By Jueseppi B.

President Obama Makes a Statement on the Sequester

President Obama held a press conference this morning after meeting with Congressional leaders to talk about his plans to move the country forward in light of the severe budget cuts that will start to take effect today.

These cuts, which are known as the sequester, will hurt our economy and cost us jobs, the President said. And as Americans all across the country work hard to keep our economic recovery going, arbitrary cuts to services and investments that businesses and workers depend on makes that far more difficult.

President Barack Obama delivers a statement and answers questions regarding the sequester budget cuts, in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, following his meeting with Congressional leadership, March 1, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

But none of this is necessary, President Obama said. These cuts are “happening because of a choice that Republicans in Congress have made.”

They’ve allowed these cuts to happen because they refuse to budge on closing a single wasteful loophole to help reduce the deficit. As recently as yesterday, they decided to protect special interest tax breaks for the well-off and well-connected, and they think that that’s apparently more important than protecting our military or middle-class families from the pain of these cuts.

I do believe that we can and must replace these cuts with a more balanced approach that asks something from everybody: Smart spending cuts; entitlement reform; tax reform that makes the tax code more fair for families and businesses without raising tax rates –  all so that we can responsibly lower the deficit without laying off workers, or forcing parents to scramble for childcare, or slashing financial aid for college students.

Speaking in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, President Obama vowed that he would continue working with Congress in the coming weeks to find compromise on a balanced approach to replacing these harmful budget cuts:

I’m going to keep on reaching out to them, both individually and as groups of senators or members of the House, and say to them, let’s fix this — not just for a month or two, but for years to come.  Because the greatest nation on Earth does not conduct its business in month-to-month increments, or by careening from crisis to crisis. And America has got a lot more work to do.

The President also promised that the sequester would not affect his plans to move the country forward on other important goals:

There are other areas where we can make progress even with the sequester unresolved. I will continue to push for those initiatives.  I’m going to keep pushing for high-quality preschool for every family that wants it. I’m going to keep pushing to make sure that we raise the minimum wage so that it’s one that families can live on. I’m going to keep on pushing for immigration reform, and reform our voting system, and improvements on our transportation sector. And I’m going to keep pushing for sensible gun reforms because I still think they deserve a vote.

For more information:

• What is the sequester?
• President Obama’s plan to resolve the sequester and reduce the deficit

Published on Mar 1, 2013

• First Lady Michelle Obama Launches Let’s Move Active Schools

First Lady Michelle Obama participates in a “Let’s Move! Active Schools” event with athletes and students at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill., Feb. 28, 2013. The First Lady called on leaders to support schools’ efforts to ensure all kids get the physical activity they need to stay healthy and succeed in school. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

According to First Lady Michelle Obama, Thursday was ”a groundbreaking, earth-shattering, awesomely-inspiring day.” That’s because Mrs. Obama was in Chicago to announce the launch Let’s Move Active Schools, an unprecedented effort to bring physical education back to America’s schools.

The problem is severe — we are raising the most sedentary generation in history. Only six states require P.E. in all grades, and only one in three kids is physically active on a daily basis. In addition to the health risks associated with an inactive lifestyle, including diabetes and obesity, physical activity has been shown to lower anxiety and stress, and figt depression. In addition, physically active kids do better in school, with studies showing that physical activity enhances important skills, like concentration and problem solving, which have been shown to improve academic performance.

Let’s Move! Active Schools is designed to address these challenges by spurring innovative solutions and offering customized support every step of the way. It empowers schools to find free or low-cost ways to incorporate movement before, during, and after the school day. And thanks to funding and other resources being provided by NIKE, Inc., the GENYOUth Foundation, ChildObesity180, Kaiser Permanente, and the General Mills Foundation, schools can connect to grant opportunities, online resources, personal assistance, and hands-on professional development.

The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN) the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD) and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation are the managing organizations guiding the development and implementation of the program.

First Lady Michelle Obama exercises with kids during a “Let’s Move! Active Schools” event at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill., Feb. 28, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

In her remarks at the McCormick Place event, which was part of the Let’s Move 3rd Anniversary Tour, Mrs. Obama said that the initiative is about “so much more” than physical activity. ”This is about giving our kids the structure and support they need to thrive in every single aspect of their lives. It’s about giving them something to strive for, something to hope for, somewhere to belong. And physical activity is a critical part of that broader effort.”

But in speaking to a crowd of more than 6,000 Chicago school kids before kicking off an energetic round of activities, Mrs. Obama made it clear that if the students were inspired by any of the award-winning athletes who joined her on the stage, or by her own example of going from Chicago’s South Side to Pennsylvania Ave., their road ahead was in their own hands.

It is so important for each of you to realize that every day you, and you alone, have the power to choose the life you want for yourself. Whether you spend your day watching TV or whether you use that time to pick up your books and finish your homework — see, that’s your choice. Whether you fill your bodies with chips and candy or fruits and vegetables — see, that’s on you. Whether you sit around all day playing video games or get up and move your bodies — these are all the choices that will determine who you will become and what you can achieve.

 

If you guys remember just one thing from our time today, it’s this: Although I am the First Lady of the United States of America… I am no different from you.

 

Look, I grew up in the same neighborhoods, went to the same schools, faced the same struggles, shared the same hopes and dreams that all of you share. I am you. And the only reason that I am standing up here today is that back when I was your age, I made a set of choices with my life — do you hear me — choices.

 

I chose not to listen to the doubters and the haters. I chose to shut those voices out of my head and listen to my own voice. I chose to ignore any negative things that were happening around me, and instead focus on all the wonderful things I had going on inside of me. I chose to focus on what I could control.

 

So let me tell you what I did. I worked hard in school to get good grades. I listened to my teachers. I behaved in school. I learned from everyone and everything around me. I stayed active. I didn’t do — I did everything that I could to keep my body healthy and fit. I did everything within my power to prepare myself for great things. And eventually all of my work paid off — I went to college, I want to law school. And because I had a good education, I could get a good job so that my family wouldn’t have to worry about money and I could live in a house where my daughters could have their own rooms.

 

And the lesson I learned along the way is that it did not matter where I was from. It didn’t matter how much my parents had. What mattered was how hard I was willing to work, and how deeply I was willing to believe in myself.

 

And one of the main reasons I wanted all of you to be here today with us is that that is true for every single one of the folks up on this stage here today. They can tell you that there is no magic to their achievements. No one waved a wand and turned these folks into champions. They turned themselves into champions by doing the hard work, getting their education, exercising every day, eating healthy, practicing their skills over and over and over again.

 

And we’re all here today to tell you that you can do the same thing.

 

 

 

 

 

Learn more:

• See a slideshow of highlights of the Let’s Move 3rd Anniversary Tour
• Watch a video from the first day of the tour
• Learn more about Let’s Move Active Schools

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