Barack Obama – Ninth President-Elect Weekly Transition Address

Barack Obama
Ninth President-Elect Weekly Transition Address
First Broadcast 3 January 2009As the holiday season comes to end, we’re thankful for family and friends, and all the blessings that make life worth living. But as we mark the beginning of a new year, we also know that America faces great and growing challenges — challenges that threaten our nation’s economy and our dreams for the future. Nearly two million Americans have lost their jobs this past year –and millions more are working harder in jobs that pay less and come with fewer benefits. For too many families, this new year brings new unease and uncertainty as bills pile up, debts continue to mount, and parents worry that their children won’t have the same opportunities they had.However we got here, the problems we face today are not Democratic problems or Republican problems. The dreams of putting a child through college, or staying in your home, or retiring with dignity and security know no boundaries of party or ideology. These are America’s problems, and we must come together as Americans to meet them with the urgency this moment demands. Economists from across the political spectrum agree that if we don’t act swiftly and boldly, we could see a much deeper economic downturn that could lead to double digit unemployment and the American Dream slipping further and further out of reach.