Watch President Obama sit down with Vox to talk about the goals of his foreign policy.
"We’ve got to put politics aside, pass a budget that funds our national security priorities at home and abroad and gives middle-class families the security they need to get ahead in the new economy." —President Obama on his 2016 budget
President Obama just released his 2016 budget. Check it out on Medium.
"We have risen from recession freer to write our own future than any other nation on Earth." —President Obama on his plan to help more Americans get ahead. Check out his preview of the budget he's sending to Congress.
"We saved an economy that was on the brink of depression. We've created 11 million new jobs. We've doubled clean energy. We've reduced pollution. We've made sure that more young people can go to college. We have given now so far 10 million people health insurance that didn't have it before, and that's going to grow over time. We have ended two wars in a responsible way." —President Obama to YouTube creator GloZell
Good news: The unemployment rate is the lowest it's been in 6 years, but there's still more work to do.
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Let’s talk about clean energy and steps we’re taking to combat climate change. We’re making the government’s largest-ever investment in renewable energy, an investment aimed at doubling the generating capacity from wind power, solar energy, and other renewable sources over the next three years.
Across America, entrepreneurs are building wind turbines and solar panels and batteries for hybrid cars with the help of loan guarantees and tax credits, projects that are creating new jobs and new industries. These investments are good for our economy, they’re good for the environment, and they’re an important piece of President Obama’s plan to act on climate change.
Oh, and they’re also good for the grandkids I hope to have someday! (Hint, hint to my daughters if they read this.)
Check out how President Obama's unprecedented investments in clean energy are helping to combat climate change.
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Let’s take a step back and remember what our health care system was like just a few years ago. Back in 2009, when I had just started working at the White House, one of our top concerns was the fact that companies and families worried constantly about the rising cost of health care.
Thanks in large part to President Obama’s efforts to pass the Affordable Care Act, health care spending in America has been growing at historically low rates over the past few years. That’s helping to increase workers’ take-home pay and cut costs for businesses.
The average premium for employer-provided family coverage grew by just 3% in 2014, tying 2010 for the slowest rate on record, and down from double-digit increases in the 2000s. If premium growth had continued at the rate we saw last decade, the average premium for employer coverage would have been $1,800 higher in 2014. That’s a lot of money that stays in your pocket!
So the Affordable Care Act is saving millions of Americans money, including my daughter who’s a recent college grad and is able to stay on my health care plan as she gets her career started.
Check out the ILoveCharts Tumblr for a breakdown of how health care spending in America has been growing at historically low rates.
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Hey everyone! I’m Cecilia Muñoz, Director of President Obama’s Domestic Policy Council, and I’ll be taking over I Love Charts today to break down some of the current trends in our economy, and what they mean for you.
Every issue we work on affects our country’s economic growth, and just like the President, we spend every day thinking about ways we can expand opportunity for more Americans and help strengthen the middle class.
So what does that actually mean? Whether we’re promoting access to education to help more young people afford college and get a good job, or investing in clean energy like wind and solar power, we’re focused on growing our economy in ways that help YOU! And every American.
This morning we got some very good news: Our businesses added 236,000 jobs last month, and are now on pace for their strongest year of job growth since 1998. Our unemployment rate dropped to 5.9%, the lowest it’s been since July 2008. That’s a big deal, but we’ve got to keep at it so more families feel the impact of the progress we’re making.
I really do love charts, because they show policy wonks like me the real impact that our decisions have over time. But for me, it’s all about what these charts mean for my daughters’ lives. So if you love charts as much as I do, follow along over the course of the day!
President Obama made the case at NorthwesternU yesterday for how America's economic greatness has always fueled its leadership. Today, Cecilia Muñoz, Director of the President's Domestic Policy Council, is taking over ILoveCharts for a look at charts and graphs that lay out the progress we've made and where we're going.
"I’m always willing to work with anyone, Democrat or Republican, to get things done." —President Obama at NorthwesternU on working with Congress to expand opportunity for more middle-class families
The White House pushes for young Americans to pursue STEM field research careers, but does not simultaneously create more STEM jobs by setting aside funding for that research. Instead, it anually proposes to cut the budget of many national labs by significant amounts. Why?
The President has been clear about the need for investing in research and careers in STEM. For example, the President’s budget this year called for significant investments in biomedical research, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing. And he’s set forth a goal of preparing 100,000 STEM teachers over the next decade.
Though unemployment has gone down, many of the jobs that have been created don't offer a livable wage. What are you doing to spur the creation of higher-quality jobs?
This is exactly what the President talked about today at Northwestern. I encourage you to check that out. Bottom line is that we need to be investing in good jobs in areas like manufacturing, infrastructure and innovation. We need to make sure Americans have the skills and education they need for those jobs. We also need to raise the minimum wage.
I am terrified of college. Not because of its rigor, or the social interaction that occurs on campus, but because of the massive debt involved, even with scholarships. I was afraid to go to college because of this reason, and I'm still afraid to continue college, because I don't want to be under crippling debt for the rest of my life. What do you think about the outrageous tuition rates we witness today? If you are against high tuition rates, what will you attempt to do in order to lower them?
First of all, I just want to say that while I know it may be tough, you should have no doubt that college is an important investment. When you look at your long-term earnings, getting a degree is as important as ever. And as I think about this problem as an economic adviser to the President, it’s crucial to the health of our economy that people pursue higher education.
But to make that possible, we know college needs to be affordable. So that’s why we’ve made historic investments in areas like Pell Grants and tax credits for students, which will help you pay for college. We’ve put out a plan to help students understand which schools provide the best value, which should help pressure universities to keep costs down. And we’ve worked to keep student loan rates while offering the Pay as You Earn program, which caps student loan payments at 10 percent of income.
I could go on, but the President says it best. Check out his Tumblr Q&A on college affordability here.
How does the ACA effect job growth on small businesses?
There’s a few reasons why the Affordable Care Act is a good deal for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Before the Affordable Care Act, many workers faced what economists call “job lock” – they could only get affordable coverage through their jobs, so the idea of striking out on their own as an entrepreneur wasn’t possible. Now, entrepreneurs can make the decision to start their own business without fear that they won’t be able to find secure, affordable health insurance.
Beyond that, the Affordable Care Act not only provides tax credits to help small businesses cover their workers, but it is also contributing to a dramatic slowdown in the growth of health care costs, which is making it easier for small firms to hire and pay a good wage. According to one recent survey (http://kff.org/health-costs/report/2014-employer-health-benefits-survey/ ) the average premium for family coverage offered by small firms increased this year at the slowest rate since the survey began in 1999 – and less than one-fifth the average rate over the decade before the Affordable Care Act became law.
Submit your questions about the economy now using the White House ask box. Jeff Zients, the Director of the National Economic Council, will answer them right here at 3:30pm ET, after the President’s speech at Northwestern.
Our businesses are in the longest streak of job growth in our history, but we need to do more to expand opportunity to more middle-class families. Tune in at 2:15pm ET as President Obama speaks at NorthwesternU on a new foundation for our economy.
Got questions about where we are and where we're going? Tell us in the White House's ask box, and Jeff Zients, the Director of the National Economic Council, will answer them here at 3:30pm ET, after the President's speech.