Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney en route Cleveland, OH

11:12 A.M. EST

MR. CARNEY:  Thank you all for joining us on our flight to Cleveland, Ohio, and on this trip.

I'm sure you'll ask me about the President's announcement that he'll be making today in Cleveland that he is appointing Richard Cordray to his position as consumer watchdog for the CFPB.  The President feels very strongly that Americans deserve someone in Washington looking out for their interests in their dealings with financial institutions.  The President nominated Richard Cordray, as you know, nearly six months ago.  He has broad bipartisan support.  He's enormously qualified.  A majority of attorneys general, both Republican and Democrat, support Richard Cordray and his nomination to this position.  He won a majority of votes in the Senate.  And yet the Republicans in the Senate refused to allow him an up or down vote.  He had majority support, I should say, in the Senate.

This is a shame.  And it's a shame because it makes you wonder to defend whose interests why the Republicans -- or how the Republicans refused to allow Richard Cordray to take up his post as America's consumer watchdog. 

The President is absolutely committed to working with Congress this year, as he has in the past, to do everything necessary through the legislative process to grow the economy and create jobs, to protect the middle class.  He'll continue to do that and look for as many opportunities as possible to work with Congress.  But when the Congress refuses to act, the President will act.  Gridlock in Washington is not an excuse for inaction. We cannot wait.  So the President is, today, appointing Richard Cordray during the Senate recess to the post of consumer watchdog at the CFPB. 

Before I take your questions, I just happened to notice in my in-box a wire story about impressive sales results for all the major American automobile companies.  And it just brings a smile to my face because, as you recall, the President took very bold action, very difficult political environment, to ensure that the American automobile industry would survive and thrive.  He demanded that it -- in return for assistance from the American taxpayer, that those companies that received assistance reform themselves, become more competitive, and they have demonstrated with these results the wisdom of the President's decision.

You'll know, I'm sure, and will make note of it as the year progresses the many folks from the Republican Party who opposed that decision and apparently were happy to see the American automobile industry essentially fall into non-existence.

With that, I will take your questions.

Q    Jay, on Cordray, it seems you're walking into -- the President is walking into a legal and political buzz saw here.  Your own administration has conceded that three days is too short a period to qualify as a recess.  Harry Reid has acknowledged that.  Doesn’t that put Cordray in an incredibly weak starting position?

MR. CARNEY:  Not at all.  In fact, the President's counsel has determined that the Senate has been in recess for weeks and will be in recess for weeks.  The Constitution guarantees the President the right, provides the President the right to make appointments during Senate recesses, and the President will use that authority to make this appointment.

Where pro forma sessions are used, as the Senate has done and plans to continue to do, simply as an attempt to prevent the President from exercising his constitutional authority, such pro forma sessions do not interrupt the recess.  And I would note that this is the view of White House counsel.  I would also note that it’s the view of the head of the OLC under the President George W. Bush administration, as well as the Deputy -- I believe the deputy attorney general in the Bush administration on the very same point about pro forma sessions that are designed explicitly simply to prevent the President from exercising his constitutional authority. 

Q    But that’s a legal argument.  Won’t it be challenged by every association that --

MR. CARNEY:  I’m not going to speculate about legal challenges.  The constitutional authority the President has is very clear.  The fact of the matter is the Senate has been in recess and will continue to be in recess.  In the unanimous consent that sent the Senate in recess, it was explicitly stated that the Senate would conduct no business during this period, from December 17th or something until January 23rd.  That sounds like a recess to me, and as a legal matter, it is very much a recess.

Q    Jay, are you prepared for a legal challenge?

MR. CARNEY:  Again, I’m not going to speculate about this -- about possible legal challenges.  The fact of the matter is the President has this constitutional authority; he is exercising it today.  This position is critical for the American people.  It is overwhelmingly supported by the American people.  Richard Cordray has broad bipartisan support. 

The opposition to him, as stated by those who blocked his nomination, is not because of his qualifications but because they oppose the CFPB, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.  They oppose -- they seem to think that there wasn’t a problem with oversight in our financial institutions that led to the worst recession since the Great Depression.  That’s an opinion that is not widely shared by the American people, and is certainly not shared by us.

Q    Jay, it seems as if both Republicans and Democrats, and including the President when he was a senator, argue both sides of this issue depending on where their political --

MR. CARNEY:  You’re wrong about Senator Obama.

Q    But he talked about John Bolton as -- when he was --

MR. CARNEY:  His opposition to John Bolton was on the merits.  John Bolton was --

Q    But he said that -- but he also said --

MR. CARNEY:  -- in then Senator Obama’s view, unqualified to be -- to have that appointment --

Q    But after that appointment he also said that his stature would be lessened because it was a recess appointment.  Is there any reason why the American voters would not be --

MR. CARNEY:  In this case, John Bolton was a highly --

Q    -- this entire process?

MR. CARNEY:  John Bolton was a highly controversial nominee whom Senator Obama opposed on the merits, as did many senators.  That is absolutely not the case with Richard Cordray, whom, as I’ve noted, has broad bipartisan support.

Q    Can you talk about how this fits within the campaign of confronting Congress?

MR. CARNEY:  Again, as I just stated, the President is committed to working with Congress.  We actually hope and expect that there will be many opportunities this year to achieve things with Congress on behalf of the American people, specifically to help grow the economy and create jobs.  That would include extending the payroll tax cut as well as unemployment insurance for the full calendar year.  It will include, we hope, taking up other measures of the American Jobs Act that did not pass but which have traditionally received bipartisan support.

I mean, the fact of the matter is, members of Congress -- Republicans, in particular -- we are hoping will make an assessment that it is in their interest to demonstrate to their constituents that they have done something besides obstruct, besides block, besides say no, in order to help the American economy.  That’s what their constituents want.  So we actually think there will be opportunities -- not just the payroll tax cut extension but others -- to work with this Congress.  And the President is eager to do that, as he has demonstrated throughout his tenure in office. 

Separate from that, or in addition to that, when the Congress will not act, when Republicans block important things that need to be done on behalf of the American people, this President will act, because we can’t wait.  And this is very much a part of that approach.  He’s appointing Richard Cordray today because we cannot wait.  The American people cannot wait. 

He will be meeting with a family today prior to his remarks -- or rather with two Ohioans today, elderly Ohioans, who were taken advantage of in their mortgage.  And that kind of abuse is exactly why we need a consumer watchdog.  It’s exactly why we need Richard Cordray in office -- to protect the American consumers.

And financial institutions, the vast majority of which do play by the rules, need someone in place to ensure that those that don't are taken to account, and that consumers are protected from them and from their abusive practices -- payday lenders, non-bank mortgage brokers and the like -- student loan providers.

This is a very important thing that is broadly supported by the American people.  And we simply cannot wait for Congress to act when the Senate Republicans have made clear that they will not confirm anybody because they oppose this Consumer Financial Protection Bureau because they’d rather have Wall Street write its own rules, they’d rather have financial institutions have lax oversight and then everybody can fend for themselves.  That is not the President’s belief.

Q    Jay, did the President weigh the political cost of this, the idea that this may be further poisoning the well for any cooperation with the Republicans going forward?

MR. CARNEY:  The President has been committed, as you know, to taking action where he can, using his executive authority, to help the American people; to help the middle class; to help vulnerable communities like those who can be negatively affected by abusive practices by financial institutions including veterans, including senior citizens, including students.  And he will act when Congress won’t.

But he -- this is not an either/or proposition.  This is a both/and.  He will both work cooperatively with Congress, as he has in the past, to take measures to help grow the economy and create jobs, and he will act when Congress won’t, using his executive authority, working with the private sector, to do everything he can within his authority to help the American people.

Q    Is the President going to make other recess appointments?

MR. CARNEY:  I don't have any information to provide for you on that at this time.

Q    Just a quick question.  Will we hear from Cordray himself today? 

MR. CARNEY:  I don't believe he’s expected to speak.  But he is on board, as you know, right?

Q    Why today and not yesterday?

MR. CARNEY:  I don't have any insight to provide to you about the choice of day --

Q    Isn't there some belief that yesterday he could have done it without the constitutional challenge versus today?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, again, I'm not a lawyer, and I would hesitate before speculating about that.  What I do know is that the White House counsel is firm in its belief that the President has this constitutional authority to act today while the Senate is in recess.

Q    So he wasn’t just trying to get even more into their face?

MR. CARNEY:  The President is interested in helping the American people, helping the American consumer.  I mean, this is one -- this, to me, is -- and, I believe, to him -- is just a no-brainer.  The opposition to this to my mind is untenable because Americans across the country experienced the negative effects of the worst recession since the Great Depression, the financial crisis, caused in part by some of the bad practices of some financial institutions.

We need this Consumer Financial Protection Bureau fully operational.  And as you know, because of the way the law was written it cannot be fully operational until -- unless and until the consumer watchdog is in place.  And that's why the President took this action.  He wanted the Senate to confirm Mr. Cordray.  Unfortunately, Senate Republicans blocked that nomination -- not on the merits -- prevented it from having an up or down vote, so the President will not wait and he is acting today.

Q    Jay, is the President prepared to deal with Republican reaction to this, including blocking appropriations or any kind of funding that -- I realize that the CFPB is independently funded but --

MR. CARNEY:  Can I just point out to you, it’s an interesting fact here that at this point -- where is it here -- in terms of Republican opposition to recess appointments, slightly ironic.  I will get you the figures, but the number of recess appointments that this President has made as compared to his immediate predecessor at this stage in his presidency is a fraction thereof.  And the fact is it’s within the President’s constitutional authority.  It was exercised by both President George W. Bush and President Clinton.  Both those previous -- both of those predecessors of this President exercised that authority with greater frequency than this President has.  And this is a case where the American consumer, the American people, vulnerable communities within our country, simply cannot wait for the kind of protection that this office provides.

Financial institutions have plenty of people lobbying for them in Washington.  Everybody knows that.  And they're paid well.  Average Americans, senior citizens who could be vulnerable to people taking advantage of them on their mortgages, students who are looking for student loans and could be taken advantage of, veterans returning back now from Iraq and Afghanistan who could be taken advantage of -- they need this protection.  And that protection will not be there unless Richard Cordray is in office.  And that's why the President is acting.

Q    Republicans have specifically asked for some changes with the CFPB.  Were those changes unable to be accomplished?  Or did the President think they were duplicitous?

MR. CARNEY:  Republicans want to water down, weaken or eliminate the CFPB.  That is clear.  They all oppose it.  The would-be nominees of the Republican Party have said they oppose it.  You can hang a lot of window dressing around the simple fact that they do not want the kind of oversight that is absolutely necessary to prevent the sort of financial crisis that's led to the worst recession since the Great Depression.  That is a simple, unadulterated fact. 

And if they want to change the law, going back to working through the legislative process, they ought to propose changing the law.  It is the law.  It passed Congress -- the Senate and the House -- and the President signed it into law.  And the only one who is being harmed by -- who has been harmed by the Republicans’ refusal to allow an up or down vote on this enormously qualified nominee are average Americans who need the protections that the consumer watchdog provides.

Q    How did the President assess Iowa’s results last night?

MR. CARNEY:  I haven’t had a long discussion with him about it.  He didn't really assess them in my brief conversation.  But the results --

Q    Did he make any comments at all?

MR. CARNEY:  I’m struck by how close it was.  But beyond that, I don't have any assessments to provide to you.

Q    Was he happy there’s a deep division?

MR. CARNEY:  Again, I don't have an assessment from the President.  I’m happy to give you my incredibly considered opinions, but you probably don't want them.  (Laughter.)  I have a little experience.  I actually did cover the Republican race in 2008, and I do note -- well, the comparison between the results for somebody who participated in both 2008 and 2012 in Iowa -- interesting.

All right, thanks, a lot.

Q    Thank you, sir.

END  
11:30 A.M. EST

Remarks by the President to the Iowa Caucus Attendees via Video Teleconference

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Iowa! How are you guys?  I miss you all.  And I understand that it's actually warmer tonight than it was four years ago, which means, I'm sure, great turnout at the caucuses.

You know, on the ride over here I was reminiscing with David Plouffe.  He was showing me actually an old advertisement from Iowa -- in fact, the last advertisement we did in the Iowa campaign.  And other than pointing out how much more gray I am and how much older I look now than I did then, we actually were just remembering the incredible energy and excitement and the spirit of common purpose that those Iowa caucuses represent.  It was an example of how the campaign was not about one person, but it was about all of us coming together to try to deliver the kind of change that had been talked about a long time in Washington, but all too often hadn’t been delivered on. 

And it's because of you that I had this extraordinary honor over the last three years of working to try to deliver on that change.  And obviously we didn’t know at the time how severe the economic crisis was going to be.  We didn’t fully appreciate at the time the worldwide magnitude of the financial crisis.  But we knew even then that the middle class had been taking it for a long time -- folks who had been trying to get into the middle class had found that the ladders that allowed for upward mobility had started to disintegrate for a lot of people. 

And so we understood that what we were fighting for was an America where everybody had a fair shot, everybody did their fair share; that responsibility was rewarded and that the game wasn’t fixed, that it wasn’t rigged, and that if people did the right thing and worked hard, as so many families who in Iowa and throughout the country -- that they were going to be able to live out a piece of the American Dream.

We've still got a lot of work to do.  But think about the change that was accomplished because of those caucuses four years ago.  Because of those caucuses four years ago, we ended the war in Iraq, as promised, and our troops are now coming home. 

Because of the work that so many of you did even before the caucuses four years ago, health care is a reality for millions of Americans, and seniors have seen the price of prescription drugs lowered, and there are 2 million young Americans who are able to keep their insurance even if they're not getting it through a job.  And we're going to be able to say to every American out there who's got a preexisting condition or has gotten a raw deal from an insurance company that they're going to have some meaningful security, they're not going to be bankrupt if they get sick.

Because of you and the work that you did four years ago there are millions of young people all across the country who are able to get more affordable student loans and Pell Grants.  They're able to afford college and apply themselves so that they can achieve a meaningful career that pays a good wage and provides good benefits.

Because of you we've been able to end the policy of "don't ask, don't tell" so that every American who wants to serve this country that they love have that opportunity regardless of who they love. 

So across the board, whether it’s doubling fuel efficiency standards on cars, or making sure that we’ve got a more effective system to provide job training for people who’ve lost their jobs -- across the board, you have made a difference.  But we all know we’ve got a lot more work that we have to do.

Although we’ve passed health care reform, we’ve passed Wall Street reform, there are a lot of forces that want to push back against us and want to undo some of those changes.  And we’re battling millions of dollars of negative advertising and lobbyists and special interests who don't want to see the change that you worked so hard to fully take root.  And that's why this time out is going to be in some ways more important than the first time out.  Mitch is right.  Change is never easy.  The problems that we’ve been dealing with over the last three years, they didn't happen overnight and we’re not going to fix them overnight.  But we’ve been making steady progress as long as we can sustain it.  And that's what this is going to be all about.

So the only way we’re going to be able to do that is if all of you maintain the same determination, the same energy, the same drive, the same hopefulness, the same optimism about this wonderful country of ours as was on display four years ago.  And I want you to know that because of you, because of all the memories I have of being in your living rooms or meeting you in a diner or seeing you over at a campaign office, I have never lost that same source of inspiration that drove me to embark on this journey in the first place.  You guys inspire me every single day.

And I want us to remind each other that as much work as there may be out there before us, there’s nothing we can't accomplish when determined citizens come together to make a difference.

So thank you, everybody.  I could not be prouder.  And, Mitch, I think we’ve got a couple of -- time for a couple questions.

MR. STEWART:  Yes, we do, sir.  And the first question comes out of Coralville.  Coralville, can you hear us?

AUDIENCE:  (Applause.) 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Good evening, Mr. President.  I’m Roseann, and I’m here as you can see, at a full house in the beautiful Performing Arts Center in Coralville, Iowa.  How are you tonight?

THE PRESIDENT:  I’m doing well.  How are you? 

Q    Well, Mr. President, I think we’re having a little difficulty with audio, but I’m going to go ahead with my question.

Thinking about the caucuses four years ago, and as you reflected, you delivered your message of hope and change, but we didn’t know in 2008 the extent of the problems we were facing, and certainly progress has been a challenge.  So I’m wondering, now, in 2012, if you still believe in hope and change for America.  And I’m also wondering how your reelection campaign is going to help us better understand what we need to do, both as individual citizens and as a country, to achieve the fair society that you spoke about recently in Osawatomie, Kansas.

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, first of all, I want to make sure you can hear my answer.  How’s the sound coming through now?  In some ways, I’m actually more optimistic now than I was when I first ran, because we’ve already seen change take place.  And part of what 2012 is about is both reminding the American people of how far we’ve traveled and the concrete effects that some of our work has had in terms of making sure that people have health insurance, or making sure that our troops are coming home, or making sure that young people are able to go to college.  But part of it is also framing this larger debate about what kind of country are we going to leave for our children and our grandchildren. 

There is no problem that we face that we cannot solve.  But in order to solve it, we’ve got to make sure that everybody gets a fair shot, and that means that we’re investing in things like education, that we’re investing in basic science and technology so we’re making things again here in America and we’re revitalizing manufacturing and we’re not just buying from other countries but we’re selling to other countries, and we’re inventing things and encouraging entrepreneurship.  It means that we’re rebuilding our infrastructure, our roads and our bridges, but also our high-speed rail lines and high-speed Internet access in places like rural Iowa, making sure that everybody who wants to reach a worldwide market is able to do so because they’ve got the connection to do it.

It also means that those things are going to have to be paid for in a fair way.  And obviously a lot of the debate in Washington over the last several months and over the last year has revolved around how do we create a government that is lean and efficient and effective.  And I’m proud of some of the tough decisions that we’ve been willing to make in terms of pruning back programs that don’t work.  But if we’re going to make the investments that we need for our kids at the same time as we’re controlling our deficit, then there’s nothing wrong with saying to millionaires and billionaires that we’re going to let your tax cuts expire.  You can afford it.  You’ve done very well in this society.  And I know they want (inaudible) in America, but they have to be asked.  And the other party has a fundamentally different philosophy. 

The same is true when it comes to the issue of fair play.  We, through Wall Street reform, have rolled back policies that allowed credit card companies to jack up your interest rates without alerting you to it, or other financial practices that disadvantage consumers.

And so we’ve said, you know what, we’re going to have a consumer watchdog in place to look after you, to make sure that you’re not being cheated on credit cards or mortgages.  Because if you want to compete in a free market, then you should compete on the basis of price and service and quality, not on the basis of somebody not being able to understand what they’re buying.

These basic principles are what’s going to be at stake in order for us to succeed.  And I think that they’re principles that most Americans believe in, that everybody should act responsibly, everybody should do their part, and everybody should be able to travel as far as their work ethic and their dreams will carry them.

And right now all we’re getting from the other side -- you guys have been hearing it a lot more than I have.  I know it’s -- you’ve been bombarded -- I don’t know how you watch TV in Iowa these days -- with a different theory that says, we’re going to cut taxes for the wealthiest among us, and roll back regulations on things like clean air and health care reform and Wall Street reform, and that somehow, automatically, that assures that everybody is able to succeed.  I don't believe that.  And I don't think any of the people in that auditorium do either.

So it’s going to be a big battle, though.  I hope you guys are geared up.  I’m excited.

MR. STEWART:  Great.  Thank you very much, Coralville.  Next, we have Cedar Rapids.  Cedar Rapids, are you with us?  Can you hear us, Cedar Rapids?  Hello, Cedar Rapids, can you hear us?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Hold on one second.

MR. STEWART:  Yes, hold on one second. 

THE PRESIDENT:  I can’t hear you yet.

MR. STEWART:  We’ll give it five more seconds.  Folks in Cedar Rapids, can you hear us?  (Applause.)

Q    Good evening, Mr. President.  This is Carol from Cedar Rapids, and I’m honored to be among your volunteers.  On the cable talk shows there is talk about your administration not accomplishing anything.  However, I am a breast cancer survivor and was a social worker for 33 years before retiring, and know firsthand what a great accomplishment the Affordable Care Act is among your other achievements.  How do you respond to people who say you have not done enough?

THE PRESIDENT:  I think the main message that we’re going to have in 2012 is that we’ve done a lot but we’ve got a lot more to do, and that’s why we need another four years to get it all done. But you just mentioned the Affordable Care Act.  We know that somebody who’s had an illness like cancer, who’s a survivor, has trouble getting insurance.  Because of the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies are not going to be able to ban people with preexisting conditions.  That makes a direct impact on your life and your family’s life.

We know that there are 2 million young people who have insurance because of the Affordable Care Act who didn't have it before.  We know that seniors have seen discounts in their prescription drugs; they’re saving billions of dollars all across the country.  We know that preventive care, like mammograms, are now available through your insurance and they can’t arbitrarily deny you coverage right when you need care.

So that’s just on health care.  And it’s making an impact on people’s lives day to day.  But here’s the thing.  Frankly, not that many people watch cable TV.  What they do is they listen to their friends, their neighbors, their co-workers.  And that’s why what you guys are doing today at the caucus and what you will be doing every day from now until November makes such a difference. Because nobody is a better messenger for the kind of change we’re talking about than you.  You can tell a story about the difference these policies make in your life in a way that any politician in Washington -- including me -- can’t do. 

And one of the things that we learned four years ago was that when people at grassroots level are getting involved and they’re getting engaged, and they’re feeling empowered and they’re joining hands with each other -- that’s a powerful force. It can’t be stopped.  But, unfortunately, over the (inaudible) it’s not as focused and concentrated as an election campaign.  And so the forces of big money and special interests and lobbyists, they all come to the fore and the pundits and the cable TV dominates the political conversation. 

Well, you know what, fortunately in 2012 we’ve got a chance to respond.  And I will put my money on you.  I find you a lot more persuasive than anybody on cable TV, and that’s why I know we’re going to win. 

Thank you.

MR. STEWART:  Great.  Thank you very much, sir.  We appreciate your time. 

We appreciate Cedar Rapids.  We’re going to let you get back to the remainder of your caucuses, but before we go I'd be remiss if I didn't encourage everybody to sign up and volunteer.  I think shortly after we’re done with the Adobe Connect session here there will be volunteer sign-up forms.  This is a great opportunity, as the President said, to get out and engage your friends and neighbors what’s at stake and why this election is so important. 

So again, thank you all so much. 

END  
8:27 P.M. EST

Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 515, H.R. 789, H.R. 1059, H.R. 1264, H.R. 1801, H.R. 1892, H.R. 2056, H.R. 2422, and H.R. 2845

On Tuesday, January 3, 2012, the President signed into law:

H.R. 515, the "Belarus Democracy and Human Rights Act of 2011," which reauthorizes and amends the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004;

H.R. 789, which designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located in Little Ferry, New Jersey, as the Sergeant Matthew J. Fenton Post Office;

H.R. 1059, which extends for six years, through December 31, 2017, the authority of the Judiciary to redact personal and sensitive information in the financial disclosure reports of judicial officers and employees where release of the information could endanger them or their family members;

H.R. 1264, which designates the property between the United States Federal Courthouse and the Ed Jones Building in Jackson, Tennessee, as the M.D. Anderson Plaza and authorizes the placement of a historical/identification marker on the grounds recognizing the achievements and philanthropy of M.D. Anderson;

H.R. 1801, the "Risk-Based Security Screening for Members of the Armed Forces Act," which requires the Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration to develop and implement a plan to provide expedited security screening services for members of the Armed Forces;

H.R. 1892, the "Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012," which authorizes FY 2012 appropriations for U.S. intelligence-related activities and establishes and amends various intelligence-related authorities;

H.R. 2056, which requires the Inspector General of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to conduct a comprehensive study on the impact of the failure of insured depository institutions and the Government Accountability Office to carry out a study on the causes of high levels of bank failures;

H.R. 2422, which designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located in Staten Island, New York, as the Sergeant Angel Mendez Post Office; and

H.R. 2845, the "Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011," which doubles the maximum civil penalties for violations of Federal pipeline safety laws; authorizes the Transportation Department to issue various regulations related to leak prevention and detection; and reauthorizes various programs of the Department's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

WEEKLY ADDRESS: Working Together in the New Year to Move America Forward

WASHINGTON—In his weekly address, President Obama told the American people that although there will be tough debates to come in the new year, by joining together, we can continue to help grow the economy and create jobs across the country.  President Obama will keep working to ensure that everyone has a fair shot and does their fair share, and as we enter into 2012, all Americans should remind Washington of what is at stake for the middle class.  By adding their voices to the debate, Americans have already proven that they can make a difference, and in the new year, we can continue to work together to put the country first and help every American find the opportunities they deserve.

The audio of the address and video of the address will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 a.m. ET, Saturday, December 31, 2011.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Honolulu, HI
Saturday, December 31, 2011

Hello, everybody.  As 2011 comes to an end and we look ahead to 2012, I want to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year.

The last year has been a time of great challenge and great progress for our country.  We ended one war and began to wind down another.  We dealt a crippling blow to al-Qaeda and made America more secure.  We stood by our friends and allies around the world through natural disasters and revolutions.  And we began to see signs of economic recovery here at home, even as too many Americans are still struggling to get ahead.

There’s no doubt that 2012 will bring even more change.  And as we head into the New Year, I’m hopeful that we have what it takes to face that change and come out even stronger – to grow our economy, create more jobs, and strengthen the middle class.

I’m hopeful because of what we saw right before Christmas, when Members of Congress came together to prevent a tax hike for 160 million Americans – saving a typical family about $40 in every paycheck.  They also made sure Americans looking for work won’t see their unemployment insurance cut off.  And I expect Congress to finish the job by extending these provisions through the end of 2012.

It was good to see Members of Congress do the right thing for millions of working Americans.  But it was only possible because you added your voices to the debate.  Through email and Twitter and over the phone, you let your representatives know what was at stake.  Your lives.  Your families.  Your well-being.  You had the courage to believe that your voices could make a difference.  And at the end of the day, they made all the difference.

More than anything else, you are the ones who make me hopeful about 2012.  Because we’ve got some difficult debates and some tough fights to come.  As I’ve said before, we are at a make-or-break moment for the middle class.  And in many ways, the actions we take in the months ahead will help determine what kind of country we want to be, and what kind of world we want our children and grandchildren to grow up in. 

As President, I promise to do everything I can to make America a place where hard work and responsibility are rewarded – one where everyone has a fair shot and everyone does their fair share.  That’s the America I believe in.  That’s the America we’ve always known.  And I’m confident that if we work together, and if you keep reminding folks in Washington what’s at stake, then we will move this country forward and guarantee every American the opportunities they deserve.

Thanks for watching, and from Michelle, Malia, Sasha, Bo and myself, Happy New Year.

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