Commemorating Labor Day
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/08/31/weekly-address-commemorating-labor-day?utm_source=snapshot&utm_medium=email&utm_content=083113-topper
President Obama discusses Labor Day and reflects on the
contributions of the working men and women in our country.
WASHINGTON,
DC—In his weekly address,
President Obama spoke about Labor Day and reflected on the contributions of the
working men and women in our country.
The President said that by recommitting ourselves to the values of
working Americans and coming together with common purpose, we can ensure that
everyone who works hard has a chance to get ahead.
The audio of the address and video of the address will be
available online at www.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 a.m. ET, August 31, 2013.
Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
August 31, 2013
Hi, everybody. This
Labor Day weekend, as we gather with family and friends, we’ll also come
together as a nation to honor some of our own – the working men and women of America who,
across the generations, built this country up and helped make us who we are
today.
On Monday, we’ll celebrate that proud history. We’ll pay tribute to the values working
Americans embody – hard work; responsibility; sacrifice; looking out for one
another. And we’ll recommit ourselves to
their cause; to securing for them a better bargain so that everyone who works
hard in America
has a chance to get ahead.
See, over the past four and a half years, we’ve fought our
way back from the worst recession of our lifetimes. And thanks to the grit and resilience of the
American people, we’ve begun to lay a foundation for stronger, more durable
economic growth. But as any working
family will tell you, we’re not where we need to be.
For over a decade, working Americans have seen their wages
and incomes stagnate, even as corporate profits soar and the pay of a fortunate
few explodes. For even longer than that,
inequality has steadily risen; the journey of upward mobility has become harder. And in too many communities across this
country, the shadow of poverty continues to cast a pall over our fellow
citizens.
Reversing that trend needs to be Washington’s highest priority. It’s certainly mine. That’s why, over the past month, I’ve
traveled all across America, laying out my ideas for how we can build on the
cornerstones of what it means to be middle class. A good job that pays a good wage. A good education. A home of your own. Health care when you get sick. A secure retirement even if you’re not
rich. And more chances for folks to earn
their way into the middle class as long as they’re willing to work for it.
The truth is, it’s not going to be easy to reverse the
forces that have conspired – for decades – against working Americans. But if we take a few bold steps – and if Washington is able to
come together with common purpose and common resolve – we’ll get there. Our economy will keep getting stronger and
more Americans will be able to join the ranks of the middle-class.
So this Labor Day, while you’re out there grilling in the
backyard, or taking that final trip for the summer, I hope you’ll also take a
moment to reflect on the many contributions of our working men and women. For generations, it was the great American
middle class that made our economy the envy of the world. And as long as I’m President, I’m going to
keep fighting to make sure that happens again.
Thanks, and have a great weekend.