The White House Blog: All
Racine Leaders Discuss the Economy with White House
Posted byon July 8, 2011 at 7:49 PM EDTOne year ago, President Obama traveled to Racine, Wisconsin to hold a town hall on the economy. During the town hall, the President talked about extending unemployment benefits and helping small business owners get the loans they need to keep their doors open and hire more workers. He listened to the people of Racine as they requested help in weathering the mortgage crisis, asked what the White House could do to help military families, and strongly recommended that he try O&H Kringle and the Johnsonville bratwurst while he was in town.
On Wednesday, thanks to video-conferencing technology, we had the chance to check back in with Racine during the White House Intergovernmental Affairs team's first Virtual Town Hall. Racine Mayor John Dickert kicked off our discussion by promising that Racine’s famous Kringles are 100% fat free and recalling the President’s significant Kringle purchase during last year’s visit. But the real goal of the teleconference was to hear from Mayor John Dickert and Racine business and community leaders on the state of the Racine economy and better understand how businesses there are faring in the recovery.
Learn more about EconomyChanging the Conversation on Immigration Reform
Posted byon July 8, 2011 at 7:15 PM EDTA few weeks ago, I went back home to Los Angeles to host a conversation on immigration reform. More than 300 people packed the auditorium at East Los Angeles College (ELAC).
The immigration issue in communities like this one is about a lot more than numbers. For families in this neighborhood, it represents a daily struggle guided by great uncertainty, anxiety, and fear.
I was raised by immigrant parents in a town about fifteen minutes from ELAC, so I’m familiar with this story. Not surprisingly, many in the audience were, too. I heard about families being separated because of our broken immigration laws; about fearful workers who had been treated terribly; and about brilliant students, with big dreams who can’t make them come true. It broke my heart. It made me think about my story – about the people who raised me and how much they’ve meant to my life.
Storytelling is one way to learn about the immigration issue, one way to connect with it, and with each other. Stories help link our commonality – our common struggles, goals and victories. Stories bring us closer as people. But they also provide a unique framework from which to better make the case for building a 21st century immigration reform.
Learn more about ImmigrationCouncil on Women and Girls Friday Highlights
Posted byon July 8, 2011 at 7:01 PM EDTWelcome to the Council on Women and Girls Weekly Highlights! In celebration of Independence Day, the First Family joined more than 1,200 military heroes and their families for a barbeque, a special USO show featuring Train and Amos Lee, and a viewing of the fireworks over the National Mall.
This week, President Obama answered a series of questions on jobs and the economy at the first-ever Twitter Town Hall at the White House. The President stated that progress has been made, and though we still need to work through some real differences, that even greater progress is within reach.
If you have friends or family who would like to join our Council on Women and Girls efforts, please have them click here.
Fourth of July Celebration at the White House
Video| President Obama @ Twitter Town Hall: Economy, Jobs, Deficit, and Space Exploration
We Will Honor All Those Who Have FallenWhat You Can Do to Support Military Families
Council on Veterans Employment Meets to Discuss the Way Forward
The Departments of Justice and Education Resolve Gender-Based Harassment Case
Woman Business Owner Creates Clean Energy Jobs By Being Bold
President Obama Addresses the Status of the Deficit Negotiations
The Employment Situation in June
Mile High City with Mountains of Ideas
Health Insurance Leads to Healthier Americans
West Wing Week: "Ready to Tweet!"
Learn more about WomenVA’s National Veteran Small Business Conference: Building Partnerships
Posted byon July 8, 2011 at 6:16 PM EDTBefore starting my job at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), I had no idea about the link that exists between Veterans and small business. Now, after having been immersed in the world of small business for the past couple of months, I can see that VA’s success in caring for “those who have borne the battle” is very much reliant on our ability to work with and support the Veteran-owned small business community.
Nearly 2.5 million businesses in the United States are now Veteran-owned, representing nine percent of all U.S. firms. This statistic confirms what VA and the Obama Administration already know – small businesses (particularly Veteran-owned small businesses) are the backbone of America.
Learn more about VeteransWeekly Wrap Up: Making History with a Tweet
Posted byon July 8, 2011 at 6:14 PM EDTThis week on WhiteHouse.gov, we celebrated our Independence and introduced a new kind of Town Hall meeting.
@TownHall: The President held the first ever Twitter Town Hall on Wednesday. He answered questions posted on the social network covering a variety of topics, including the economy, job creation and the deficit. Watch the video above, or check out individual questions with video links to the President's responses. You can also read the full remarks here.
West Wing Week features some behind-the-scenes footage of the historic event:"Ready to Tweet"
Space Shuttle Atlantis: The President hails the brave crew of Atlantis as they successfully launch the Space Shuttle's final mission. He challenges the men and women of NASA to break new boundaries in space exploration and send an American team to Mars.
Learn more about Economy, Additional IssuesLaying the Foundation for Economic Success, Brick by Brick
Posted byon July 8, 2011 at 6:12 PM EDTFrank Cordie grew up across the river from St. Louis, MO in Belleville, IL. After college, he took his first job at a refractory plant in Mexico, MO – the Fire Brick Capital of the World, and home to a leading refractory manufacturing company, A.P. Green Refractories. Frank spent the next 25 years working in the brick-manufacturing industry, managing several plants for multiple companies. Frank eventually returned to Mexico, MO as the Vice President of Manufacturing for A.P. Green. By the late 1990s, A.P. Green had been purchased by another company, and the refractory industry in the U.S. had consolidated to just a few manufacturers. Frank’s position meant he was responsible for, among other things, consolidating production and closing plants where necessary. The A.P. Green factory, a cornerstone of the Mexico community, was shuttered in 2002.
Learn more about EconomyMedicaid: More than Just Numbers
Posted byon July 8, 2011 at 4:26 PM EDTIt’s no secret that our country is in the middle of a tough dialogue about the budget and spending. President Obama knows that the American people and ordinary families should be at the heart of these discussions.
In recent days, White House officials have been meeting with organizations like The Arc, MomsRising, and Family Voices to discuss the important role Medicaid plays in the lives of millions of Americans. They heard from parents of children with developmental, intellectual and physical disabilities who told us about Medicaid providing the services and supports so their children could thrive in the community when no one had given them a chance. They heard from mothers who would go without health care but for Medicaid and families where Medicaid has helped change and save lives.
The families we met and the stories they told put a human face on the discussions going on in Washington. From Family Voices we met Laura, a passionate young girl and aspiring author from Indiana. Through MomsRising we met Gail from Utah who would not be here today without the support Medicaid provided as she dealt with breast cancer . And through The Arc we met the Keaton family of West Virginia and their 18-month-old son Graysen, who has DiGeorge Syndrome.
We know that Medicaid helps provide services so that people with disabilities can be sisters, and brothers, daughters and sons, friends, peers, and classmates -- not patients. And yesterday, Sherry Glied from HHS wrote about a landmark new study that outlines the tremendous benefits that come from having Medicaid coverage. That’s why President Obama has proposed a package of reforms that save money and strengthen this critical program without shifting the cost of care to our seniors or people with disabilities.
Medicaid can be more efficient and the President’s plan helps streamline the program to save money and provide better care. But the President’s plan stands in sharp contrast to the Republican plan that transforms Medicaid into a dramatically underfunded block grant. Under the Republican plan, states would get one-third less for Medicaid by 2021, potentially leaving 15 million people without coverage, including seniors in nursing homes, people with disabilities, children and pregnant women.
The families my colleagues met with traveled many miles to share their stories with us and as the discussion about our fiscal future continues, we will be doing all we can to fight for them and the millions of Americans who depend on Medicaid each and every day.
Jon Carson is Deputy Assistant to President and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement
Learn more about Health CareA Busy Month With Spain
Posted byon July 8, 2011 at 4:07 PM EDTIt has been a busy month in our engagement with Spain, one of the United States’ closest allies and friends.
On June 2nd – 3rd, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Francisco Sanchez, Undersecretary for International Trade at Commerce, were in Oviedo for the annual U.S. –Spain Council forum, a platform for government and business representatives to come together and discuss trade and investment. U.S. –Spain commercial ties, already impressive, are expanding: Spain is now the second-fastest growing investor in the United States in sectors such as infrastructure, financial services and renewable energy.
Learn more about Foreign PolicyTravels with the First Lady: A Remarkable Journey in Africa
Posted byon July 8, 2011 at 3:58 PM EDTAs we set out for Africa we knew we were in for a remarkable journey. We knew we would visit historical and sacred sites, and meet with inspirational leaders. And while these events were truly extraordinary, the moments that defined the trip were those we shared with young people who are shaping their countries in Africa, and organizations that are working to strengthen communities. I want to highlight some of the amazing organizations we visited, and share some of the stories behind the events you saw unfold.
Getting the American People the Security and Opportunity that they Deserve
Posted byon July 8, 2011 at 2:46 PM EDT"What matters most to Americans, and what matters most to me as President, in the wake of the worst downturn in our lifetimes, is getting our economy on a sounder footing more broadly so the American people can have the security they deserve," President Obama said this morning in remarks on the latest jobs numbers.
Watch the video below, read the full remarks and read the blog post by Austan Goolsbee, Chairman of Council of Economic Advisers.
Learn more about Economy
White House Blogs
- The White House Blog
- Middle Class Task Force
- Council of Economic Advisers
- Council on Environmental Quality
- Council on Women and Girls
- Office of Management and Budget
- Office of Public Engagement
- Office of Science & Tech Policy
- Office of Urban Affairs
- Open Government
- Faith and Neighborhood Partnerships
- Social Innovation and Civic Participation
- US Trade Representative
- Office National Drug Control Policy