Obama promises action on jobs and growth

US President Barack Obama on Saturday promised Americans that he will not hesitate to take the action needed to grow the economy and create jobs when Congress fails to act on his agenda. "The truth is, we can no longer wait for Congress to do its job," Obama said in his weekly and Internet address. "The middle-class families who've been struggling for years are tired of waiting. They need help now," the president added. "So where Congress won't act, I will." The comments came after Obama's $447-billion proposal aimed at reviving economic growth and curbing 9.1 percent unemployment got stalled in Congress. The White House has touted the jobs bill as a shot-in-the-arm for the economy, and accused Republicans of playing politics by blocking it. Democrats have vowed to break the bill down and bring votes on each of its components, but the success of this strategy is far from certain given the firm control Republican have in the House of Representatives. Obama condemned congressional Republicans, saying they were not "paying attention" to the needs of American people and "not getting the message." He added: "Over and over, they have refused to even debate the same kind of jobs proposals that Republicans have supported in the past -- proposals that today are supported, not just by Democrats, but by Independents and Republicans all across America." The president highlighted the executive actions he took this past week to help families refinance their home mortgages, put veterans to work, and lower the cost of student loans. "These steps will make a difference," Obama said. "But they won't take the place of the bold action we need from Congress to get this economy moving again."