Spring Break
Tuesday marks a new day for government's role in economy
Steven Thomma and Margaret Talev, McClatchy Newspapers
Issue date: 2/10/09 Section: News
WASHINGTON _ President Barack Obama on Monday used his first news conference in office to urge Americans to embrace big government in the face of a recession he called "the most profound economic emergency since the Great Depression."
"The federal government is the only entity left with the resources to jolt our economy back to life," Obama said during his the news conference. He implored Congress to pass his $800 billion-plus economic stimulus program.
Noting Republican objections to his plan, he said that former President George W. Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy had only "helped lead us to the crisis we face right now," and pledged that "as long as I hold this office, I will do whatever it takes to put this economy back on track and put this country back to work."
Taking questions on a wide range of issues for nearly an hour, he also said that Americans would eventually have to sacrifice to help pay for extraordinary spending now to meet the crisis. "There's no such thing as a free lunch," Obama said.
He called news that baseball star Alex Rodriguez was the latest found to have used steroids "depressing."
And he said that his administration is looking for areas where we can "directly engage" with Iran. "In the coming months we will be looking for openings that can be created where we can start sitting across the table face to face, diplomatic overtures that will allow us to move our policy in a new direction."
While making clear U.S. opposition to Iran's funding of terrorist organizations and nuclear-weapons ambitions, the president said he also sees "the possibility at least of a relationship of mutual respect and progress."
On another topic, asked if his efforts to court Republicans had failed, Obama said his overtures to Republicans, including putting three into his cabinet, "were designed to build up some trust over time." However, he emphasized that the nation desperately needs an economic stimulus package now, one that will create or save 4 million jobs, and in that context "I can't afford to see Congress play the usual political games."
"The federal government is the only entity left with the resources to jolt our economy back to life," Obama said during his the news conference. He implored Congress to pass his $800 billion-plus economic stimulus program.
Noting Republican objections to his plan, he said that former President George W. Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy had only "helped lead us to the crisis we face right now," and pledged that "as long as I hold this office, I will do whatever it takes to put this economy back on track and put this country back to work."
Taking questions on a wide range of issues for nearly an hour, he also said that Americans would eventually have to sacrifice to help pay for extraordinary spending now to meet the crisis. "There's no such thing as a free lunch," Obama said.
He called news that baseball star Alex Rodriguez was the latest found to have used steroids "depressing."
And he said that his administration is looking for areas where we can "directly engage" with Iran. "In the coming months we will be looking for openings that can be created where we can start sitting across the table face to face, diplomatic overtures that will allow us to move our policy in a new direction."
While making clear U.S. opposition to Iran's funding of terrorist organizations and nuclear-weapons ambitions, the president said he also sees "the possibility at least of a relationship of mutual respect and progress."
On another topic, asked if his efforts to court Republicans had failed, Obama said his overtures to Republicans, including putting three into his cabinet, "were designed to build up some trust over time." However, he emphasized that the nation desperately needs an economic stimulus package now, one that will create or save 4 million jobs, and in that context "I can't afford to see Congress play the usual political games."
Be the first to comment on this story