Obama speaks on Iran, energy, health care, jobs

President Barack Obama at a press conference June 23. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

Obama began his press conference today with Iran, followed by energy legislation bill the House is working on and finishing with health care reform.

Some of his Iran-related comments so far:

• "This is not about the United States and the West; this is about the people of Iran, and the future that they, and only they will choose."
• "The Iranian people can speak for themselves."
• "We are going to monitor and see how this plays out before we many any judgments about how to proceed..."
• "As soon as violence broke out--in fact, in anticipation of potential violence--we were very clear in saying that violence was unacceptable, that that was not how governments operate with respect to their people."
• "My role has been to say the United States is not going to be a foil for the Iranian government to try to blame what's happening on the streets of Tehran on the CIA or on the White House, that this is an issue that is led by and given voice to the frustrations of the Iranian people. What we've also been consistent about is saying that there some universal principles...freedom of assembly freedom of speech..."
• "The international community is bearing witness to what's taking place."
• "Iranian government must understand...how they handle they dissent in their country...will help shape the tone not only for Iran's future but also [their relationship] to other countries."
• To a question about John McCain calling for Obama to take a stronger stand against what's happening on Iran, Obama said: "I think John McCain has genuine passion about international issues, and I think that we all share a belief that we want justice to prevail, but only I am the president of the United States. I've got responsibilities in making certain that we are continually advancing our national security interests and that we are not used as a tool to be exploited by other countries. You must have seen the reports...[they] translate what I've said [to make it seem as though] I'm saying people should go out and revolt.... They've [Republicans in Congress] got their constitutional duties, and I'm sure they will carry them out in the way that they think is appropriate. I'm president of the United States, and I'll carry out my duties as I think are appropriate."
  
• Q: "Why don't you spell out the consequences?" A: "Because we don't know how this is going to play out. I know you're all on a 24 hour cycle--I'm not."
• Q: "Under which conditions would you accept the election of Ahmadinejad, and if you do accept it, isn't that a betrayal?" A: "We didn't have international observers on the ground..we can't say definitely what the outcome was...what we can say is that [many] Iranians are question the legitimacy of the elections, so ultimately the most important thing Iran should consider is legitimacy in front of its own people. What we can do is say unequivocally that there are...international rules against violence that spans cultures...I think it's not too late for the Iranian government...that there is a peaceful path.... We hope they take it."
• "Those who stand up for justice are always on the right side of history."
• Q: "What is your reaction to the video [of Neda]?" A: "It's heartbreaking. It's..uh..heartbreaking. And I think that anyone who sees it can see that there's something fundamentally unjust about that."
  

• To a question about the economy and jobs, he replied: "I think it's clear that unemployment will go over 10%...we're not on full recovery yet. What's important to me is how resilient the American people have been, and that they're still more optimistic than the facts [would lead them to be ]...This is a tough, tough period." We've all been struck by the courage of [the Iranian] people...We have to believe that ultimately justice will prevail."

Below are the prepared remarks for his speech:

Iran

First, I’d like to say a few words about the situation in Iran. The United States and the international community have been appalled and outraged by the threats, beatings, and imprisonments of the last few days. I strongly condemn these unjust actions, and I join with the American people in mourning each and every innocent life that is lost.

I have made it clear that the United States respects the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and is not at all interfering in Iran’s affairs. But we must also bear witness to the courage and dignity of the Iranian people, and to a remarkable opening within Iranian society. And we deplore violence against innocent civilians anywhere that it takes place.

The Iranian people are trying to have a debate about their future. Some in the Iranian government are trying to avoid that debate by accusing the United States and others outside of Iran of instigating protests over the elections. These accusations are patently false and absurd. They are an obvious attempt to distract people from what is truly taking place within Iran’s borders. This tired strategy of using old tensions to scapegoat other countries won’t work anymore in Iran. This is not about the United States and the West; this is about the people of Iran, and the future that they – and only they – will choose.

The Iranian people can speak for themselves. That is precisely what has happened these last few days. In 2009, no iron fist is strong enough to shut off the world from bearing witness to the peaceful pursuit of justice. Despite the Iranian government’s efforts to expel journalists and isolate itself, powerful images and poignant words have made their way to us through cell phones and computers, and so we have watched what the Iranian people are doing.

This is what we have witnessed. We have seen the timeless dignity of tens of thousands Iranians marching in silence. We have seen people of all ages risk everything to insist that their votes are counted and their voices heard. Above all, we have seen courageous women stand up to brutality and threats, and we have experienced the searing image of a woman bleeding to death on the streets. While this loss is raw and painful, we also know this: those who stand up for justice are always on the right side of history.

As I said in Cairo, suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. The Iranian people have a universal right to assembly and free speech. If the Iranian government seeks the respect of the international community, it must respect those rights, and heed the will of its own people. It must govern through consent, not coercion. That is what Iran’s own people are calling for, and the Iranian people will ultimately judge the actions of their own government.

Energy Bill

The second issue I want to address is our ongoing effort to build a clean energy economy.

This week, the House of Representatives is moving ahead on historic legislation that will transform the way we produce and use energy in America. It is legislation that will finally spark a clean energy transformation that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and confront the carbon pollution that threatens our planet.

This energy bill will create a set of incentives that will spur the development of new sources of energy, including wind, solar, and geothermal power. It will also spur new energy savings, like efficient windows and other materials that reduce heating costs in the winter and cooling costs in the summer.

These incentives will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy. And that will lead to the development of new technologies that lead to new industries that could create millions of new jobs in America – jobs that cannot be shipped overseas.

At a time of great fiscal challenges, this legislation is paid for by the polluters who currently emit the dangerous carbon emissions that contaminate the water we drink and pollute the air we breathe. It also provides assistance to businesses and communities as they make the gradual transition to clean energy technologies.

This legislation is extraordinarily important for our country, and has taken a great effort on the part of many over the course of months. I want to thank the Chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Henry Waxman; his colleagues on that committee, Congressmen John Dingell, Ed Markey, and Rick Boucher. I also want to thank Charlie Rangel, the Chair of the Ways and Means Committee, and Collin Peterson, the Chair of the Agriculture Committee, for their many and ongoing contributions to this process. I also want to express my appreciation to Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.

We all know why this is so important. The nation that leads in the creation of a clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the 21st century global economy. That is what this legislation seeks to achieve – it is a bill that will open the door to a better future for this nation. And that is why I urge members of the House to come together and pass it.

Health Care Reform

The last issue I’d like to address is health care.

Right now, Congress is debating various health care reform proposals. This is obviously a complicated issue, but I am very optimistic about the progress they’re making.

Like energy, this is legislation that will be paid for. It will not add to our deficits over the next decade. We will find the money through savings and efficiencies within the health care system – some of which we’ve already announced.

We will also ensure that the reform we pass brings down the crushing cost of health care. We simply cannot have a system where we throw good money after bad habits. We must control the skyrocketing costs that are driving families, businesses, and our government into greater and greater debt.

There is no doubt that we must preserve what is best about our health care system, and that means allowing Americans who like their doctors and their health care plans to keep them. But unless we fix what is broken in our current system, everyone’s health care will be in jeopardy. Unless we act, premiums will climb higher, benefits will erode further, and the rolls of uninsured will swell to include millions more Americans. Unless we act, one out of every five dollars we earn will be spent on health care within a decade. And the amount our government spends on Medicare and Medicaid will eventually grow larger than what our government spends on anything else today.

When it comes to health care, the status quo is unsustainable. Reform is not a luxury, it is a necessity. And so I hope that Congress will continue to make significant progress on this issue in the weeks ahead.

Sources: CNN, BNO News, My Twisted Mind
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