http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/02/AR2010110205027.html?wpisrc=nl_opinions
Obama's message for the day after
By Ruth Marcus
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
The president of the United States:
Good afternoon. Well, we got thumped. I'm disappointed, but I continue to
believe that our actions were necessary and correct. The stimulus spending
helped avert a second Great Depression. The health-care legislation offers the
dual promise of extending coverage and controlling costs. Financial regulatory
reform will protect the U.S. economy from private-sector recklessness.
That's a lot - but I heard you loud and clear.
First, we didn't do enough. Unemployment would have been even higher without
the stimulus, but it is unacceptably high. We've had nine consecutive months of
private-sector job growth, and we're going to keep at it for as long as I'm
privileged to be your president.
Second, we did, for some of you, too much - too much spending, too much
far-reaching legislation. It was unsettling. Every day it seemed we were
writing another huge check. I'm convinced, again, that these funds were wisely
spent. The much-maligned bailout will cost a fraction of the initial expense -
and it saved communities across the country from economic devastation. The
stimulus created jobs - and, by the way, provided more than $200 billion in tax
relief. The health-care bill carries a big price tag - but I insisted that the
cost be fully paid for. I will resist - with my veto pen - any effort to weaken
the law that adds to the deficit.
Nevertheless, the era of big check-writing is over. That is why - after some
Republicans voted against creating a deficit commission - I did so by executive
order. I look forward to receiving their report - and working with Republicans
to tackle the debt. And that is why I have been so determined not to rack up
another $700 billion in debt by permanently extending the Bush tax cuts for the
wealthiest.
Third, I did not live up to my own standards for governing in a post-partisan
manner. I was wrong to use the term "enemies." I'm not going to offer excuses
or point fingers. Instead, let me describe what I'll do differently.
It's time to stop talking at the other party and start talking with them. The
change starts now. Before I head overseas Friday, I'm inviting the
congressional leadership to Camp David. Instead of a weekly video address and
canned response, I propose a televised meeting with a designated Republican to
discuss the issues of the day. Let's do that at the White House every other
week. In alternate weeks, I'll go to their place. I'll come to the Capitol for
"question time" from members of Congress, Republican and Democrat. This was
John McCain's idea, and it was a good one.
But talk isn't enough. I'll take the risk of going first, with proposals on
health care and taxes. Many Republicans argue that the risk of malpractice
suits drives up costs by leading doctors to practice defensive medicine. I
agree. It's not popular with some Democrats, but I'll be sending to the new
Congress a proposal to shield doctors from frivolous lawsuits. While we're at
it, let's fix the provision in the new law that imposes onerous reporting
requirements on small business.
On taxes, I disagree with Republicans that we can afford to extend the
upper-income tax cuts permanently or that it would threaten the recovery to let
them lapse now. But there's space for compromise. We both agree on permanently
extending tax cuts for 98 percent of Americans. Extending tax cuts for the
wealthiest for two years would cost $75 billion. I think that money could
better be spent in ways that would help ordinary Americans: reinstating a
program to subsidize private-sector jobs for low-income parents. Creating a
national infrastructure bank to modernize our fraying infrastructure - free
from political considerations and earmarking - and front-loading the spending
to create jobs. Still, if Republicans think tax cuts for the wealthy are a
wiser choice, I'm open to a brief extension.
This is just a start. We should join forces to renew and strengthen the
education reform law that brought a new era of school accountability. We should
put Social Security on a solid financial footing - while not cutting benefits
for those who need the program most. We could, as John Boehner has suggested,
scour the tax code for wasteful spending programs disguised as tax breaks.
In the unhappy aftermath of another Election Day, an American president offered
some wise words. "Our task," he said, "is to be sure our leaders do not fail
the American people." Ronald Reagan was right. To my fellow patriots across the
aisle: Let's win one for the Gipper.
ruthmar...@washpost.com
This Story
a.. And now for the next battle
b.. Obama's message for the day after
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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