WHITE HOUSE VIDEO MESSAGE: The Prosperity of the Middle Class

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 AM ET, SATURDAY, January 31, 2015

WEEKLY ADDRESS: The Prosperity of the Middle Class

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week’s message, Juan Gonzalez , Special Advisor for Western Hemisphere Affairs, described the progress our economy has made, laying a foundation for a future that prioritizes middle-class economics. He also spoke about the announcement that the President made in his budget’s proposal which will request a historic $1 billion to create a new initiative to promote prosperity, security and good governance in Central America.

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

Remarks of Juan Gonzalez, Senior Advisor to the Vice President for Western Hemisphere Affairs

Spanish Weekly Address

The White House

Hi, everybody, I am Juan Gonzalez, Special Advisor for Western Hemisphere Affairs,. At a moment when our economy is growing, our businesses are creating jobs at the fastest pace since the 1990s, and wages are starting to rise again, we have to make some choices about the kind of country we want to be.

Will we accept an economy where only a few of us do spectacularly well? Or will we build an economy where everyone who works hard has a chance to get ahead?

That was the focus of the President’s State of the Union Address:middle-class economics. The idea that this country does best when everyone gets their fair shot.

And this week, the President will send a budget to Congress that’s built on those values.

We’ll help working families’ salaries go farther. We’ll offer Americans of every age the chance to upgrade their skills so they can earn higher wages, with plans like making two years of community college free for every responsible student. And we’ll keep building the world’s most attractive economy for high-wage jobs, with new investments in research, infrastructure, manufacturing, and expanded access to faster internet and new markets.

The Administration also announced that the President’s budget will also request a historic $1 billion to create a new initiative to promote prosperity, security and good governance in Central America. Last summer, when thousands of unaccompanied minors and families came to our southwest border, it reminded us that the entire Western Hemisphere suffers the consequences when these young people are not presented with opportunity.

The Administration also announced that the President’s budget will also request a historic $1 billion to create a new initiative to promote prosperity, security and good governance in Central America. As we were reminded last summer when thousands of unaccompanied children showed up on our Southwest border, the security and prosperity of Central America are inextricably linked with our own.

The President asked the Vice President to undertake this initiative. For the first time, we can envision and work toward having the Americas be overwhelmingly middle class, democratic and secure.

And the President will keep doing everything he can to help more working families make ends meet and get ahead.

That’s the way the middle class thrived in the last century – and that’s how it’ll thrive again.

Thanks, and have a great weekend.

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