President Obama: ‘Clean Energy Will Help Us Out-Compete and Out-Innovate the Rest of the World’

Yesterday, while taping his weekly address at Allison Transmission -- a hybrid-vehicle transmission company in Indianapolis, Ind. -- President Barack Obama explained how investments in a clean-energy economy are the only solution to high gas prices over the long term.

"The clean-energy jobs at this plant are the jobs of the future -- jobs that pay well right here in America," said Obama. "And in the years ahead, it’s clean-energy companies like this one that will keep our economy growing, create new jobs, and make sure America remains the most prosperous nation in the world.

"Allison Transmission is also part of the ultimate solution to high gas prices. We know there are no quick fixes to this problem. In the short term, we’re doing everything we can to boost safe and responsible oil production here at home -- in fact, last year, American oil production reached its highest level since 2003.

"But over the long term, the only way we can avoid being held hostage to the ups and downs of oil prices, is if we reduce our dependence on oil. That means investing in clean, alternative sources of energy -- like advanced biofuels and natural gas. And that means making cars and trucks and buses that use less oil.

"Other countries know this, and they’re going all in to invest in clean-energy technologies and clean-energy jobs. But I don’t want other countries to win the competition for these technologies and these jobs. I want America to win that competition. I want America to win the future..."

To read the full transcript of President Obama's weekly address, go to: http://1.usa.gov/Transcript050711.

To view the video of the President's weekly address plus a downloadable infographic on his short- and long-term approach to high gas prices, go to: http://1.usa.gov/Video050711.

To learn what the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy [EERE] is doing to invest in clean-energy technologies that strengthen the economy, protect the environment, and reduce dependence on foreign oil, visit: http://www.eere.energy.gov/.

GoodBiz113's Take
We're all about win-win-win-win. President Obama's pragmatic and sustainable clean-energy policy will yield wins for small businesses, consumers, the environment, and the U.S. economy.

His leadership is precisely what America needs to truly win the future. If his actions happen to inspire other countries to follow our lead, all the better.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Energy, The White House [official photo by Pete Souza]
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Verbatim: 'We Can Out-Compete Any Other Nation on Earth'

Periodically, GoodBiz113 puts its ear to the rail to listen to what politicos, pundits and others have recently said about small businesses and our integral role in growing the U.S. economy. Today -- just one day before President Obama's annual State of the Union address -- we share some select events and perspectives with you, our loyal readers.

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"As we continue to get this economy back on track, I am encouraged by this Administration’s commitment to reduce the regulatory burdens businesses in America face on a daily basis. Every day, we hear from small businesses that are bogged down with unnecessary paperwork and outdated regulations.

"As chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, I am committed to reducing burdens America’s entrepreneurs face -- beginning with the full repeal of the Form 1099 reporting requirement set to take effect in 2012. I will continue working with the Administration to pinpoint problem areas in the federal regulatory process that hinder job creation and economic growth, and I applaud their efforts to make tackling this problem a priority." -- U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu [D-La.], applauding the efforts of the Obama Administration to reduce the regulatory burdens facing businesses in America -- particularly, small businesses [U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Jan. 18]

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"Today's announcement reflects this Administration's commitment to promoting the development of advanced biofuels. Strong biofuels projects like Diamond Green Diesel can help to diversify our transportation fuel supply, while creating jobs and strengthening our economy." -- U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, announcing the offer of a conditional commitment to Diamond Green Diesel LLC -- the proposed joint venture between Valero Energy Corporation and Darling International Inc. -- for a $241 million loan guarantee.

This loan guarantee will support the construction of a 137,000,000-gallon-per-year renewable-diesel facility in Norco, La. -- located about 20 miles west of New Orleans. Valero Energy Corporation plans to direct the design, construction and operation of the project, and market all of its output, while Darling International Inc. will supply feedstock to the project.

The company estimates that the project will create 700 jobs during peak construction, and over 60 jobs during operation. The project will reduce greenhouse gases by more than 80 percent over conventional petroleum-based diesel, and is expected to nearly triple the amount of renewable diesel produced in the U.S.

In addition, the facility will fulfill almost 14 percent of a national mandate to boost production for biomass-based diesel. Approximately 95 percent of the project components are expected to be produced in the United States. [U.S. Department of Energy, Jan. 20]

* * *

"...In order to meet President Obama’s goals of a 28% reduction in federal greenhouse gas [GHG] pollution by 2020 and a net-zero-energy building requirement by 2030, GSA began sustainable construction and retrofit projects around the country, employing 500 businesses and creating jobs in all 50 states.

"Moving forward, all GSA construction projects will achieve at least a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for GSA’s use of cutting-edge and sustainable design and technology..." -- General Services Administrator Martha N. Johnson, reporting on GSA's 2010 achievements [The White House Blog, Jan. 20]

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"...Leading the world in innovation. Opening new markets to American products. That’s how we’ll create jobs today. That’s how we’ll make America more competitive tomorrow. And that’s how we’ll win the future...

"We’re living in a new and challenging time, in which technology has made competition easier and fiercer than ever before. Countries around the world are upping their game and giving their workers and companies every advantage possible.

"But that shouldn’t discourage us. Because I know we can win that competition. I know we can out-compete any other nation on Earth. We just have to make sure we’re doing everything we can to unlock the productivity of American workers, unleash the ingenuity of American businesses, and harness the dynamism of America’s economy." -- President Barack Obama [pictured above], during his weekly address [The White House, Jan. 22]

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Be sure to tune in to President Obama's State of the Union address tomorrow, Jan. 25, at 9 p.m. EST. All of the major TV networks will broadcast it, as will a handful of cable channels.

You can also view live streaming video of the event, and interact with White House officials during the hours and days following. Engage yourself: http://bit.ly/EnhancedSOTU.

SOURCES: U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. General Services Administration, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, The White House [photo]
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President Obama: 'We Need to Take New, Common-Sense Steps to Help Small Businesses'

In this week's address to the nation, President Barack Obama [pictured] criticized the Republican leadership in the U.S. Senate for opposing initiatives that would create jobs and strengthen the economy; e.g., cutting taxes for small businesses, extending unemployment insurance for Americans who have lost their jobs during the recession.

"This week," Obama declared, "many of our largest corporations reported robust earnings -- a positive sign of growth.

"But too many of our small-business owners, and those who aspire to start their own small businesses, continue to struggle -- in part, because they can’t get the credit they need to start up, grow, and hire. And too many Americans whose livelihoods have fallen prey to the worst recession in our lifetimes -- a recession that cost our economy eight million jobs -- still wonder how they’ll make ends meet.

"That’s why we need to take new, common-sense steps to help small businesses, grow our economy, and create jobs -- and we need to take them now.

"For months, that’s what we’ve been trying to do. But too often, the Republican leadership in the United States Senate chooses to filibuster our recovery and obstruct our progress. And that has very real consequences.

"Consider what that obstruction means for our small businesses -- the growth engines that create two of every three new jobs in this country. A lot of small businesses still have trouble getting the loans and capital they need to keep their doors open and hire new workers. So we proposed steps to get them that help: Eliminating capital-gains taxes on investments. Establishing a fund for small lenders to help small businesses. Enhancing successful SBA programs that help them access the capital they need.

"But again and again, a partisan minority in the Senate said 'No,' and used procedural tactics to block a simple, up-or-down vote...."

To view the video of President Obama's weekly address, titled "Filibustering Recovery & Obstructing Progress," go to: http://bit.ly/Obama07172010.

GoodBiz113's Take
For the past 18 months, President Obama has fought to help small-business owners because -- unlike his immediate predecessor -- he truly understands that small businesses are key to getting the American people back to work. He's fought for expanded unemployment insurance because he truly understands that putting money in the pockets of the people who are most likely to spend it is a cost-effective way of boosting local economies and creating jobs.

"Unemployment insurance is a vital lifeline for many families struggling to find work in these tough times," noted David Axelrod, senior advisor to the President, in a letter to folks who actually want to see Obama -- and our nation as a whole -- succeed. "Over the past few weeks, that lifeline has disappeared for more than 2 million Americans, and if Congress doesn’t act, that number will grow to 3.2 million people by the end of this month.

"Getting our economy back on track hasn’t been easy, but passing important legislation to support small businesses and Americans looking for work has proved nearly impossible. Repeatedly, Republicans have used procedural maneuvers to deny this legislation an up-or-down vote.

"There may be a lot of controversial topics out there, but support for small businesses and unemployment insurance shouldn’t be among them.

"It’s time for an up-or-down vote on these important measures. It’s time for Congress to act."

We couldn't agree more. It's time for hard-headed and mean-spirited obstructionism to stop...NOW.

SOURCE: The White House [photo by Samantha Appleton]
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President Obama: Small Business Must Be at Forefront of the Recovery

In this week’s address, President Barack Obama spoke of how important small businesses are to the economy and described the steps his administration is taking to support them.

Health insurance reform will allow small businesses to purchase insurance for their employees through exchanges -- which will increase the quality of coverage while lowering the costs -- and reform will provide tax credits to those businesses.

To free up credit, the President called on Congress to increase the size of various SBA loans, and he announced that the administration will be making more credit available to the small local and community banks that many small businesses depend on.

Following, are President Obama's remarks:

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All across America -- even today, on a Saturday -- millions of Americans are hard at work. They're running the mom-and-pop stores and neighborhood restaurants we know and love. They're building tiny startups with big ideas that could revolutionize an industry -- maybe even transform our economy. They are the more than half of all Americans who work at a small business, or own a small business. And they embody the spirit of possibility, the relentless work ethic, and the hope for something better that is at the heart of the American Dream.

They also represent a segment of our economy that has been hard-hit by this recession. Over the past couple of years, small businesses have lost hundreds of thousands of jobs. Many have struggled to get the loans they need to finance their inventories and make payroll. Many entrepreneurs can’t get financing to start a small business in the first place. And many more are discouraged from even trying because of the crushing costs of health care -- costs that have forced too many small businesses to cut benefits, shed jobs, or shut their doors for good.

Small businesses have always been the engine of our economy -- creating 65 percent of all new jobs over the past decade and-a-half -- and they must be at the forefront of our recovery. That’s why the Recovery Act was designed to help small businesses expand and create jobs. It’s provided $5 billion worth of tax relief, as well as temporarily reducing or eliminating fees on SBA loans and guaranteeing some of these loans up to 90 percent, which has supported nearly $13 billion in new lending to more than 33,000 businesses.

In addition, our health reform plan will allow small businesses to buy insurance for their employees through an insurance exchange, which may offer better coverage at lower costs -- and we’ll provide tax credits for those that choose to do so.

And this past week, I called on Congress to increase the maximum size of various SBA loans, so that more small-business owners can set up shop and grow their operations.

I also announced that we’ll be taking additional steps through our Financial Stability Plan to make more credit available to the small local and community banks that so many small businesses depend on -- the banks who know their borrowers, who gave them their first loan and watched them grow. The goal here is to get credit where it’s needed most -- to businesses that support families, sustain communities, and create the jobs that power our economy.

That’s why we enacted the Financial Stability Plan in the first place, back when many of our largest banks were on the verge of collapse. Our credit markets were frozen, and it was nearly impossible for ordinary people to get loans to buy a car or home or pay for college. The idea was to jump-start lending and keep our economy from spiraling into a depression.

Fortunately, it worked. Thanks to the American taxpayers, we’ve now achieved the stability we need to get our economy moving forward again.

But, while credit may be more available for large businesses, too many small-business owners are still struggling to get the credit they need. These are the very taxpayers who stood by America’s banks in a crisis.

And now it’s time for our banks to stand by creditworthy small businesses, and make the loans they need to open their doors, grow their operations, and create new jobs. It’s time for those banks to fulfill their responsibility to help ensure a wider recovery, a more secure system, and more broadly shared prosperity.

And we’re going to take every appropriate step to encourage them to meet those responsibilities. Because if it’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that here in America, we rise and fall together. Our economy, as a whole, can’t move ahead if small businesses and the middle class continue to fall behind.

This country was built by dreamers. They’re the workers who took a chance on their desire to be their own boss. The part-time inventors who became the full-time entrepreneurs. The men and women who have helped build the American middle class, keeping alive that most American of ideals – that all things are possible for all people, and we’re limited only by the size of our dreams and our willingness to work for them.

We need to do everything we can to ensure that they can keep taking those risks, acting on those dreams, and building the enterprises that fuel our economy and make us who we are.

Thanks.

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The full video of President Obama's weekly address can be viewed online at: http://bit.ly/ObamaSmallBizRecovery

SOURCE: The White House
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