Weekly Address: President Obama Honors America's Veterans, Men and Women in Uniform

Submitted by Dan Boscov-Ellen on 5/23/09

In his weekly address, President Obama payed tribute to America's servicemen and women, calling on us to remember what Memorial Day is meant to honor -- the sacrifies of those who protect us:

This Memorial Day weekend, Americans will gather on lawns and porches, fire up the grill, and enjoy the company of family, friends, and neighbors. But this is not only a time for celebration, it is also a time to reflect on what this holiday is all about; to pay tribute to our fallen heroes; and to remember the servicemen and women who cannot be with us this year because they are standing post far from home – in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world.

On Friday, I traveled to Annapolis, where I spoke at the Commencement of the United States Naval Academy. It was an honor to address some of America’s newest sailors and Marines as their Commander-in-Chief. Looking out at all of those young men and women, I was reminded of the extraordinary service that they are rendering to our country. And I was reminded, too, of all of the sacrifices that their parents, siblings, and loved ones make each day on their behalf and on our behalf.

The full transcript is available here. Watch the video below:

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Submitted by SarahAA (not verified) on 5/26/09.

A senior administration official told the reporters that Obama's national program for higher Corporate Average Fuel Economy, CAFE, standards is scheduled to start in model year 2012.The CAFE standards have gotten themselves an update. The CAFE standards, or Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, have been overhauled by President Obama, to drastically cut auto emissions around the U.S.A.  The automobile industry might be doing less check cashing from sales of gas guzzlers, though – the new standard is for all cars (just cars, not trucks) to achieve an average of 35.5 mpg by 2016.   It is currently at 27.5 mpg.  That level of efficiency has already been mandated by the state of California, and the aim is to severely reduce emission of greenhouse gases.  Critics point out that higher CAFE standards might save a payday cash loan at the pump, but smaller cars compromise crash safety.