State of the Union Addresses of Barack Obama, 2009-2016Obama, Barack
General
State of the Union Addresses of Barack Obama, 2009-2016
Obama, Barack
Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
So what does middle class economics require in our time? First, middle
class economics means helping working families feel more secure in a
world of constant change. That means helping folks afford childcare,
college, health care, a home, retirement. And my budget will address
each of these issues, lowering the taxes of working families and
putting thousands of dollars back into their pockets each year.
Here's one example. During World War II, when men like my grandfather
went off to war, having women like my grandmother in the workforce was
a national security priority, so this country provided universal
childcare. In today's economy, when having both parents in the
workforce is an economic necessity for many families, we need
affordable, high-quality childcare more than ever.
It's not a nice-to-have, it's a must-have. So it's time we stop
treating childcare as a side issue, or as a women's issue, and treat it
like the national economic priority that it is for all of us. And
that's why my plan will make quality childcare more available and more
affordable for every middle class and low-income family with young
children in America, by creating more slots and a new tax cut of up to
$3,000 per child, per year.
Here's another example. Today, we are the only advanced country on
Earth that doesn't guarantee paid sick leave or paid maternity leave to
our workers. Forty-three million workers have no paid sick leave--43
million. Think about that. And that forces too many parents to make the
gut-wrenching choice between a paycheck and a sick kid at home. So I'll
be taking new action to help States adopt paid leave laws of their own.
And since paid sick leave won where it was on the ballot last November,
let's put it to a vote right here in Washington. Send me a bill that
gives every worker in America the opportunity to earn 7 days of paid
sick leave. It's the right thing to do. [Applause] It's the right thing
to do.
Of course, nothing helps families make ends meet like higher wages.
That's why this Congress still needs to pass a law that makes sure a
woman is paid the same as a man for doing the same work. I mean, it's
2015. [Laughter] It's time. We still need to make sure employees get
the overtime they've earned. And to everyone in this Congress who still
refuses to raise the minimum wage, I say this: If you truly believe you
could work full time and support a family on less than $15,000 a year,
try it. If not, vote to give millions of the hardest working people in
America a raise.
Now, these ideas won't make everybody rich, won't relieve every
hardship. That's not the job of government. To give working families a
fair shot, we still need more employers to see beyond next quarter's
earnings and recognize that investing in their workforce is in their
company's long-term interest. We still need laws that strengthen rather
than weaken unions, and give American workers a voice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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