Obama Pushes For Recovery & Reinvestment Plan In Weekly Address

January 3, 2009 6:25 a.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - President-elect Barack Obama delivered the Democratic party's weekly radio address on Saturday morning, reminding the nation that despite the political and economic challenges that face is upcoming term in office, "we must come together as Americans."

"As the holiday season comes to end, we are thankful for family and friends and all the blessings that make life worth living," Obama said. "But as we mark the beginning of a new year, we also know that America faces great and growing challenges - challenges that threaten our nation's economy and our dreams for the future. Nearly two million Americans have lost their jobs this past year - and millions more are working harder in jobs that pay less and come with fewer benefits."

"However we got here, the problems we face today are not Democratic problems or Republican problems... These are America's problems, and we must come together as Americans to meet them with the urgency this moment demands. Economists from across the political spectrum agree that if we don't act swiftly and boldly, we could see a much deeper economic downturn that could lead to double digit unemployment and the American Dream slipping further and further out of reach," Obama explained.

"That's why we need an American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan that not only creates jobs in the short-term but spurs economic growth and competitiveness in the long-term. And this plan must be designed in a new way - we can't just fall into the old Washington habit of throwing money at the problem. We must make strategic investments that will serve as a down payment on our long-term economic future. We must demand vigorous oversight and strict accountability for achieving results. And we must restore fiscal responsibility and make the tough choices so that as the economy recovers, the deficit starts to come down. That is how we will achieve the number one goal of my plan - which is to create three million new jobs, more than eighty percent of them in the private sector," Obama said.

"I look forward to meeting next week in Washington with leaders from both parties to discuss this plan. I am optimistic that if we come together to seek solutions that advance not the interests of any party, or the agenda of any one group, but the aspirations of all Americans, then we will meet the challenges of our time just as previous generations have met the challenges of theirs," Obama added.