U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday said Congress needs to move beyond political brinksmanship and pass a series of proposals "right now" that would jolt the economy from its recently slow growth. "Many Americans are hurting badly right now," President Obama said in his weekly radio address to the nation. He said later, "Putting these men and women back to work, and growing wages for everyone, has got to be our top priority." The President reiterated his call for Congress to pass a series of trade deals along with legislation that would revamp the patent system, extend the payroll-tax holiday and provide businesses with tax credits for hiring veterans. President Obama, who is heading on a three-state bus tour next week to discuss the economy, says he plans to "put forward more proposals to help our businesses hire and create jobs, and won't stop until every American who wants a job can find one." He added that he is "frustrated" with the level of partisanship and brinksmanship witnessed in the last month.
