The “we can’t wait” slogan used by President Obama to market executive actions this year appears to have been inspired by campaign rhetoric used by the then-senator’s 2008 presidential campaign, as shown in this April 2008 video of Obama speaking in Philadelphia.
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“We can’t afford to wait. We can’t wait to fix our schools. We can’t wait to fix our health care system. We can’t wait to bring back good jobs and good wages. We can’t wait to deal with crime on the streets of our major urban centers,” Obama said on April 14, 2008.
“We can’t wait to bring back after school programs and summer school programs for our youth. We can’t wait to bring this war in Iraq to a close. We cannot wait and that’s why I’m running for president of the United States of America.”
In his most recent “we can’t wait” announcement, Obama directed all federal agencies, without congressional authorization, to make at least $2 billion in energy efficient upgrades over the next two years.
“Upgrading the energy efficiency of America’s buildings is one of the fastest, easiest, and cheapest ways to save money, cut down on harmful pollution, and create good jobs right now. But we can’t wait for Congress to act,” Obama said.
Obama has already unveiled a mortgage refinance plan, student loan program and new fuel efficiency standards of 54.5 mpg for passenger cars and “light trucks” by 2025 without Congress’ approval as part of the “we can’t wait” campaign.
“Today’s announcement is the latest in a series of executive actions the Obama administration is taking to strengthen the economy and move the country forward because we can’t wait for Congressional Republicans to act,” said a White House press release on the new fuel standards.