English subtitles for clip: File:2009-11-21 President Obama's Weekly Address.ogv
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1 00:00:05,734 --> 00:00:06,667 The President: Hi. 2 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:09,065 I'm recording this message from Seoul, South Korea, 3 00:00:09,066 --> 00:00:12,000 as I finish up my first presidential trip to Asia. 4 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:14,834 As we emerge from the worst recession in generations, 5 00:00:14,834 --> 00:00:17,767 there is nothing more important than to do everything we can to 6 00:00:17,767 --> 00:00:21,133 get our economy moving again and put Americans back to work, 7 00:00:21,133 --> 00:00:24,000 and I will go anywhere to pursue that goal. 8 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,367 That's one of the main reasons I took this trip. 9 00:00:26,367 --> 00:00:30,100 Asia is a region where we now buy more goods and do more trade 10 00:00:30,100 --> 00:00:32,200 than any other place in the world -- 11 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:35,266 commerce that supports millions of jobs back home. 12 00:00:35,266 --> 00:00:38,166 It's also a place where the risk of a nuclear arms race threatens 13 00:00:38,166 --> 00:00:41,000 our security, and where extremists plan attacks on 14 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:42,700 American soil. 15 00:00:42,700 --> 00:00:45,000 And since this region includes some of the fastest-growing 16 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,967 nations, there can be no solution to the challenge of 17 00:00:47,967 --> 00:00:52,199 climate change without the cooperation of the Asia Pacific. 18 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,300 With this in mind, I traveled to Asia to open up a new era of 19 00:00:55,300 --> 00:00:56,867 American engagement. 20 00:00:56,867 --> 00:00:59,599 We made progress with China and Russia in sending a unified 21 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,900 message to Iran and North Korea that they must live up to their 22 00:01:02,900 --> 00:01:06,767 international obligations and either forsake nuclear weapons 23 00:01:06,767 --> 00:01:08,734 or face the consequences. 24 00:01:08,734 --> 00:01:11,467 As the two largest consumers and producers of energy, 25 00:01:11,467 --> 00:01:15,033 we developed a host of new clean energy initiatives with China, 26 00:01:15,033 --> 00:01:17,734 and our two nations agreed to work toward a successful outcome 27 00:01:17,734 --> 00:01:21,133 at the upcoming climate summit in Copenhagen -- 28 00:01:21,133 --> 00:01:23,399 an outcome that leads to immediate action to reduce 29 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:25,066 carbon pollution. 30 00:01:25,066 --> 00:01:28,667 And I spoke to young men and women at a town hall in Shanghai 31 00:01:28,667 --> 00:01:31,533 and across the Internet about certain values that we in 32 00:01:31,533 --> 00:01:35,400 America believe are universal: the freedom of worship and 33 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,500 speech; the right to access information and to choose one's 34 00:01:38,500 --> 00:01:40,200 own leaders. 35 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:42,934 But above all, I spoke with leaders in every nation I 36 00:01:42,934 --> 00:01:46,800 visited about what we can do to sustain this economic recovery 37 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:50,100 and bring back jobs and prosperity for our people -- 38 00:01:50,100 --> 00:01:53,467 a task I will continue to focus on relentlessly in the weeks and 39 00:01:53,467 --> 00:01:55,166 months ahead. 40 00:01:55,166 --> 00:01:57,899 This recession has taught us that we can't return to 41 00:01:57,900 --> 00:02:01,266 a situation where America's economic growth is fueled by 42 00:02:01,266 --> 00:02:03,800 consumers who take out more and more debt. 43 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,265 In order to keep growing, we need to spend less, save more, 44 00:02:07,266 --> 00:02:09,867 and get our federal deficit under control. 45 00:02:09,866 --> 00:02:13,033 We also need to place a greater emphasis on exports that we can 46 00:02:13,033 --> 00:02:15,533 build, produce, and sell to other nations -- 47 00:02:15,533 --> 00:02:19,100 exports that can help create new jobs at home and raise living 48 00:02:19,100 --> 00:02:21,200 standards throughout the world. 49 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:24,466 For example, if we can increase our exports to Asia Pacific 50 00:02:24,467 --> 00:02:28,133 nations by just 5%, we can increase the number of American 51 00:02:28,133 --> 00:02:32,033 jobs supported by these exports by hundreds of thousands. 52 00:02:32,033 --> 00:02:34,367 This is already happening with businesses like American 53 00:02:34,367 --> 00:02:37,767 Superconductor Corporation, an energy technology startup based 54 00:02:37,767 --> 00:02:40,934 in Massachusetts that's been providing wind power and smart 55 00:02:40,934 --> 00:02:44,867 grid systems to countries like China, Korea, and India. 56 00:02:44,867 --> 00:02:49,166 By doing so, it's added more than 100 jobs over the last few years. 57 00:02:49,166 --> 00:02:53,533 Increasing our exports is one way to create new jobs and new prosperity. 58 00:02:53,533 --> 00:02:55,899 But as we emerge from a recession that has left millions 59 00:02:55,900 --> 00:02:58,800 without work, we have an obligation to consider every 60 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:02,400 additional, responsible step we can take to encourage and 61 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:05,066 accelerate job creation in this country. 62 00:03:05,066 --> 00:03:07,133 That's why I've announced that in the next few weeks, 63 00:03:07,133 --> 00:03:10,533 we'll be holding a forum at the White House on jobs and economic growth. 64 00:03:10,533 --> 00:03:13,065 I want to hear from CEOs and small business owners, 65 00:03:13,066 --> 00:03:15,500 economists and financial experts, 66 00:03:15,500 --> 00:03:18,400 as well as representatives from labor unions and nonprofit 67 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:21,967 groups, about what they think we can do to spur hiring and get 68 00:03:21,967 --> 00:03:24,266 this economy moving again. 69 00:03:24,266 --> 00:03:26,999 It's important that we don't make any ill-considered decisions -- 70 00:03:26,999 --> 00:03:28,934 even with the best of intentions -- 71 00:03:28,934 --> 00:03:31,834 particularly at a time when our resources are so limited. 72 00:03:31,834 --> 00:03:35,433 But it's just as important that we are open to any demonstrably 73 00:03:35,433 --> 00:03:38,466 good idea to supplement the steps we've already taken to put 74 00:03:38,467 --> 00:03:40,266 America back to work. 75 00:03:40,266 --> 00:03:42,733 That's what I hope to achieve in this forum. 76 00:03:42,734 --> 00:03:45,333 Still, there's no forum or policy that can bring all the 77 00:03:45,333 --> 00:03:47,700 jobs we've lost overnight. 78 00:03:47,700 --> 00:03:50,333 I wish there were, because so many Americans -- 79 00:03:50,333 --> 00:03:53,066 friends, neighbors, family members -- 80 00:03:53,066 --> 00:03:55,233 are desperately looking for work. 81 00:03:55,233 --> 00:03:56,734 But even though it will take time, 82 00:03:56,734 --> 00:03:59,734 I can promise you this: we are moving in the right direction; 83 00:03:59,734 --> 00:04:02,066 that the steps we are taking are helping; 84 00:04:02,066 --> 00:04:05,533 and I will not let up until businesses start hiring again, 85 00:04:05,533 --> 00:04:07,833 unemployed Americans start working again, 86 00:04:07,834 --> 00:04:10,900 and we rebuild this economy stronger and more prosperous 87 00:04:10,900 --> 00:04:12,734 than it was before. 88 00:04:12,734 --> 00:04:15,800 That has been the focus of our efforts these past ten months -- 89 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:19,500 and it will continue to be our focus in the months and years to come. 90 00:04:19,500 --> 00:04:20,533 Thanks.