Barack Obama: "There's no reason for Republicans in Congess to stand in the way of more construction projects,"

President Barack Obama comes to Cincinati

By James Sprague | Chief Reporter

Published: Thursday, September 22, 2011

Updated: Thursday, September 22, 2011 22:09

File Art | The News Record

 With the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge overhead and the Brent Spence Bridge in the background, President Barack Obama visited Cincinnati Thursday to stump for the benefits of his announced American Jobs Act while urging members of Congress to pass the bill.
Speaking to a crowd consisting of union members, the unemployed and local politicians including Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, Obama passionately gave spectators the reasons for how his legislation – such as construction projects like the replacement of the Brent Spence Bridge mentioned by the president in his presentation to Congress Sept. 8 – will create more jobs and assist in the rebuilding of the nation's infrastructure is passed.
"We used to have the best infrastructure in the world here in America. We're the country that built the intercontinental railroad and the Interstate highway system. We built the Hoover Dam; we built the Grand Central Station," Obama said. "So how can we now sit back and let China build the best railroads, and let Europe build the best highways, and have Singapore build a nicer airport at a time when we got millions of unemployed construction workers out there just ready to get on the job and ready to do the work of rebuilding America?"
Obama further detailed the proposed legislation in his speech, telling spectators how the plan will create more jobs, slash taxes on small business owners and even the tax burden between the middle- and upper-classes.
He also implored spectators to contact their representatives and urge them to pass the legislation, which led to chants of "pass the bill" from the crowd and the president to question Congress' stance on the plan.
"What's Congress waiting for?" Obama asked. "What's taking so long?"
The president also issued a challenge to Speaker of the House John Boehner and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky – two of the president's staunchest opponents in Congress – to approve the legislation as well.
"There's no reason for Republicans in Congess to stand in the way of more construction projects," the president said. "There's no reason to stand in the way of more jobs. Mr. Boehner, Mr. McConnell, help us rebuild this bridge. Help us rebuild America. Help us put construction workers back to work. Pass this bill."
Boehner, who spoke at UC last week regarding jobs and has compared the president's plan to an act of "class warfare," due to the proposed tax rate changes for the nation's wealthy, told those in attendance Thursday morning at a press conference in Washington that the president's choice of speaking at the Brent Spence was more political than practical.
"Listen, like everyone in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, I know how important the Brent Spence Bridge is to our region," Boehner told reporters. "But you know, now is not the time for the president to go into campaign mode."
Boehner's sentiments were echoed by Mitch McConnell of Kentucky Thursday morning, as he told colleagues on the floor of the Senate that the president had more important things to worry about than a bridge spanning the Ohio River.
"I would suggest, Mr. President, that you think about ways to actually help the people of Kentucky and Ohio, instead of how you can use their roads and bridges as a backdrop for making a political point," McConnell said. "If you're truly interested in helping our state – if you really want to help our state – then come back to Washington and work with Republicans on legislation that will actually do something to revive our economy and create jobs. And forget the political theater."
Regardless of the partisan debate over the American Jobs Act, Ron King, a local steelworker who introduced the president, said the legislation is needed to put the country back on track.
"We know that this is work that desperately needs to be done," King said. "We're asking Congress to support (President Obama) to pass this bill so that we can get to work."

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