[Peace-discuss] More Mush from the Wimp

[C. G. Estabrook]

[The subject line is a famous headline that appeared in the Boston Globe during 
the Carter administration, over a straightforward account of a speech by the 
president. A late friend, a sub-editor at the Globe working nights, had applied 
the headline to the article, written by another reporter, intending to remove it 
before the paper went to bed. You can see what happened. In fact, it didn't cost 
him his job (he was a good reporter) - just a severe talking-to about the 
problems of telling the truth in the US press. --CGE]


Barack Obama: Jobs a priority in 2011
By CAROL E. LEE | 1/1/11

HONOLULU — President Barack Obama began the new year with a fresh promise to 
make jobs his top priority in 2011, even as he expressed optimism the nation has 
been “riding a few months of economic news that suggests our recovery is gaining 
traction.

“And our most important task now is to keep that recovery going,” Obama said in 
his weekly address. “As president, that’s my commitment to you: to do everything 
I can to make sure our economy is growing, creating jobs and strengthening our 
middle class. That’s my resolution for the coming year.”

Obama, who returns to Washington from his Hawaiian holiday vacation on Jan. 4, 
warned that building a robust economy will take time but argued that both 
parties must work together to achieve long-term economic growth. Bipartisan 
teamwork, he said, is even more important given Republican gains in Congress, 
and he used the address to position himself in the new political environment in 
Washington.

“In a few days, a new Congress will form, with one house controlled by 
Democrats, and one house controlled by Republicans — who now have a shared 
responsibility to move this country forward,” the president said. “And here’s 
what I want you to know: I’m willing to work with anyone of either party who’s 
got a good idea and the commitment to see it through. And we should all expect 
you to hold us accountable for our progress or our failure to deliver.”

Republicans, for their part, cast their gains in Congress — control of the House 
and increased numbers in the Senate — as “a new chapter for our country and our 
party.”

“We’re keenly aware that the American people are relying on us to change 
business as usual in Washington — and we’re well-positioned to do just that,” 
said Sen.-elect Kelly Ayotte (RN.H), who delivered the weekly address for the 
GOP. “The American people sent us to Congress with clear instructions: make 
government smaller, not bigger. And stop spending money we don’t have on 
programs that aren’t working. It’s now our responsibility to carry out the will 
of the people.”

But Obama and congressional Republicans appear to have different top priorities. 
Kelly listed the GOP’s “job one” as “to stop wasteful Washington spending.”

“To ensure generations to come have even more opportunities than we've had, 
Congress must get serious about meaningful debt reduction,” she said.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0111/46934.html#ixzz19tr3HMhq