Obama: ‘Government Generally Is Something…We Have to Work for…Fight for…Invest in Every Single Day’
President Barack Obama told members of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in a speech at the White House on Thursday [1] that “government generally is something” we have to “fight for.”
“Unlike, sometimes, government officials at other levels, mayors understand that the services and the effectiveness of local government and government generally is something that we can’t take for granted, that we have to work for and fight for and invest in every single day,” Obama said.
“Mayors can’t wait for Congress,” Obama said in the speech. “Mayors can’t get stuck in partisan gridlock.”
“And that’s why I think on so many issues--from fighting for working families to combatting climate change, to expanding high-tech jobs, to increasing the minimum wage--we have been able to work together to get a lot of things done,” said Obama.
Here is an excerpt from Obama’s address to the mayors [1]:
"Mayors can’t wait for Congress. Mayors can’t get stuck in partisan gridlock. We’ve got Republican mayors here and Democratic mayors, but frankly, if you’re a mayor, nobody cares what your party is, they care what you’re getting done. You don’t have time for a lot of bluster and baloney. Your constituents expect results.
"And that’s why I think on so many issues -- from fighting for working families to combatting climate change, to expanding high-tech jobs, to increasing the minimum wage -- we have been able to work together to get a lot of things done. In fact, about 40 cities and counties have taken action to raise the minimum wage. Forty have taken action on paid family leave and paid sick leave. Twenty cities and counties are competing in our Healthy Communities Challenge to get more uninsured folks signed up for health coverage. From Little Rock to San Diego, cities are putting people to work retrofitting buildings so that they’re more energy efficient. Earlier today, my administration announced that we are going to award 13 cities, states and counties $1 billion to help build more climate resilient communities.
"And unlike, sometimes, government officials at other levels, mayors understand that the services and the effectiveness of local government and government generally is something that we can’t take for granted, that we have to work for and fight for and invest in every single day.
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