Barack Obama

“ These cuts are not smart. They'll hurt our economy and cost us jobs.
And Congress can turn them off at any time, as soon as both sides are willing to compromise. As a nation, we've already fought back from the worst economic crisis of our lifetimes, and we'll get through this too. But at a time when our businesses are finally getting some traction – hiring new workers; bringing jobs back to America – the last thing Washington should do is to get in their way. That's what these cuts to education and research and defense will do. ”

“ I know there are Republicans in Congress who would actually rather see tax loopholes closed than let these cuts go through. And I know there are Democrats who'd rather do smart entitlement reform than let these cuts go through. There's a caucus of common sense out there. And I'm going to keep reaching out to them to fix this for good.
Because the American people are weary of perpetual partisanship and brinksmanship. This is America, and in America, we don't just bounce from one manufactured crisis to another. We make smart choices. ”

“ So I'm going to push through this paralysis and keep fighting for the real challenges facing middle-class families. I'm going to keep pushing for high-quality preschool for every family that wants it, and make sure the minimum wage becomes a wage you can live on. ”