US President Barack Obama today appealed to his opponents to shun 'partisanship' and end the political 'gridlock' gripping Washington, as he sought support for his proposals that aim to create more jobs in the struggling economy.
Under criticism from several quarters for his handling of the economic crisis in the country, Obama said "we didn't get into this mess overnight" and blasted the deeply divided response from political parties.
"Lately, the response from Washington has been partisanship and gridlock that's only undermined public confidence and hindered our efforts to grow the economy," Obama said in his weekly address to the nation.
Obama said American people deserved more than political brinkmanship, as he urged people frustrated by the gridlock in Washington to let their representatives know that it is time to put partisanship aside to act in the best interests of the country.
"We can no longer let partisan brinkmanship get in our way, the idea that making it through the next election is more important than making things right.
"That's what's holding us back, the fact that some in Congress would rather see their opponents lose than see America win," he said.
He said it was time for the Congress to act on the President's proposals, including extending the payroll tax cut, cutting red tape, and getting construction workers back to work, so that the economy returns to firmer ground and jobs are created.
He said though there was nothing wrong with the country, something surely was wrong with the politics, that needs to be fixed.
"Because we know there are things Congress can do, right now, to get more money back in your pockets, get this economy growing faster, and get our friends and neighbours back to work," he said.
In his weekly address, Obama admitted that though the US still leads the world in innovation and entrepreneurs, too many Americans are still struggling to get by.
"If you refuse to settle for a politics where scoring points is more important than solving problems; if you believe it's time to put country before party and the interests of our children before our own, let them know," Obama said.
"We didn't get into this mess overnight, and it's going to take time to get out of it. That's a hard truth but it's no excuse for inaction.
"After all, America voted for divided government, not dysfunctional government, and we've got work to do. And when we come together and find common ground, there's no stopping this country.
"There's no stopping our people. There's no holding us back. And there is every reason to believe we'll get through this storm to a brighter day," Obama said.
