Barack Obama

“ We can afford to make these investments. Since I took office, we’ve cut our deficits by about two-thirds – the fastest sustained deficit reduction since just after the end of World War II. We just have to be smarter about how we pay for our priorities, and that’s what my budget does. It proposes getting rid of special interest loopholes in our tax code, and using those savings to cut taxes for middle-class families and reward businesses that invest in America. It refuses to play politics with our homeland security, and funds our national security priorities at home and abroad. ”

“ We’ll help working families’ paychecks go farther by treating things like paid leave and child care like the economic priorities that they are. We’ll offer Americans of every age the chance to upgrade their skills so they can earn higher wages, with plans like making two years of community college free for every responsible student. And we’ll keep building the world’s most attractive economy for high-wage jobs, with new investments in research, infrastructure, manufacturing, and expanded access to faster internet and new markets. ”

“ Not just because we want everyone to share in America’s success – but because we want everyone to contribute to America’s success.
That’s the way the middle class thrived in the last century – and that’s how it will thrive again. ”

“ Starting this month, that includes the folks who come up with your credit score. If you haven’t checked out your credit score recently, you should. It can have a major impact on your life. It can determine whether or not you qualify for a loan or what kind of interest you have to pay. It can even affect your chances at renting an apartment or getting a job. But here’s the thing: the companies that put your credit score together can make mistakes. They may think you had a loan or a credit card that was never yours. ”

“ And as long as I’m President, we’re going to keep moving this country forward so that everyone – whether you start a business or punch a clock – can have confidence that if you work hard, you can get ahead. ”

“ For example, alongside other regulators, they recently ordered three big credit card companies to return more than $400 million to folks who were deceived or misled into buying things they didn’t want or didn’t understand. That’s what Wall Street reform is all about – looking out for working families and making sure that everyone is playing by the same rules. ”

“ The idea that this country does best when everyone gets their fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules. This week, I will send a budget to Congress that’s built on those values. ”

“ That means making sure you’ve got all the information you need to make important financial decisions like buying a home or paying for college. And it means going after anyone who tries to take advantage of you, or rip you off. ”