Oct 22, 2011 10:38 a.m.
US President Barack Obama said Saturday that the death of Moamar Ghadafi in Libya and the announcement that American troops will return home from Iraq by the end of the year were "strong reminders" that the US had renewed its leadership in the world.
But he added that America now needed to focus on strengthening the economy and security at home, and urged congress to pass his $447 billion jobs plan.
"We have to tackle this challenge with the same urgency and unity that our troops brought to their fight," Obama said in his weekly address. "That's why we have to do everything in our power to get our economy moving again. That's why I'm calling on Congress to pass the American Jobs Act, so we can rebuild our country."
He said he was proud to announce that US troops would be home from Iraq by the end of the year, and added that helping Libyans "break free from a tyrant" was the "right thing to do," but now it was time to focus on revitalizing the economy.
"Over the past decade, we spent a trillion dollars on war, borrowed heavily from overseas and invested too little in the greatest source of our national strength -- our own people," he said. "Now, the nation we need to build is our own."
In the Republican response, Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said the way to rebuild the American economy was not to spend more money but to stop over-regulation, simplify the tax code and lower federal spending.
"Some in Washington, including the President, are suggesting that we simply spend more money. We've already tried that -- it did not spur job growth then, and it won't now," he said.
"This lack of fiscal discipline is unsustainable and cannot continue -- you know it, and I know it.," Burr added. "The longer we kick the can down the road, the more difficult it will be to address our real problems and spur real job growth."
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