Obama: Economy ‘Needs a Jolt’

“This is not a game,” President Obama said at a press conference on Thursday, urging Congress—again—to pass his $450 billion jobs plan, a mix of tax cuts and infrastructure spending. “Our economy really needs a jolt right now,” Obama continued. He endorsed a plan from Senate Dems that would put a 5 percent surtax on millionaires to help fund it. The president also defended his feisty new style, saying that he’s tried to work with congressional Republicans for two years and now he has to take his case “to the American people so they know what is going on.” Asked about the ongoing Occupy Wall Street protests, Obama mostly dodged the question, saying the protesters are “giving voice” to Americans’ frustration about the financial system.