WHITE HOUSE VIDEO MESSAGE: Strengthening Our Middle Class

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 AM ET, SATURDAY, October 4, 2014

WHITE HOUSE VIDEO MESSAGE: Strengthening Our Middle Class

WASHINGTON, DC – In this week’s message, Katherine Vargas, White House Director of Hispanic Media, highlighted that six years after the Great Recession, thanks to the hard work of the American people and the President’s policies, our economy has come back further and faster than any other nation on Earth. With 10.3 million private sector jobs added over 55 straight months, America’s businesses have extended the longest streak of private-sector job gains on record. But even with this progress, too many Americans have yet to feel the benefits. She reiterated the vision the President set out earlier this week for steps that can lay a new foundation for stronger growth, rising wages, and expanded economic opportunity for middle class families.

The audio of the address and video of the message will be available online HERE.

Remarks of Katherine Vargas, White House Director of Hispanic Media

Spanish Weekly Address

October 4, 2014

Hi, everybody.  I’m Katherine Vargas, the Director of Hispanic Media at the White House.

The President recently visited a steel mill in Indiana to spend some time with workers on National Manufacturing Day.  Because in many ways, manufacturing is the quintessential middle-class job.  And after a decade of losing jobs, American manufacturing is once again adding them.

The unemployment rate has fallen to under six percent for the first time in more than six years.  Latino unemployment has dropped, and over the past 55 months, our businesses have created 10.3 million new jobs. 

This progress is a direct result of the American people’s drive and determination, and decisions made by the President’s Administration.

But what’s also true is that too many families still work too many hours with too little to show for it.  Let’s raise the minimum wage, because it puts more money in workers’ pockets that they can spend at local businesses.  Let’s pass a fair pay law, because paying women fairly is good for families and our entire economy.  Let’s rebuild our roads and bridges, because it puts more construction workers on the job.  Let’s do this – because it’s what it takes to strengthen the middle class.

Rather than just reading about our recovery in a headline, more people will feel it in their own lives.  And that’s what drives the President every single day.  Thanks, and have a great weekend.

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