Obama blasts Republicans at Wisconsin town hall meeting

By Cat Viglienzoni - June 30, 2010

 

President Obama lashed out at Republicans today, saying they are out-of-touch with the problems Americans face daily. He also accused them of siding with big business and obstructing what he views as commonsense legislation.

 

In a campaign-style town hall speech in Racine, Wisconsin, Obama said he remains unsatisfied with the low rate of economic growth and high unemployment, which was forecasted to rise again for this month. Obama also called the federal deficit a "very real and legitimate concern."

 

"All of us should be worried about the fact that we have been running the credit card in the name of future generations, and somebody's going to have to pay that back," Obama said after being asked about stimulus spending.

 

Obama also criticized recent gaffes by Republican House members Joe Barton and John Boehner. Barton came under fire for his apology to BP over the $20 billion fund for oil spill damages, while Boehner called the Wall Street reform bill similar to "using a nuclear weapon to target an ant." He issued a statement later saying he was trying to convey that he feels the bill will make the situation worse.

 

Obama touted the reform bill as necessary to prevent another Wall Street crisis like the one that led to the recession. The bill is close to final passage from Congress.

 

Obama also brought up trade issues. Racine, which has a 14 percent unemployment rate, is an example of an area hard-hit by the economic downturn. He said he has pressured countries like China to make sure their currency isn't deliberately undervalued to give them the advantage of cheaper exports - which sends jobs overseas.

 

"We've got to make sure that countries we're trading with are being fair. I believe in free trade," Obama said. "For example, if China has a currency that's undervalued, that makes our exports more expensive. It makes their imports cheaper. So we've been putting pressure on them to say, you know what, let's make sure that we're not favoring one side or the other in this trade deal."

 

Obama also addressed GOP criticism that he will expand the role of government and burden taxpayers, saying he does not believe the federal government can solve all the nation's problems but certain programs, like Social Security, require government intervention.

 

(Photo courtesy: AP Images)