President Obama Highlights Working Families On First Day

Julie Schwartz Weber January 21st, 2009

Barack Obama is now our 44th president of the United States. His thoughtful, sobering, and inspiring acceptance speech very much impressed me. However, as someone who studies and writes on work-family policy, the following language had particular punch:

“The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end.”

In this three sentence paragraph, he underscored the importance of the government’s active role in helping working people to support and care for their dependents and themselves throughout their life cycle. President Obama then took the extraordinary step of declaring that government resources dedicated to these issues will be effective under his watch, even if it means dismantling already existing programs.

While Obama has previously made it clear that working families are a priority for his administration, it was powerful to hear support for these issues on the very day he assumed his role as President.

What about his speech struck you?