Remarks by the President on Monthly Unemployment Numbers

.  It will not add one dime to our deficit.  So, put simply, this piece of legislation is good for workers; it’s good for small business people; it’s good for our economy.  And yet, Republicans in the Senate have blocked this bill — a needless delay that has led small business owners across this country to put off hiring, put off expanding, and put off plans that will make our economy stronger. 

I’ve repeated since I ran for office, there is no silver bullet that is going to solve all of our economic problems overnight.  But there are certain steps that we know will make a meaningful difference for small businessmen and women, who are the primary drivers of job creation.  There are certain measures that we know will advance our recovery.  This small business jobs bill is one of them.

And I’m confident that if we’re willing to put partisanship aside and be the leaders the American people need us to be, if we’re willing to do what’s next not for the — what’s best not for the next election, but for the next generation, then we are not only going to see America’s hardworking families and America’s small businesses bounce back, but we’ll rebuild America’s economy stronger than it’s been before.

Thank you very much.

Q    Mr. President, what are the other incentives that you mentioned Monday, sir?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I will be addressing a broader package of ideas next week.  We are confident that we are moving in the right direction, but we want to keep this recovery moving stronger and accelerate the job growth that’s needed so desperately all across the country.

Q    What about a poverty agenda, Mr. President?  What about a poverty agenda for all classes –

Q    Mr. President, to what degree to you regret the administration’s decision to call this “Recovery Summer”?

THE PRESIDENT:  I don’t regret the notion that we are moving forward because of the steps that we’ve taken.  And I’m going to have a press conference next week where, after you guys are able to hear where we’re at, we’ll be able to answer some specific questions. 

But the key point I’m making right now is that the economy is moving in a positive direction.  Jobs are being created.  They’re just not being created as fast as they need to, given the big hole that we experienced.  And we’re going to have to continue to work with Republicans and Democrats to come up with ideas that can further accelerate that job growth.

I’m confident that we can do that.  And the evidence that we’ve seen during the course of this summer and over the course of the last 18 months indicate that we’re moving in the right direction.  We just have to speed it up.

All right?  Thank you very much, everybody.

END
10:22 A.M. EDT