President Obama’s Weekly Address: Feb 14, 2009

The President’s Weekly Address: 2-07-2009

We Can’t Afford to Play that Game

One of the things that I admire about Barack Obama is his ability to speak the truth to lies and rumors.

Here’s his speech from Thursday.

(h/t DailyKos)

Part 1

Part 2

We need to think big and act boldly.

JOBS and more JOBS!

Question: Should a Buy American Clause Be Part Of the Stimulus Plan

In the 1990’s, many jobs were lost in the USA due to manufacturing leaving this country and moving to countries that have cheap labor such as China and Indonesia. In the last 7 years, the job shift has moved to the “white collar” jobs which have been moving to India in an ever increasing speed, particularly computer work and customer service. About the only jobs left are in “retail” or self-employment.

Try buying items with the label “Made in the USA” and you will spend a great deal of time shopping around and will probably not find what you are looking for. Even clothes that are labeled “Made in the USA” are made in US territories in the South Pacific by women that were coerced by the promise of a better life only to end up living in crowded conditions behind fences and working in sweat shops.

The Obama stimulus plan and the one passed by the House includes a “use only American steel and iron products” clause which the Republicans want removed. Steel and iron are the only products that would fall under the “buy American” rule and even these products can have exceptions.

Should a “Buy American” clause remain as part of the Stimulus Plan? What are your thoughts?

Cats thoughts: We need jobs because without jobs there will be no spending. Tax breaks don’t create jobs and tax rebates don’t translate into increased spending. Only jobs will bring back the economy. ~Cats