President Barack Obama took to the Rose Garden this morning to warn congress that he will send his "American Jobs Act" to the Capitol later today while at the same time calling on those in attendance to fight for its passage.
"I can't tell you how many times the president said, 'Pass the bill, pass the bill, pass the bill,'" said Just Harvest co-director Tara Marks. Marks was invited to the White House last week, but was not told what the focus of the event would be until later. "Of course you get that invitation you say, 'Great, I want to be there,'" said Marks.
The president first introduced the idea of the $447 billion dollars in tax cuts and spending last week. It is aimed at putting the unemployed back to work.
"I believe the president is serious about this, and I think that he has a bi-partisan bill that he believes is the best for out-of-work Americans," said Marks. "I have to believe he is on the right track."
Republicans on the hill have indicated that they are willing to talk about the plan, but they are not willing to pass it without some give and take from the administration.
But President Obama has his supporters. "This 'get tough' attitude is what we have been waiting for from the president," said Marks after leaving the Rose Garden. "Folks like myself have been waiting to get our marching orders. I say that we have this army of liberals and progressives and like-minded people who have been waiting for our general to send us to battle, and I feel like we are there."
Marks said she will be calling her congressman and encouraging others to do the same. When she meets with her clients later this week, she said she would be telling them that the president means business.
However, it was not all about the war on unemployment for Marks. When given a moment to reflect on the event Marks said, "The Rose Garden is pretty neat place."
