Refinitiv Newscasts - U.S. President Joe Biden talks in Milwaukee on Labor Day 1

Ring Energy

05/09/2022 21:32

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Source: Reuters

Description: U.S. President Joe Biden visit Milwaukee to celebrate Labor Day
and American workers.
Short Link: https://refini.tv/3TK8WJP

Video Transcript:

>> We've got your Governor here, we got your Congresswoman here. We have our
president, the most pro union president in history, President Joe Biden. And
I'm so proud because this administration puts working families front and
center in everything they do. Just look at the victories we've just had in the
last year alone. Infrastructure bill, right? What about the chipset? And how
about the inflation reduction act. Student loan forgiveness, the list goes on
and on. These bills are going to change working families lives. They're going
to create new jobs, good union jobs. They're going to make prescription drugs
more affordable. They're going to clean up our environment. We're going to
lift the burden of debt. And those are victories that were one because of your
activism. You're organizing, and your hard work. And on Labor Day we are here
to celebrate those victories and all the progress that working people have
made across decades of hard work to create better lives for ourselves, our
families, our communities. And we've been fighting for safer workplaces and a
stronger economy since our inception, having we? And just like this
administration, we deliver results. And that's why unions are more popular
than ever. Did you hear this last week, there was a poll that came out that
said that 71 percent of the public supports unions. And that's because this
President is not afraid to say the word union. That's right. And we're seeing
this all across the state, all across the country. Working people are
recognizing the power we have, when we joined together and form unions. And
we've seen that right here in Wisconsin, haven't we? Milwaukee Art Museum.
Nurses at the UW hospital, workers at colectivo coffee and Raven Software. And
they're not alone. They're not alone. I've been traveling all across this
country and I've seen workers rising up all across this country. We've seen
organizing drives by nurses and Coral Gables Florida, right to work state. We
see REI workers in the bay Area. Sheet metal workers and painters in Alaska
and Louisiana. Aircraft mechanics in North Carolina. Researchers at Mount
Sinai Medical School, auto workers, hotel workers, architects, even cannabis
workers are organizing unions. That's right, it's inspiring. And so now our
job is to take that momentum, and go all in on this election. That's right. So
we can protect our pro worker majority and keep building on those victories,
especially here in a critical battleground, state like Wisconsin. And we have
just 64 days left folks, to put in the work. Are you ready to put in the work?
That's what I thought. Because you do it every single day because you know
what is on the line. So much of the progress we fought for, so many of our
fundamental freedoms are on the line. Our democracy is on the line, and
elections matter folks. That's right. We're going to fight to protect the
freedom to organize. We're going to fight to protect the freedom to beat back
unfair pay , and unsafe workplaces. We are going to fight to protect the
freedoms across all of our sectors of the economy, especially when it comes to
health care, and our retirement benefits. Were going to fight to protect the
freedom to vote. And have our voices heard. The stakes are high folks. You
know that, by working people are launching the greatest organizing drive in
history to protect our rights and our democracy, and our labor 2022 plan is
going to use the power of organizing to reach working people wherever they
are. And you've been doing this face-to-face conversations. That's what we
need folks to break through the noise. Are you ready to do that? That's right.
We're going to take that. We're going to take that network we have that's
unique and no one else has in this country, and that's the labor movement.
We're in every zip code. And we're going to turn up the heat. We're going to
turn up the volume to 11. We're going to organize. We're going to elect
Governor Evers. We're going to protect his veto power by electing pro worker
candidates in the state legislature. We're going to elect Josh Kaul Attorney
General, to defend our democracy. We're going to send Mandela barns to the
Senate to fight for you in Washington. I was going to ask if you were fired
up, but I hear you, you're fired up. That's right. We are going to do all of
that together. One united labor movement with working people across
communities all across the state. Thank you for the work that you're about to
do and the work that you have been doing. So let's keep organizing folks.
Let's keep fighting, let's keep winning. All right, and now it's my pleasure
to introduce Congresswoman Gwen Moore, who was a fighter for working families.
Thank you, Congresswoman Moore. >> Wow. Brothers and sisters of labor, to
house of labor. Hey, I love you more. Let me just tell you something. Working
men and women of Wisconsin. The last few years have really been tough, haven't
they? Hey, but I'm here to report that Wisconsin is strong. That's right. With
the incredible leadership of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council. Oh yeah. Headed
up by a woman, Pam Fendt. At the clear eye vision, and stewardship of the best
Governor Ever. That would be Tony Evers, the best Governor Ever. Working
people in Wisconsin are once again at the table, and leading the
transformation of Wisconsin back into being a 21st century economic leader.
With the beating heart of revitalazation, being a strong public education.
Thank you Tony. Oh yeah. Mode on infrastructure and respect for workers in the
form of decent health care and fair wages. Thank you Tony Evers. Tony Evers
helped us get out of the doldrum that we were experiencing from that other
Governor. That's right. His name will not be spoken in this ways. But you
remember what happened, that other Governor who were lagging economically and
educationally, somebody who wanted to destroy the Wisconsin Idea. Remember
when the car's we're swallowing up your cars in the Scotty holes. Remember
that? Loosening your teeth fillings when their idea of jobs was to give
billions of dollars and tax breaks to a union breaking foreign company to dig
a giant hole in the ground and call it the eighth wonder of the world.
Remember that Joe, ain,t going to mention no names. There have been challenges
along the way. They're going to be more. But Democrats and labor have
prevailed, and they are meeting these challenges for the people loved the
state, and we are those people. The fruits of this leadership look around you
y'all. With increasing wages and jobs, decreasing inflation and gas prices, we
are modeling what the power of Labor still is. And we're modeling it by
showing the diversity. I just want to mention once again, I already talked
about Pam Fendt, and you all already met Liz Shuler, who's the President of
the AFL-CIO nationally. But we ain't playing. Some of the other people here is
our state president of the AFL-CIO, Stephanie Bloomingdale. We ain't playing
you all we ain't just talking. And I'm telling you we got to keep on doing
what we're doing, because one of my favorite women provide leadership in this
state is United States senator Tammy Baldwin. Oh, yeah. And we got to send out
some help to y'all, our marvelous Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes go join
her in United States Senate. Now as your representative, this is my data
report, what Democrats have been doing in Congress. I'll keep them straight
because there are a couple of other speakers here. Some people y'all might
know a little bit that we'll go into further detail about this. We go here
from the Secretary of Labor and there's some guy named Joe that's going to
come out here and to all. But I'm on the Tax Committee, the Ways and Means
Committee. So I want to talk about some of the stuff I did so y'all are
re-elected me. I'm running. I may as well campaign. Democrats. And I say
Democrats because I know some of you all may be nonpartisan, but it was
Democrats who delivered COVID relief and reduce child poverty by 40%. It kept
business operational. It was Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee that
saved the central state pensions for your brothers and sisters. Oh yeah. All
of our legislation, we protected Davis Bacon. Y'all might hear about some of
the stuff and the new infrastructure bill, building new roads and bridges and
commercial capacity necessary to put US back in leadership sit the global
market. One of our representatives from this region called them socialist
roads, socialist bridges. Oh, well. They'll be ride known them too making
money and guess what Labor, we have created a pathway for states Certified
Apprenticeship Programs through this legislation as well, state Certified
Apprenticeship Program. Wait a minute, stop clapping. By the way, the person
hidden up the big step program is also a woman, Lindsay Bloomer. We ain't
playing y'all. So that when we replace these pipes this led paint with the
money that we brought, we are putting diversity into the program. There's even
money in these bills for the most needy people, people of color, people who
are living near these contaminated sites. We going to not only create jobs, we
're going to clean up hazardous conditions that poison our children. Don't
forget the veterans y'all. We pass the legislation after shaming Republicans
from voting against it for those veterans exposed to toxic burn pits. We have
enacted legislation to address inflation, high-tech microchips jobs. We're
bringing them back to US stores and to help our domestic supply chain. We
delivered on legislation and I'm going to get through this fast, reduce
inflation, make corporations pay their fair share, stem the scourge of climate
change, immediately threat to our planet and our life on this planet. And we
did it while lowering the healthcare costs for seniors and reducing the
deficit made in America's back y'all. And I'm telling you, President Biden
demanded it, Governor Evers fought for it and Tammy Baldwin, Gwen Moore, Mark
Pocan, Ron Can, in this state, we delivered it. Just like the mayor Scott, I
know you up there somewhere Scott. We delivered it just like the mail and we
delivered the mail too. Yes we did. You know what y'all, I'm going to end this
speech right now. Labor unions created the middle-class. And so I'm going to
tell you, y'all got to listen to Pam Finn. When Pam Finn calls you up and say
we need canvassers, I want you all to say yes, ma'am. Say, "Yes, ma'am." When
Pam Finn calls you up and says we need people to drive the leadership, you're
going to say? >> Yes ma'am. >> When Pam Finn calls you up and say, we need GL
TV calls, you're going to say what? >> Yes ma'am >> And when you don't feel
like doing any of that because you're too old, too busy, too cute, too rich to
do that, when Pam Finn calls you up and say, gives me some money, you going to
say? >> Yes ma'am. >> We got a lot of work to do y'all in this next 60 plus
days but we don't let President Biden know that he can count on Labor in
Wisconsin the way we've always counted it on him. Come on y'all, lets win the
battle of the 21st century. >> [inaudible 00:29:52] . Please welcome Liz
Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO. >> Wow, look at this crowd. Happy Labor Day.
It's me again. I'm so excited to get things kicked off here because I have the
honor and privilege of introducing our next speaker, our Secretary of Labor,
who as we know is a hard caring union member. And he got us started with
construction industry of the Boston, Massachusetts and he is a rank-and-file
member of the labors union logo 223 up in Boston. I can see some laborers out
there. And he grew his leadership and his activism, and he made it as a hard
caring member to the state legislature and took his voice for work for working
people up to Beacon Hill where he was fighting for us day in and day out. And
then look what happens when you are a working person who runs for office, he
became then elected mayor of the city of Boston again. Being our eyes and ears
looking through the lens of working people, as he made policies and fought for
working people as the mayor of Boston. Then what happened? Well, the President
of the United States said, you know what? I need someone like Martin Walsh in
my cabinet. And he made him the Secretary of Labor of the United States. And
let me tell you what a difference that's made to have our Secretary of Labor
walking thicket lines with working people, to be settling strikes with working
people day in and day out, looking at what is on the horizon, what could he be
doing more of, how can he bring the voice of working people into the
government of the United States of America? He's co-chairing with Vice
President Harris, a worker empowerment task force looking at ways to leverage
the federal government to grow unions in this country. That's never happened
before. So I am so honored to introduce to you our Secretary of Labor, my
friend, Martin J. Walsh. >> Thank you very much, Liz. How about a round of
applause for the first woman president of the AFL-CIO Labor in the history of
United States of America. And I was just backstage your Governor, Governor
Evers and we were talking about working people and we were talking about all
the great things. Which I'll talk about government meaning. To all the local
elected officials again, thank you very much for being here today. I was a
local elected officials, state representative, a Mayor and that's where it
happens on the ground. Thank you to all the local elected officials here
today. To the Wisconsin AFL-CIO and Stephanie thank you very much for all that
you do. Wisconsin AFL-CIO send a a message around the country here. It's in
the Milwaukee area Labor Council. Pam was out here a minute ago. Thank you Pam
as well and the Labor Council for all your brave work. To all the Labor
leaders that are here today, union members, families, working families, all
the kids in here today. Thank you very much. This is such an honor, and I want
to wish you all a very happy Labor Day. To be honest you this is my first time
doing Labor Day outside of my city. I was always like to have breakfast in
Boston and I always worried about the crowd, but I got to be honest with you.
Don't tell my sister back in the Boston, the crowd doesn't get better than
this crowd in Wisconsin. It's an honor and honest to God, it's an honor as a
union member to be here with all of you today. My dues are paid up, I promise
you. To be here with the President of the United States of America and I just
want to say, I've been around with lots of different presidents and I've been
involved in politics for a long time and we don't have anybody. There has
never been a more pro worker pro labor president in the history of the United
States and that is President Joe Biden. That is our champion for working
people all across this country in every neighborhood, from East Coast to the
West Coast, from the north to the south. And I know this is the first time.
We've have might being here together last year a little bit, but not like
this. I just want to take us back a little bit back in your memory, Labor Day
two years ago. Ten million Americans were out of work. The pandemic was
completely out of control and there was no plan on how we deal with the
pandemic. People only getting through workers who were essential workers with
keeping us moving many of you here today. Schools weren't open. The economy
was in concern. There was lots of challenges. President Biden took off and he
took the oath of office and he swore that he was going to get Americans back
to work and get schools reopened ensuring this economy forward. The very first
thing the president passed was the American rescue plan, and that plan was
able to get our economy open, our businesses opened, our schools opened and by
the way preserved multi employee pension for those of who aren't here today.
They are the challenged. Also other things, even money back to cities and
towns all across America to ensure they also move forward. That was a big
deal. And if that's all the President did for his first year, that would be
fine. But what did he follow up with? He said he's going to get infrastructure
bill passed, $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. The last administration talked
about infrastructure every day, it didn't pass it. This President in this
first year, 1.2 trillion with work of attention in there and creating
opportunities to get into the middle-class and we're seeing those dollars
streaming all across our country in roads and bridges, in broadband access,
electric charging stations, clean drinking water. Our kids are drinking from
drains and pipes. That's not going to happen anymore in this country. If
that's all the President did in his first two years, he would say that's a
successful President. Then the president followed up with the chips fill. The
chips fill was the fact that we're dealing with inflation today and part of
the reason why we're doing deflation is because all that manufacturing jobs
over got shipped overseas. We invented a lot of what we shipped oversea. The
president said, we're going to pass this bill. It shifts and science the act
and we're going to bring the American manufacturing back to the United States
where it belongs, in states like Wisconsin and other places in the country to
make sure that we get investment in those places. And by the way, it's going
to create thousands of good union jobs all across the United States of
America. If that all the President did then that's the most successful team.
Then not too long ago the President laid out a plan because he said Inflation
is trying to get American families. She knows that and recognize that. We're
doing everything we can as an administration before, but he said it. We need
to do more than that. And the inflation Reduction Act that was passed is
bringing down costs to families, it's cutting out deficit. It's going to help
us win the clean energy future. It's going to create good jobs and all of that
in that bill alone, you've heard a lot of elected officials talking about
bringing down the cost of Medicare and Medicaid. This bill does that. You'll
see a lot of people talking about bringing down the prescription drug prices.
Our retirees out there, your pension plans, your retirement doesn't cover your
health care cost. It doesn't cover your prescription cost but the President
made sure that your prescription costs be under control by this bill in many
other ways and he didn't raised one cent of tax on working class people.
That's what President Biden stands for. Since the President's taken office, we
have recovered every single job lost during the pandemic and we've added more.
We have put strong work protections in place for preserving and protecting
prevailing wages to project labor agreements to rescuing our pension plans, to
health and safety for our frontline workers and we are backing every worker's
right to organize. Somebody wants organize a union in their workplace, they
should have the free and fair right to be able to do that and there should be
no obstacles. They share the same benefits as most of us out here. Now I get
criticized sometimes for being too much of a labor person. That's okay because
I wear my labor union membership as a badge of honor. I'll tell you what this
President and this administration means to me. It means everything to me.
Because when I was growing up, my father had a chance to join Labors logo 223
in Boston as an immigrant from Ireland. My father had a chance and my mother
had a chance to live the American dream because the union was able to allow us
the opportunity to get into the middle-class and live that American dream. I
followed my father into that union. I spent my entire life working with you
and fighting alongside you for working people. I just want to say to you, we
have never had a president who gets labor like this president does. We've
never had a president that backs the labor movement like this president does.
We've never had a President that is creating good opportunities and good jobs
and rebuilding the middle class like this President does. Today we have
leadership in the White House, we've leadership in a labor movement and we
have leadership in the workplace, many of you-all across this country where
workers are fighting for their rights to join a union. I want to say to you
brothers and sisters, it is such an honor to be here today. I want to thank
you for just allowing me to come on this stage. I want to thank you, Mr.
President, for allowing me to be on the stage at you. I am so proud to be a
union laborer here in Wisconsin, here in Milwaukee celebrating today. I don't
think the United States of America has ever had a better Labor Day then today
with all that's been done in Washington by this President and this
administration on behalf of working people all across United States of America
and we can't forget that. When he gets out here, let's remind him that we
appreciate the work that he does. Now. I hope that I didn't take the steam out
of the next person who is coming to this microphone. If I did, I'm sorry,
Governor for doing that. I have the great honor of introducing your great
Governor here in this state. I've had a chance to spend some time with the
Governor a couple of times. I know I'll see him at the White House, will be
talking about things. When you see somebody who knows somebody and you get a
chance to meet them as labor people, you'll know who's being real and who's
not being a real. You can tell that this Governor certainly believes and
supports working families and believes in good jobs. He believes in small
businesses. He believes in lowering costs for families and the challenge that
families face. He believes in apprenticeships and job training. He believes in
workers rights for all workers. Unlike some of your former Governors here in
this state, who decimated the rights of public employees by the way we know
that. Governor Evers is not only believed in workers rights, he fought to make
them reality. That's the leadership that every state in the country needs
right now. So ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, no need for an
introduction. I'm proud to introduce to you your Governor of the great State
of Wisconsin. >> Hello Wisconsin. Thank you Secretary for that kind
introduction. And I'll just say this. I'm going to go off script for a minute.
I'm the only candidate for governor who has actually bargain for a public
sector union, the only one. Milwaukee Laborfest, it's great to be here with
all of you as we celebrate holiday and everything Wisconsin workers and union
leaders do to make Wisconsin strong. I've to thank Secretary Wall's obviously
for that introduction and everything you're doing to support working families
across the state and country. Happy to have you here today in our great state.
And I also want to welcome AFL-CIO President that Liz Shuler and of course,
our own Stephanie Bloomingdale. Great leaders. Why did the great honors and
big governor Wisconsin has seen the determination, ingenuity, and drive of our
laborers first hand. Workers deserve to have a seat at the table and when they
do, everyone is better off for it. Duty laborers help break the middle-class
in the state of Wisconsin, state and freedom standards for workplaces, social
security, minimum wage requirements and more. And I will say this very slowly.
I made Union Trades essential during the pandemic because I knew that
Wisconsin unions would keep our workers safe and get the job done. Thank you
so much. Great. Thank you. We've been able to accomplish this together. They
help our working families and our state succeed. I fix the **** roads because
for too long our infrastructure has been unfunded and not prioritized. We've
repaired nearly 5,000 miles of highway, 1,500 bridges and a whole bunch of
Scott-Holes. Remember those? I invested more than $150 million in filling jobs
and expanding job training and apprenticeship programs. Also, workers are
keeping more of their paychecks. They receive a 15% income tax cuts that I
signed. These investments in Wisconsin workers are working. Today we are at a
near record low unemployment and one of the highest labor force participation
rates in the country. And that doesn't happen by accident. This happens
because we've been doing the right thing to grow our economy. But we can do
even more to fill jobs and connect workers with good paying in-demand jobs
across the state. Just as last week, I directed funding to help repair more
than 1,400 Wisconsin students for a wide range of high wage, high skill and
high-demand careers. And that's why we're using and finding regional solutions
to give more Wisconsinites the opportunities to achieve their dreams. And
we're going to keep working, moving Wisconsin forward together. But we can't
do this alone with just the folks here in Wisconsin. Fortunately, we have a
president who understands the challenges facing working families and willing
to work with us to find common sense solutions. And that's why I'm pleased to
welcome President Joe Biden and our next speaker, Eduardo Marquez, from
Laborers 113. Eduardo has been a laborer since 2014 and we're so grateful for
the hard work and dedication of folks like him across the state. We need to
bring people together, something that's not always easy to do with Madison or
Washington DC. To give working families like Eduardo's the support they need
to succeed. President Biden has been a very important partner for states
across the country to direct recovery funds to our schools, our economy and
public safety. He hasn't forgotten that working families matter, not just on
Labor Day, but every single day of the year. So please join me in giving a
warm Wisconsin welcome to President Joe Biden and Eduardo Marquez. >> All
right guys, this is awesome. Thank you. Good afternoon, brothers and sisters,
ladies and gentlemen. For those that don't know me I'm Eduardo Marquez. Little
bit about myself, I'm the youngest of seven to immigrant parents, born in
Chicago where my father was a union carpenter. That's where I was introduced
to construction and hard work. I moved to Milwaukee Shaw when I was 20 years
old. I've been a member of Local 113 since 2014. I started as a mason tender.
All under the building trades, some responsibilities are to build scaffold,
operate the hydro lift and rough terrains. All of this I was trained and
certified in our union training center in Deforest, Wisconsin. I've been
working for a local contractor Findorff since December 2018. They made me a
foreman and offered me additional training, supervisor training program. This
year I'm proud to say I began to run jobs for Findorff as a project
superintendent. Right now, we're building a children's clinic. I'm married
with three sons. Thanks to the union wages and benefits. My wife was able to
be a stay-at-home mother for six years to raise our boys. I'm also proud to
say that she returned to work last year and that extra money is also awesome.
I know that President Biden push harder for the infrastructure bill that will
create so many jobs for laborers to repair our bridges, water system and many
other things. And now we have a great agreement on a solar field. Hundreds of
laborers will be part of clean energy future. I'm so proud and honored to
stand here today and say, thank you President Biden for looking out for
workers and our families. Ladies and gentlemen, President Joe Biden. >> Hello
Milwaukee? My name is Joe Biden. I am Joe Biden's husband. And I want to start
by saying, any child under 12 years of age deserves a little extra ice cream
or something for doing this. This has got to be the most boring thing in the
world for you, honey. But we're going to work something out for you, I
promise. Folks if you have a seat, don't hesitate to take them. >> We love you
Joe Biden. >> Thank you, man. Well, I think this is getting to be a pretty
good year for a Labor Day. Eduardo, thank you for that introduction. It's
great to be with Governor Evers' representative, Gwen Moore. Where's Gwen?
There you go Gwen. I love you kid. You've been there every step of the way
when I've needed help as president. Thank you. And Mayor Johnson, where's
Mayor? Where is the Mayor? There you go. You've got those two beautiful girls
and his son. I tell you what? You got to tell your girls, you got to be
patient with we dads, we're hard to raise. And where's the county executive?
Stand up, big guy. I think these two guys spent all their time in the
gymnasium. They look like they're too good a shape. No I thank Tammy. She
couldn't be here today. Who is our champion of working people and always
there. You know and the same goes for Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes who
couldn't be here, but he's going to be your next United States senator. Oh, he
is. And I want to thank Liz Sure for her fearless leadership there at AFL-CIO
and thanks to Pam for your leadership of the AFL-CIO here in Milwaukee. Thank
you. Where is she? Back here. There you are, Pam. I was wondering where
everybody is sitting. And how about actually having a union guys as secretary
labor? I tell you what? If you're going to be in a foxhole you want Marty in
there with you. Now you may have trouble understand me he starts talking about
car bonds and [inaudible 01:07:11] garages and he talks funny, but he knows
what he's talking about. I promised to be the most pro union president in
American history. And Marty's keeping me make that promise. By the way the
reason for that and I've had this conversation with the Business Roundtable on
all the major chambers of commerce is not just that, I think that it's
important that people get a shot. But look, reason why businesses should be
hiring labor folks is simple. They're the single greatest technicians in the
world. Youre the best laborers in the world. You build the best product in the
world. No, I'm not just joking. I'm not just saying that. But people forget a
lot of the traits, they forget. You go to four or five years of school, you're
at apprenticeship. It's like going back to college. It's not like you all of a
sudden just step in. You build a better product. It lasts longer and it's
cheaper for the business and it's better for the country. Folks Labor Day is a
special day in the country in here in Milwaukee. This is one of the biggest
Labor Day events in America you-all have here. That's a special day to me as
well. Because the fact of the matter is I wouldn't be here without unions.
Unions, electricians, iron workers, letter carriers, teamsters, laborers,
bricklayers, transit workers, plumbers and pipe fitters, steel workers. I
wouldn't be here without cops, firefighters, teachers, nurses. I wouldn't be
here without painters, pilots, auto workers, custodians, carpenters, grocery
store workers, steel metal workers and so many others. That's not a joke.
That's not a joke. I got elected when I was 29 years old in the United States
Senate with a state that have recently been right to work. You know why?
Because union labor endorsed me and fought for me. So the bad news for you all
is I'm here because you. Look, the middle class build America. Everybody knows
that, but unions built the middle-class. That's a fact. Look, folks, I believe
we're at an inflection point in American history. I really mean that. It comes
with Brown every five or six generations rule of flexing where one of those
moments where everything is changing. And we're going to have to ask whether
we want to be a country that moves forward or backwards. We're going to build
a future or we're going to obsess about the past. I've said many times we're
the only country in the world that's come out of every crisis we've ever faced
stronger than we went in it. No other nation has done that. And we do it
because we've been a nation of unity, of hope, of optimism. Not as nations
division and violence and hatred as being preached by some others. I want to
be very clear up front, not every Republican is a migrant Republican, not ever
Republican embraces that extreme early ideology. I know because I've been able
to work with MAGA republicans in my whole career. But the extreme MAGA
Republicans in Congress have chosen to go backwards full of anger, violence,
hate, and division. But together we can and we must choose a different path.
Forward. No, I really mean it. We have to. A future of unity, of hope, of
optimism. We're going to choose to build a better America. There's no question
it's been a hard few years, but we've come a long way. Today, COVID no longer
controls our lives. More Americans are working anytime than all of American
history. Last year, more people Bly apply to start small businesses than a
year in history. But it didn't just happen. We never gave up. We never gave
in. And we're delivering for working and middle-class Americans now. Nearly 10
million new jobs, more jobs have never been created at this point in any
presidency in history. Wages are up, unemployment remains near a 50-year low.
The brick reasons for all this is the American rescue plan that I signed into
law shortly after taking office. With the help of your Democratic members of
Congress that's how we got it done. Not one single republican vote. The plan
took American economic crisis to economic recovery. And here in Wisconsin,
your governor and your Mayor of Milwaukee, use that money like it's supposed
to be used. Keeping city workers on the job in the face of rising costs,
keeping streets safe by fixing streetlights, training 130 new firefighters,
helping hire close to 200 more police officers. Not a single republican voted
for that. Not one single one. Every single Republican in Congress in this
State voted against that funding. So let me remind you. No, I really mean it.
Let me reminds you what else is that American rescue plan. I think called the
Butch Lewis act. And for too long most Americans don't know what that means.
Those of you have been driving trucks from factory to the stores, bagging our
groceries, building our buildings, bridges, roads, so much more. And with
these paycheck you earn, the employees put money into that pension plan. But
some companies didn't set aside enough money to pay for those plans. And as a
result, hundreds of pensions, 2-3 million workers and retirees were going in
solvent. Millions of your retirees are at risk of losing their retirement
security through no fault of your own. So the American rescue plan, we pass a
butch Lewis act to protect pensions all of you worked so **** hard for.
Pensions you sacrificed for. And retirement you little black loosing your
Social Security and your Medicare. It's one of the most significant
achievements union workers and retirees for union worker retirees in over 50
years. And I'll say it again not a single Republican congressmen voted to
protect your pensions. Not one. And by the way, I know a lot have wanted to
vote for it. They're afraid to lose in primaries in this new Republican Party.
They also passed once in a generation investment in our nation's roads,
highways, bridges, railroads, ports, water systems, high-speed Internet.
Folks, your governors already repaired over 5,000 miles, 1500 bridges in
Wisconsin alone. Just the start. [inaudible 01:14:25] will, when this is over,
have the best infrastructure, not a joke in the entire world. The single best
in the world. And that means jobs. No that means jobs. That means we continue
to lead the world. You can't do it without the best ports. You can't do it
without the best airports, you can't do it. I'm not going to go on, but the
point is, you can't do it. Right here in Milwaukee, it's estimated 40% of the
home will still have lead to service water, lead pipe for the water. Because
the infrastructure law, the city is receiving millions of dollars replace of
those lead pipes to make sure families have safe drinking water. Your child's
shouldn't have to worry about turning on the faucet or going to school, going
to the water fount and worried about any lead in the water. Look, it's the
biggest investment in America since President Eisenhower Interstate Highway
Act. And we made sure the infrastructure law included significant labor
protections. For example, majority of the funds and law are subject to Davis
bacon. And it's not just because I wanted to help unions. It's simple. You're
the best in the world. That's not hyperbole. No. That's not a joke. You really
genuinely are. You just don't decide you want to be a pipe fitter or
electrician. It takes you four to five years of hard work. The
apprenticeships. It's like going to college, you're the best trained workers
in the world and deserve to be treated that way. And by the way, those who
know me, no one ever doubts I mean what I say, the problem is I sometimes say
all that I mean. I made the same comments to the Business Roundtable, to the
Chamber of Commerce. They understand it. They don't want to pay it, they
understand it though because it's true. I also signed the Chip and Science Act
, a groundbreaking law. We're once again, manufacturers of semiconductor
chips, that power every day, everything, our smartphones, dishwashers,
automobiles, national security stuff right here in America. Guess what? We
invented it here. We invented it here in America. By the way, the reason why
last time out, last year inflation was so high, you know the biggest reason?
Cost of automobiles. You know why they cost so much? They didn't have the
computer chips to make the automobiles. Folks, here in Wisconsin, Senator
Baldwin made clear that you're ready to take advantage of this law. With
world-class universities and a workforce that knows how to manufacture
projects here in Wisconsin, this law is going to create tens of thousands of
jobs in America, bringing billions of dollars of investment here in America,
well over a $100 billion investments in America, revitalizing American
manufacturing. Where is it written that says America can't lead the world in
manufacturing? Where does it say that? We've exported too **** much? In fact,
next week I'm going to Ohio for the groundbreaking of a multi-billion-dollar
semiconductor manufacturing plant. The company is Intel. It's one of the
largest investments of this kind ever. They're putting 20 billion in as a
start. It's going to create thousands of jobs, 7,000 construction jobs just
building the facilities, 5,000 permanent jobs for blue-collar workers who will
make $125,000 a year in those jobs. And by the way, if you take a look,
manufacturers all over the world are coming to the United States, from Korea,
from Japan, from all over the world. Why? You know why the head of an outfit
out of Korea told me they're coming here? Because we have the safest
environment and the best workers in the world. That's a fact. We do. I'm not
just saying this, this is real. Look, folks, it means we're going to build the
future in America with American workers and American factories using
American-made products. Look, it's something most people don't know, but you
guys out there in this audience know, 15% of our military veterans become
union workers when they leave the military. How many veterans out there?
Holler out. You got it. In my State of the Union Address, I put forward what I
call a unity agenda that including taking care of our veterans. Look, we have
a lot of responsibility but the only one sacred responsibility, not a joke and
I mean this from the bottom of my heart and I've said it from the first day I
entered politics. We have an obligation to equip those we send into harm's way
and care for them and their families when they come home, both their families.
Especially our veterans who've been exposed to toxic burn pits like my son,
those pits, the size of football fields, 8, 9, 10 feet deep in Afghanistan and
Iraq. I was in and out of those countries over 35 times in the middle of these
wars as vice president. That incinerate waste of war, tires, poisons,
chemicals, jet fuel so much more. A lot of people like my son had their hooch
just probably 300, 500 yards from those pits. You could smell it, you could
inhale it. Well, guess what? These poisonous fumes, people came home with
headaches, numbness, dizziness, cancer. I just signed, we call it the Pact Act
to take care of these veterans who need medical assistance and to provide for
their families when they are gone. For God's sake, it's the least we can do.
>> We love you, Joe. >> I'd love you to kiddo, I tell you. Like I said, I
believe we have a lot of obligations but only one sacred obligation and that's
to take care of those vets we sent overseas and when they come home. No I know
but I really mean it. And as I said, I just signed into law a historic
Inflation Reduction Act. It wasn't easy to take on big drug companies, but we
did. I've been fighting them since I got in Congress 180 years ago. We pay
more for prescription drugs in the United States of America than any major
country in the world. Here in the United States. There's no reason for it. For
the last several decades, many of us have been trying to fix the problem, but
for decades, Big Pharma tried to block, give me lower drug prices for those on
Medicare or anywhere else. For decades, Big Pharma won, year in, year out
because they own chunks of the Congress, because they had help like your
senior Senator Ron Johnson. No, I want to say what he said. He said he opposed
lowering drug costs because it would result in punishing the pharmaceutical
industry. Bless me father for I have sinned. Come on man. Not this year. We
beat Pharma this year and it mattered. We're going to change people's lives.
We finally beat Pharma. Now, Medicare will have the power to negotiate lower
prescription drug prices. We can guarantee, no senior will have to pay more
than $2,000 out-of-pocket for their drugs for the entire year, no matter
whether the bill is 50,000. No more than $2,000, period. And if you're on
Medicare and you have diabetes, your cost of insulin will be capped at $35.
And by the way, there's reason for that. You know how much it costs for them
to make and package the insulin for diabetes? Ten bucks. You need that insulin
or your children need it? You know what it costs? It costs you somewhere
between 615,000 bucks a month. It's outrageous. Guess what? We also had in his
bill of mine, had a provision that affected people who weren't on Medicare,
but because of the leadership of your senior senator and others, it got
defeated, but I'm coming back and getting it. Think about this. I mean this
from the bottom of my heart. Imagine being a mom or dad with a kid with type 2
diabetes knowing you need that insulin and you don't have the insurance, you
can't pay for it. I'm not joking. Think about it. Think about how it would rip
your heart out. It's wrong. It's simply wrong and we're going to end it. It's
cost 10 bucks and you can make 35 if you want. That's it. And by the way, I
know corporations, I come from a corporate state of the world, more
corporations are incorporated in Delaware than every other state in the
country combined. So I can write a doctrine on corporations. So it's not like
I'm anti corporation generically, but I do think everybody should pay their
fair share. And by the way, for decades, the biggest corporation and the
wealthiest Americans have fought to block a fair tax code. Republicans passed
a $2 trillion tax cut, mainly benefiting the wealthiest corporations under the
Trump administration. By the way, it increased the debt by $2 trillion. Guess
what? In 2000, 55 of those corporations earned a $40 billion in profit. They
didn't pay a single solitary penny in taxes. And wealthiest Americans of the
700 plus billionaires in America, you know what their average tax rate is, the
federal tax? Eight percent. They pay less fewer tax than any one of you pay.
It's not right. No, it's just outrageous. Guess what? I wasn't able to take
care. Anyway, if you're a cop, a teacher, a firefighter, a steelworker, a
miner, you pay double that federal tax. It's just wrong. But this year, the
American people won. Now big corporations have to pay at least a minimum tax
of 15 percent. The days of billion-dollar companies paying zero, they are over
in America. And they know they can afford it. And while we're doing this rack
is reducing the federal deficit. You know when they talk about responsible the
last guy left me with a giant deficit. Well, guess what? In my first year I
reduced the deficit by $350 billion. You know how much I'm going to do with
the deficit this year? One trillion, five hundred thousand reduction in the
deficit. And by the way, just by dealing with allowing Medicare to negotiate
drug prices, it means Medicare doesn't have to pay out that many tax dollars
to buy them. That alone is reduced, going to decrease over time, $300 billion
in the deficit. You would think that Republicans really cared about reducing
inflation they'd vote for the Inflation Reduction Act. But every single
Republican in the House has voted against it, every single Republican in the
House and Senate. Now I've met some of them voted against it they thought it
made sense, but they couldn't let Biden quote, have a victory. It's not my
victory, it's American peoples victory. In spite of the fact that while doing
all this, we lowered the deficit by a trillion five this year here in America,
every single Republican voted against lowering prescription drug prices
against lowering health care costs, against protecting your pensions, against
lower energy costs, against creating good paying jobs, against a fair tax
system. Every single one in the House and Senate, everyone. And one thing
more, when Franklin D Roosevelt signed the National Labor Relations Act, when
it passed in the '30s, he didn't say it was okay to be a union, he said and
then Franklin says we should encourage unions. Well I'm encouraging unions.
That's what I've been doing from day one. It enclose for public service sector
workers in Wisconsin as well. Today support for unions in this country is
higher than it's been in nearly 60 years. Think about this. You guys know the
number. Unions have more support today in American public opinion than anytime
in 60 years. It's a key way to building the economy to grow us from the
bottom-up and the middle out. I'm so sick and tired of trickle-down economics.
I come from a family where my dad worked hard, he worked like **** we lived a
decent middle-class life. We lived in a three bedroom split-level home with a
development as the area is growing with four kids and a grandpa. It was great
for us, but those walls are thin. But all kidding aside, we did fine, no
complaints, we did fine. But here's the point. The biggest contrast from what
MAGA Republicans, the extreme right, the Trumpies. These MAGA Republicans in
Congress are coming for your social security as well. Now, by the way, as I
said, you might think I'm making some of the stuff up are so outrageous but
here's the deal guys. Read the Republican campaign plan to send a campaign
they put out this year, go online and read it. Senator Rick Scott of Florida,
heads that campaign committee. It's all in black and white, I'm not making it
up you can go online and read it. They want to require Congress to vote on the
future of social security, Medicare and Medicaid every five years to decide
whether they continue. No, every five years they get to vote to change, to
cut, to reduce or entire eliminate social security and other things. How does
that make us feel? Knowing the guy, remember that song along comes John and
then along comes Ron Johnson of Wisconsin. He's arguing that five years is too
long to wait to savage these programs people depend on. He wants to put social
security and Medicare literally in the chopping block every single year
treated like any other appropriation. Let me remind you, you paid for your
social security, Medicare, taken out of your paycheck since the time you're 18
years old. The same guy who said, he's the same guy said that Republican get
control of Congress they're coming after the Affordable Care Act again, denied
health insurance to anyone with a pre-existing condition, that's the only
reason they're able to get it. If they have a pre-existing condition, the only
way to get insurance is because the Affordable Care Act, that's not a joke.
This guy never stops. But guess what? I ain't stopping either. You and I, we
offer a starkly different vision for this country. A vision, more fairer, more
decent America. One where everybody has a fair share wherever you Americans
treated with my dad would say with dignity. The economy that works for work
not wealth. I don't make close to this. We're serious more than our nation
history and it's not hyper, I mean it from the bottom of my heart. As I said
last week, we remain in the battle for the soul of America. By the way, all
right, God love you. Let him go. No, let him go. Look, everybody's entitled to
being an idiot. No, everybody's done. Look, extreme MAGA Republic don't just
threaten our personal rights and our economic security, they embrace political
violence. I'm not talking on all Republicans, I'm talking about these extreme
MAGA Republicans think about it. The definition of democracy is you accept the
will of the people when the votes are honestly counted, these guys don't do
it. Name me a democracy in a world where a leader argues to engage in
violence. To this day, MAGA Republicans in Congress defend the mob, they
stormed the Capitol and people died later. Senator Johnson said it was a
by-and-large, a peaceful protest. Have you seen the videos what happened that
day? Listening to the stories of the members of both parties in Congress and
the jeopardy they were put in? Cops attacked and assaulted spirit of a
flagpole sprayed with manse, stomped down, drag, brutalized. Police lost their
lives as a result of that day. And the MAGA Republicans and your Senior
Senator said it was a peaceful protest. Folks, you can't be pro
insurrectionists, I'm being deadly honest now. There's no democracy where you
can be pro-insurrection and pro-democracy. So when I say that democracy is at
stake, I mean what I'm saying literally. You can't say you support law
enforcement and call the people who attacked the police on January 6th,
patriots. This was an attack on American democracy and what we stand for.
Imagine if you go home this afternoon, turn on the television and saw several
thousand people storming the British Parliament, knocking down the doors,
threatening lives, trying to overthrow the election of the new prime minister
and people dying. What would you think? No, I'm being deadly earnest now.
Honest to God, what would you think? You'd think this is not a democracy.
Well, let me tell you something. This is why in this moment, those of you in
this country, Democrats, Republicans and mainstream Republicans and
Independents. We have to be stronger and more determined, and more committed
to saving American democracy than the MAGA Republican that guy off that door
are destroying democracy. Because democracy is at stake. We got to remember
who we are. We're the United States of America. There's nothing we can't do if
we do it together. God bless you all and may God protect our troops. Thank
you