WASHINGTON – In this week’s address, President Obama called Orion Energy Systems in

Manitowoc, Wisconsin an example of how America can win the future by being the best place
on Earth to do business.  Orion was able to open with the help of small business loans and
incentives that are creating demand for clean energy technologies.  By sparking innovation and
spurring new products and technologies, America will unleash the talent and ingenuity of
American workers and businesses, which will lead to new, good jobs.

Remarks of President Barack Obama

Weekly Address
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
January 29, 2011

I’m speaking to you today from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, where I’m at an innovative company
called Orion Energy Systems.

Just a few years ago, this was an empty warehouse.  A major employer had shut down this
factory, moved its operations abroad, and took a lot of jobs away from this town.

But today, as you can see behind me, this is a thriving enterprise once more. You are looking at a
factory where 250 workers are building advanced clean energy systems – state-of-the-art
technologies that use solar power and energy efficiency to save farms and businesses thousands
of dollars on their utility bills.

I’m here because this business and others like it are showing us the way forward. And in the
coming days, I’ll be shining a spotlight on innovators across America who are relying on new
technologies to create new jobs and opportunities in new industries.   

That’s what companies like Orion are doing.  And that’s how America will win the future – by
out-innovating, out-educating, and out-building our competitors.  We’ll win the future by being
the best place on Earth to do business.  That is what we are called to do at this moment. And in
my state of the union, I talked about how we get there.

It starts by making sure that every single child can get a good education and every American can
afford college or career training. Because that’s what will help light the spark in the minds of
innovators – and ensure that our people have the skills to work for innovative companies.

We also need to make sure that America can move goods and information as fast as any of our
competitors, whether on the road or online. Because good infrastructure helps our businesses sell
their products and services faster and cheaper.

We have to reform our government and cut wasteful spending, so that we eliminate what we
don’t need to pay for the investments we need to grow, like education and medical research.

And as we can see here in Manitowoc, we need to ensure that we are promoting innovation –
especially in promising areas like clean energy.  This is going to be key to growing our economy
and helping businesses create jobs. Orion, for example, was able to open with the help of small
business loans and incentives that are creating demand for clean energy technologies like wind
power and solar panels.

That’s why I’ve proposed a bigger tax credit for the research that companies do. And to give
these companies the certainty of knowing there will be a market for what they sell, I’ve set this
goal for America: by 2035, 80 percent of electricity should come from clean energy.

This is going to help spark innovation at businesses across America. This is going to spur new
products and technologies. This is going to lead to good, new jobs.  And that’s how we win the
future – by unleashing the talent and ingenuity of American businesses and American workers in
every corner of this country.

So to those who say that America’s best days are behind us, let them come here, to Manitowoc.
Let them come to this once-shuttered factory that is now bustling with workers building new
technologies for the world.  Let them come here to see the incredible promise of our country.

This is the future. And it’s bright.

Thank you.

[PRESIDENTIAL WEEKLY ADDRESS PHASE A START OF]

[ Old English specan, sprecan < Indo-European]

[ Old English tō dæge "(this) day"]

I’m speaking to you today from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, where I’m at an innovative company
called Orion Energy Systems.

lowest rank of order of knighthood: the lowest-ranking member in a British order

of knighthood
 [14th century. Via French < Latin justus < jus "law, right"]

[ Old English gēar < Indo-European]

Just a few years ago, this was an empty warehouse.  A major employer had shut down this
factory, moved its operations abroad, and took a lot of jobs away from this town.

[ Old English þis, þes < Indo-European]

[ Old English īow < gē (see ye1)]

[15th century. < Old French entreprise < past participle of entreprendre
"undertake" < prendre "take" (see prize3)]

But today, as you can see behind me, this is a thriving enterprise once more. You are looking at
a factory where 250 workers are building advanced clean energy systems – state-of-the-art
technologies that use solar power and energy efficiency to save farms and businesses thousands
of dollars on their utility bills.

[13th century. < Anglo-Norman poer, Old French poeir <

assumed Vulgar Latin potere "be powerful" < Latin potis
"able"]

 [ Old English hēr < Indo-European, "this"]

[ Old English weg < Indo-European, "to

go"] [ Old English and, ond < Germanic]

I’m here because this business and others like it are showing us the way forward. And in the
coming days, I’ll be shining a spotlight on innovators across America who are relying on new
technologies to create new jobs and opportunities in new industries.   
[Early 16th century. < Americus, Latinized  [ Old English hwæt < Indo-European]
form of Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512),
Italian navigator]
[Mid-18th century. < Italian]

That’s what companies like Orion are doing.  And that’s how America will win the future – by
out-innovating, out-educating, and out-building our competitors. 

[ Old English winnan < Indo-European, "to desire"]

[Pre-12th century. Via French < Latin platea

"broad way" < Greek plateia hodos]

We’ll win the future by being the best place on Earth to do business.  That is what we are called
to do at this moment. And in my state of the union, I talked about how we get there.

[14th century. Via French < Latin momentum "movement" <

movere "to move"]

[12th century. Directly or via French < Latin

status "way of standing, condition" (as in status
rei publicae "condition of the republic")]
[12th century. Probably < Old English styrtan "to jump" <
Germanic]

[Old English cild] [13th century. < Old English ǣfre ǣlc "ever each"]

It starts by making sure that every single child can get a good education and every American
can afford college or career training. Because that’s what will help light the spark in the minds of
innovators – and ensure that our people have the skills to work for innovative companies.

[Mid-18th century. < Hebrew haḇdālāh

"separation, division"]
 [13th century. Via Anglo- [ Old English ealswā, allswā (see all, so1)]
Norman mover < Latin
movere]

We also need to make sure that America can move goods and information as fast as any of our
competitors, whether on the road or online. Because good infrastructure helps our businesses
sell their products and services faster and cheaper.

basic organization: the most basic level of organizational structure in a

complex body or system that serves as a foundation for the rest

Microsoft® Encarta® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All

[12th century. Via Old N French [13th century. Via French < Latin forma "mold, shape, beauty"]
< Latin vastus "empty"]

We have to reform our government and cut wasteful spending, so that we eliminate what we
don’t need to pay for the investments we need to grow, like education and medical research.

[15th century. < Latin educat-, past participle of educare "bring

up, rear," related to educere "lead out" < ducere "lead"]

[Late 16th century. < obsolete French

 [ Old English < Germanic] recerche < Old French recercher "search
closely" < cerchier "explore"]

[ Old English wē < Indo-European]

And as we can see here in Manitowoc, we need to ensure that we are promoting innovation –
especially in promising areas like clean energy.  This is going to be key to growing our economy
and helping businesses create jobs. Orion, for example, was able to open with the help of small

[14th century. < Old French < Latin exemplum <

eximere "take out" < emere "take"]
 business loans and incentives that are creating demand for clean energy technologies like wind
power and solar panels.

[14th century. < Old French, "piece of cloth" < Latin pannus]

[13th century. Via French < Latin taxare "censure,

toast somebody: to propose a toast to somebody
assess" < tangere "to touch"]
 I give you the bride and groom!

That’s why I’ve proposed a bigger tax credit for the research that companies do. And to give
these companies the certainty of knowing there will be a market for what they sell, I’ve set this
goal for America: by 2035, 80 percent of electricity should come from clean energy.

 He swore that, come what may, he would never let her out
of his sight again.

[ Old English bisignis "anxiety, distress" < [ Old English helpan < Germanic]
bisig "anxious, busy"]

This is going to help spark innovation at businesses across America. This is going to spur new
products and technologies. This is going to lead to good, new jobs.  And that’s how we win the
future – by unleashing the talent and ingenuity of American businesses and American workers in
every corner of this country.

[ Old English < Germanic]

[ Old English earon < Germanic] [ Old English þās (see these)]

So to those who say that America’s best days are behind us, let them come here, to Manitowoc.
Let them come to this once-shuttered factory that is now bustling with workers building new
technologies for the world.  Let them come here to see the incredible promise of our country.

This is the future. And it’s bright.

symbolic rods: in ancient Rome, a bundle of rods containing an ax with a
projecting blade, carried in front of magistrates
Thank you.
[Late 16th century. < Latin, plural of fascis "bundle"]

[14th century. Via French < Ergo, The Phraze E Pluribus Unum is based on True
Latin futurus "going to be"] Fascist Ideals…

United stamus , United We Stand

[PRESIDENTIAL WEEKLY ADDRESS PHASE A END OF]

[PRESIDENTIAL WEEKLY ADDRESS PHASE B START OF]

I’m speaking to you today from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, where I’m at an innovative company
called Orion Energy Systems.

Just a few years ago, this was an empty warehouse.  A major employer had shut down this
factory, moved its operations abroad, and took a lot of jobs away from this town.

But today, as you can see behind me, this is a thriving enterprise once more. You are looking at a
factory where 250 workers are building advanced clean energy systems – state-of-the-art
technologies that use solar power and energy efficiency to save farms and businesses thousands
of dollars on their utility bills.

I’m here because this business and others like it are showing us the way forward. And in the
coming days, I’ll be shining a spotlight on innovators across America who are relying on new
technologies to create new jobs and opportunities in new industries.   

That’s what companies like Orion are doing.  And that’s how America will win the future – by
out-innovating, out-educating, and out-building our competitors.  We’ll win the future by being
the best place on Earth to do business.  That is what we are called to do at this moment. And in
my state of the union, I talked about how we get there.
It starts by making sure that every single child can get a good education and every American can
afford college or career training. Because that’s what will help light the spark in the minds of
innovators – and ensure that our people have the skills to work for innovative companies.

We also need to make sure that America can move goods and information as fast as any of our
competitors, whether on the road or online. Because good infrastructure helps our businesses sell
their products and services faster and cheaper.

We have to reform our government and cut wasteful spending, so that we eliminate what we
don’t need to pay for the investments we need to grow, like education and medical research.

And as we can see here in Manitowoc, we need to ensure that we are promoting innovation –
especially in promising areas like clean energy.  This is going to be key to growing our economy
and helping businesses create jobs. Orion, for example, was able to open with the help of small
business loans and incentives that are creating demand for clean energy technologies like wind
power and solar panels.

That’s why I’ve proposed a bigger tax credit for the research that companies do. And to give
these companies the certainty of knowing there will be a market for what they sell, I’ve set this
goal for America: by 2035, 80 percent of electricity should come from clean energy.

This is going to help spark innovation at businesses across America. This is going to spur new
products and technologies. This is going to lead to good, new jobs.  And that’s how we win the
future – by unleashing the talent and ingenuity of American businesses and American workers in
every corner of this country.

So to those who say that America’s best days are behind us, let them come here, to Manitowoc.
Let them come to this once-shuttered factory that is now bustling with workers building new
technologies for the world.  Let them come here to see the incredible promise of our country.

This is the future. And it’s bright.

Thank you.

[PRESIDENTIAL WEEKLY ADDRESS PHASE B END OF]