President Obama is urging senators to pass the American Jobs Act next week or risk facing an even weaker economy, saying his $447 billion bill will “provide our economy with the jolt that it really needs right now.”  

“This jobs bill can help guard against another downturn here in America,” Obama said today in his weekly address. “This isn’t just my belief.  This is what independent economists have said.  Not just politicians.  Not just people in my administration.  Independent experts who do this for a living have said that this jobs bill will have a significant effect for our economy and middle-class families all across America.  But if we don’t act, the opposite will be true: There will be fewer jobs and weaker growth.” 

The president challenged Republicans in Congress who say they have a better plan to “prove it.” Citing economists who claim Republicans’ proposals would not result in near-term economic growth, the president said, “If their plan doesn’t measure up, the American people deserve to know what it is that Republicans in Congress don’t like about this jobs plan.” 

As for his plan to lower the deficit by asking “millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share,” Obama said, “Some see this as class warfare.  I see it as a simple choice.”

“We can either keep taxes exactly as they are for millionaires and billionaires, or we can ask them to pay at least the same rate as a plumber or a bus driver,” he added, “and in the process we can put teachers and construction workers and veterans back on the job.  We can either fight to protect their tax cuts, or we can cut taxes for virtually every worker and small business in America.  But we can’t afford to do both.  It’s that simple.”