Barack Obama

each year at thi time we honor and think about the father who been a part of our live __PUNCT__ the exampl thei set __PUNCT__ the sacrific thei made __PUNCT__ their success and their struggl __PUNCT__

i think about my grandfath __PUNCT__ who first becam a father when my mother wa born on a kansa armi base at the outset of world_war_ii __PUNCT__

he left to fight fascism in europ while my grandmoth stai behind and pitch in on a bomber assembl_line __PUNCT__

with the nation still drag itself out of depress __PUNCT__ i imagin he must have felt uncertain at that time about what the futur held for hi famili __PUNCT__ and yet he return to a countri newli commit to opportun __PUNCT__ a countri that gave him a chanc to go to colleg on the gi_bill __PUNCT__ bui a hous thank to the feder_hous author __PUNCT__ and move west to hawaii to rais hi famili __PUNCT__

i also think about my father __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ law __PUNCT__ fraser robinson __PUNCT__

he rais hi two children with hi wife marian in 1960 chicago __PUNCT__

thei face what other african __PUNCT__ american_famili face at the time __PUNCT__ both hidden and overt form of racism that limit their opportun and requir more effort to get ahead __PUNCT__

and thei face an addit obstacl __PUNCT__

at ag___NUM__ fraser wa diagnos with multipl sclerosi __PUNCT__

and yet __PUNCT__ everi dai of hi life __PUNCT__ even when he had to reli on a walker to get him there __PUNCT__ he went to work at the local water filtrat plant while marian stai_home with the children __PUNCT__

and on that singl salari __PUNCT__ fraser robinson provid for hi famili __PUNCT__ send my wife michel and her brother craig to princeton __PUNCT__

and of cours __PUNCT__ though i did not know him well __PUNCT__ everi year around father dai i think of my own father __PUNCT__

he and my mother divorc when i wa onli two year old __PUNCT__ and for most of my life i knew him onli through the letter he sent and the stori my mother and grandpar told __PUNCT__

in hi absenc __PUNCT__ it wa more difficult for my mother to rais me and my sister on on salari dure the 1970 __PUNCT__ and we struggl __PUNCT__ at time turn to food_stamp to get us through the month __PUNCT__

and yet __PUNCT__ through the support of my grandpar __PUNCT__ the sheer will and determin of my mother __PUNCT__ and the bless of gener scholarship __PUNCT__ i wa abl to attend some of the best school in the countri __PUNCT__ school that made it possibl for me to stand here todai __PUNCT__

it ha not been lost on either michel or myself that our famili stori ha been america stori __PUNCT__ a stori of opportun __PUNCT__ and possibl __PUNCT__ and the tireless pursuit of a dream that wa alwai within reach __PUNCT__

our parent and grandpar were given no guarante __PUNCT__ and thei certainli had their share of fail and hardship __PUNCT__ but their wa a countri where if you want it badli enough __PUNCT__ and were will to work for it __PUNCT__ and take respons __PUNCT__ you could provid for your famili and give your children the same chanc __PUNCT__

there ar fewer and fewer famili who can tell thi stori todai __PUNCT__

unlik my grandfath __PUNCT__ the brave soldier who return from iraq and afghanistan ar lucki if thei come home to a job that pai the bill __PUNCT__ or even the benefit and care thei earn as veteran __PUNCT__

blue __PUNCT__ collar_worker like fraser robinson have seen their benefit declin __PUNCT__ and their union weaken __PUNCT__ and their wage flatten while the cost of everyth els rise __PUNCT__

and as mani of you know too well __PUNCT__ singl_parent no longer have the support_system that my mother did __PUNCT__ with too mani father financi unabl to help rais their children even if thei want to do the right thing __PUNCT__

over the last few decad __PUNCT__ fundament chang in the wai we work and live have trap too mani american_famili between an economi that gone global and a govern that gone awol __PUNCT__

too mani rung have been remov from the ladder to middl __PUNCT__ class secur __PUNCT__ and the safeti_net that suppos to break ani fall from that ladder ha grown badli frai __PUNCT__

mani famili face increas anxieti when it come to pai the bill or find wai to spend more time with their children __PUNCT__ while other have tumbl into poverti __PUNCT__ watch job disappear __PUNCT__ and father leav the home __PUNCT__

and even though the vast_major of mother ar now work __PUNCT__ includ singl_mother __PUNCT__ we haven't yet provid them with the support thei need to rais their children __PUNCT__

i don't have to give you a histori lesson in econom for you to know how thi all happen __PUNCT__ becaus mani of you have seen it or even live it __PUNCT__

you seen the factori close their door and move oversea __PUNCT__ leav too mani citi and mill town without their biggest sourc of employ __PUNCT__

i saw it when i first arriv in chicago in the earli 80 __PUNCT__ where i took a job help to rebuild neighborhood that had been devast by steel plant_close __PUNCT__

and todai __PUNCT__ it not just factori job that ar disappear __PUNCT__

as countri like china and india churn out more worker who ar educ longer and better __PUNCT__ revolut in technolog and commun have made it possibl for american_compani to autom some job and send other wherev there an internet connect __PUNCT__

the job that remain pai less and offer fewer benefit __PUNCT__ as employ have succeed in bust up union and cut_back on health_care and pension to stai competit with the compani abroad that ar pai their worker next to noth __PUNCT__

the weekli earn of american_worker __PUNCT__ which had steadili risen dure the year our parent and grandpar were emploi __PUNCT__ have fallen more than twenti_percent sinc __NUM__ and the minimum_wage hasn't move in ten_year __PUNCT__

thi mean that right now __PUNCT__ a famili of three with on minimum __PUNCT__ wage_earner is still more than __MONEY__ below the poverti_line __PUNCT__

most american ar vulner to these new risk __PUNCT__ but without a doubt __PUNCT__ the hardest hit have been those famili who were most vulner to begin with __PUNCT__

thei ar famili who live in inner __PUNCT__ citi and remot rural_area __PUNCT__ thei ar disproportion african_american and latino __PUNCT__

in the last six year __PUNCT__ over __NUM___black black_male have lost job in the manufactur_sector __PUNCT__ the highest_rate of ani ethnic_group __PUNCT__

in urban_area __PUNCT__ more than __NUM__ __PUNCT__ of black_men do not complet high_school __PUNCT__

in on survei __PUNCT__ nearli on out of everi three african __PUNCT__ american_famili said thei experienc at least on of three hardship in the last year __PUNCT__ overcrowd hous __PUNCT__ a lack of medic_care __PUNCT__ or hunger __PUNCT__

without a job or an educ __PUNCT__ mani black_men simpli cannot afford to rais a famili __PUNCT__ and too mani have made the sad choic not to __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ __NUM__ __PUNCT__ of all african __PUNCT__ american_children children_live in singl __PUNCT__ parent household __PUNCT__ a number that ha doubl sinc __NUM__ __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ mani singl_mom __PUNCT__ includ the on who rais me __PUNCT__ do a heroic job on behalf of their kid __PUNCT__

but in an economi where a two __PUNCT__ incom_famili ha becom a financi necess __PUNCT__ a fatherless household take it toll __PUNCT__

children who grow up without a father ar five time more like to live in poverti and nine time more like to drop out of school __PUNCT__

provid these famili with the same chanc that previou_gener have had is a daunt challeng __PUNCT__ but it is certainli on we can meet __PUNCT__

mani of us here in thi room have seen how thi progress can be achiev __PUNCT__

all across thi state __PUNCT__ the south_carolina center for father and famili ha help countless famili climb out from poverti by connect father employ opportun and encourag them to take respons for their children __PUNCT__

you have turn live around and you have given so mani children a better futur and for that you should feel veri proud __PUNCT__

i also been bless to see thi progress myself __PUNCT__

there wa a lot of hopeless in those south_side neighborhood when i first arriv in chicago as a commun_organ __PUNCT__

but we set up job_train train_program and after school program and counsel program and after a while __PUNCT__ those neighborhood start to come around __PUNCT__

later __PUNCT__ when i becam a state_senat in illinoi __PUNCT__ i made sure we expand the earn_incom incom_tax_credit so we could put __MONEY___million of tax_cut into the pocket of work_famili __PUNCT__

i made sure we provid health_insur for anoth __NUM___children and __NUM__ parent __PUNCT__

and we expand earli_childhood childhood_educ to give kid the best possibl start in life __PUNCT__

so we know what need to be done when it come to give our famili a fight chanc __PUNCT__

and i think it time we final had a presid who get washington to start do it __PUNCT__

i don't know about you __PUNCT__ but i tire of hear that town tell us we can't __PUNCT__

for too long __PUNCT__ thei told us we can't do anyth about disappear job and stagnant wage __PUNCT__

thei told us that we can't lower our health_care_cost or the price of colleg_tuition __PUNCT__

thei told us that poverti is a nuisanc to blame on the impoverish __PUNCT__ not a moral shame that should outrag a nation __PUNCT__

we assur that the market will correct all our misfortun __PUNCT__ and that there no problem that can't be solv by anoth tax_break that the wealthi didn't need and didn't ask for __PUNCT__

well __PUNCT__ we have tri it their wai for six year and we readi to try someth new __PUNCT__

it time to turn the page __PUNCT__

we ar not a countri that settl for surviv of the fittest __PUNCT__ but a peopl who have alwai fought for surviv of the nation __PUNCT__

that how we got a gi_bill that sent a gener to colleg and creat the largest middl __PUNCT__ class in histori __PUNCT__

that how we gave worker the right to organ and form a union __PUNCT__

that how we got social_secur and medicar so that american could retir in comfort and digniti __PUNCT__

now we have to do it again __PUNCT__

and it won't be easi __PUNCT__

we know that we can't put the forc of global back in the bottl __PUNCT__

we cannot bring_back everi job that been lost __PUNCT__

we have to find a wai to make thi new economi work for us __PUNCT__

we also know that govern cannot meet thi challeng alon __PUNCT__ that there is not a program for everi problem we face __PUNCT__

it will take respons and sacrific from the american_peopl __PUNCT__ chang in habit and attitud __PUNCT__

we will need to work more __PUNCT__ read more __PUNCT__ train more __PUNCT__ and think more __PUNCT__

parent will need to make sure their kid turn off the tv onc in a while __PUNCT__ and put awai the video_game __PUNCT__ and start hit the book __PUNCT__

and there ar a lot of men out there who need to stop act like boi __PUNCT__ who need to realiz that respons doe not end at concept __PUNCT__ who need to know that what make you a man is not the abil to have a child but the courag to rais on __PUNCT__

but just as we have individu_respons __PUNCT__ at the dawn of the __NUM___centuri we also have a collect respons to strengthen that safeti_net __PUNCT__ put the rung back on that ladder to the middl __PUNCT__ class __PUNCT__ and give everi famili the chanc that so mani of our parent and grandpar had __PUNCT__

thi respons is on that been miss from washington for far too long __PUNCT__ a respons i intend to take veri serious as presid __PUNCT__

we know what we need to do to help everi famili compet and prosper in a global world __PUNCT__

we know that we need to invest in the scienc and technolog that will make_america the home for the high __PUNCT__ tech __PUNCT__ high __PUNCT__ wage_job of tomorrow __PUNCT__

we know that to fill these job __PUNCT__ we also have to get seriou about educ our workforc for the __NUM___centuri __PUNCT__

thi mean start our kid in school younger __PUNCT__ with more earli_childhood childhood_educ opportun like the four year old kindergarten program you been try to pass here in south_carolina __PUNCT__

it mean improv our public_school by recruit thousand of new teacher and pai them more and ask more of them __PUNCT__

and it mean make colleg afford for everi american who want to go by offer more loan and bigger grant __PUNCT__

and of cours __PUNCT__ in a world of increas_risk and insecur __PUNCT__ we also know that everi american need a health_care_plan and a retir_plan that stai with them no matter where thei work or even if thei can't find_work __PUNCT__

that why a few week_ago __PUNCT__ i introduc a univers_health_care health_care_plan that would not onli cover everi american by allow the uninsur to bui into a similar kind of plan that member of congress get themselv __PUNCT__ but it would cut_cost and save a typic famili up to __MONEY__ a year __PUNCT__

so we know that we need thi broader agenda to help famili get ahead in thi new world __PUNCT__

but we also know that for the famili who been hit hardest by these econom chang __PUNCT__ we have to help them get start befor we can help them get ahead __PUNCT__ we have to empow them to grab that first rung of the ladder befor thei start climb __PUNCT__

that why todai i want to lai out a plan that would strengthen some of our most vulner famili by ensur that thei can find a job __PUNCT__ stai out of poverti __PUNCT__ and get the support thei need to rais their children __PUNCT__

first __PUNCT__ we need to ensur that everyon who is will to work can find a job __PUNCT__

sinc south_carolina ha lost___NUM__ manufactur_job in the last six year and __NUM__ more peopl ar out of work __PUNCT__ thi certainli isn't easi __PUNCT__

but it a promis we have to keep in thi countri __PUNCT__

so __PUNCT__ for those american who have been search unsuccessfulli for employ __PUNCT__ i will invest __MONEY___million in program that will place will worker into transit job and train them for perman on __PUNCT__

these program have alreadi proven to be highli success in the mani commun that have tri them __PUNCT__

peopl get the chanc to work in a commun_servic __PUNCT__ type job __PUNCT__ earn a paycheck everi week __PUNCT__ and learn the skill thei need for gain employ __PUNCT__

and by leav with refer and a resum __PUNCT__ often time thei find that employ __PUNCT__

still __PUNCT__ even for those worker who do find a perman job __PUNCT__ mani time there is no wai for them to advanc their career onc thei in those job __PUNCT__

that why we also work with commun_organ and busi to creat career pathwai that provid worker with the addit skill and train thei need to earn more monei and keep climb up that ladder to middl __PUNCT__ class secur __PUNCT__

union and variou commun have done thi quit successfulli __PUNCT__ and thi program would build on that model __PUNCT__

the second step we take to strengthen famili is to ensur that work_american ar not impoverish american __PUNCT__

on of the most success anti __PUNCT__ poverti program in histori ha been the earn_incom incom_tax_credit __PUNCT__ addit incom that lift nearli __NUM___million_american out of poverti everi year __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i will doubl the number of singl worker who receiv the eitc and tripl the benefit for full __PUNCT__ time_worker make the minimum_wage __PUNCT__ from the __MONEY__ thei get todai to __MONEY__

and instead of wait everi ten_year for congress to fight over rais the minimum_wage __PUNCT__ i will final_make the minimum_wage a live_wage by perman index it to inflat so that it actual pai the bill __PUNCT__

the third step we take to strengthen famili is to give them the support thei need to rais their children __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i start by pass the plan i outlin last year that would make it easier for father who make the respons choic and harder for those who avoid it __PUNCT__

it a plan that would remov some of the financi penalti the govern current impos on marri_coupl __PUNCT__ cut out the red_tape to ensur that everi dime of child_support goe directli to children instead of bureaucrat __PUNCT__ and provid father who ar pai their child support an even larger eitc benefit __PUNCT__

thi plan would also crack down on those who avoid their respons by increas child __PUNCT__ support enforc __PUNCT__ a measur that will collect nearli __MONEY___billion in payment that can help rais __PUNCT__ nurtur __PUNCT__ and educ children __PUNCT__

we should also help new mother with their new respons __PUNCT__

there is a pioneer nurs __PUNCT__ famili partnership program right now that offer home visit by train regist nurs to low __PUNCT__ incom mother and mother __PUNCT__ to __PUNCT__ be __PUNCT__

thei learn how to care for themselv befor the babi is born and what to do after __PUNCT__

thei ar counsel on substanc_abus __PUNCT__ creat and achiev person goal __PUNCT__ and effect method of nurtur children __PUNCT__

where it been tri __PUNCT__ thi program reduc childhood injuri and unintend pregnanc __PUNCT__ increas father involv and women employ __PUNCT__ reduc us of welfar and food_stamp __PUNCT__ and increas children school readi __PUNCT__

and it produc more than __MONEY__ in net save for everi high __PUNCT__ risk famili enrol in the program __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i will expand the nurs __PUNCT__ famili partnership to provid at __PUNCT__ home nurs visit for up to __NUM__ first __PUNCT__ time mother each year __PUNCT__

my plan would also support famili with children by expand the child tax_credit to an addit___NUM__ more american __PUNCT__ who would receiv___MONEY__ per child __PUNCT__

and for all those famili where both parent work and don't know what to do when their child ha to stai_home sick for the dai __PUNCT__ my plan guarante everi worker seven paid dai of sick leav each year __PUNCT__

none of thi agenda will happen overnight __PUNCT__ nor will it be easi to get done __PUNCT__

but then again __PUNCT__ america stori hasn't been all that easi itself __PUNCT__

it is fill with tale of those who risk and struggl and beat the odd becaus thei knew that thi is a place __PUNCT__ perhap the onli place __PUNCT__ where such triumph is alwai possibl __PUNCT__

becaus thei believ that the pursuit of happi is not just a phrase in a declar __PUNCT__ but the found promis of our countri __PUNCT__ a promis that sustain our parent and grandpar through war and depress __PUNCT__ racial and social strife __PUNCT__ heartach and hardship __PUNCT__

it a promis that sustain thi gener still __PUNCT__

the other dai we heard from a young_man name joshua stroman who from right here in south_carolina __PUNCT__

joshua never knew hi father __PUNCT__ and when he wa veri young __PUNCT__ hi mom and stepfath both di from cancer __PUNCT__

he wa then taken in by famili_member who were involv with gang and drug __PUNCT__

he experi with that lifestyl for a bit __PUNCT__ and hi low point came when he went to jail at eighteen year old __PUNCT__

that when he decid that hi stori would have a differ end __PUNCT__

he began to find comfort in hi faith __PUNCT__ and when he left jail __PUNCT__ he move in with an aunt who expect him to behav well and studi hard __PUNCT__

and he did __PUNCT__

he is now at benedict colleg and will be presid of the student council there next year __PUNCT__

but he told us that of everyth that out there __PUNCT__ hi biggest dream is to somedai stand in the front_yard of hi own home with hi wife and kid __PUNCT__ who will hug him and sai __PUNCT__ i love you __PUNCT__ daddi __PUNCT__

it a dream that could not be simpler or more profound __PUNCT__ a dream that __PUNCT__ in some form or anoth __PUNCT__ ha probabl anim the journei that so mani father and mother and young_men like josh have taken over the gener __PUNCT__

he ha turn hi life around becaus he held close the belief that it wa alwai within reach __PUNCT__

now it is our task to turn thi countri around so that we can prove to him and so mani other that thei were right all along __PUNCT__

i look forward to work with all of you in make thi happen __PUNCT__

thank you __PUNCT__