sends a strong signal about his support for the Employee Free Choice Act.

It will be a tough challenge to rebuild and recover, but Obama’s speech gives us confidence we’ll be moving in the right direction.

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