President urges bipartisanship heading into weekend meeting on the deficit
Heading into this weekend's meeting with Democrats and Republicans, President Obama urged bipartisanship in addressing the deficit, not political gamesmanship. The President outlined his approach to fixing the nation's issues:
"Now, there are obviously real differences in approach. I believe we need a balanced approach. That means taking on spending in our domestic programs and our defense programs. It means addressing the challenges in programs like Medicare so we can strengthen those programs and protect them for future generations. And it means taking on spending in the tax code - spending on tax breaks and deductions for the wealthiest Americans."
Still, knowing that both parties disagree on the way forward, President Obama urged leaders in Washington to put aside their political differences and work on behalf of the American people who elected them to lead. Getting the nation's fiscal house in order, the President argued, will allow Washington to focus its attention on the pressing issue of creating jobs:
"With a recovery that's still fragile and isn't producing all the jobs we need, the last thing we can afford is the usual partisan game-playing in Washington. By getting our fiscal house in order, Congress will be in a stronger position to focus on some of the job-creating measures I've already proposed - like putting people to work rebuilding America's infrastructure, or reforming our patent system so that our innovators and entrepreneurs have a greater incentive to generate new products or making college more affordable for families. And businesses that may be holding back because the uncertainty surrounding the possibility of a default by the United States government will have greater confidence to invest and create jobs."
President Obama's Weekly Address
