President Barack Obama challenged Republicans to “put country before party” in a Labor Day speech that was largely seen as a preview of the remarks he will deliver to Congress on Thursday. Speaking at an event sponsored by the Metropolitan Detroit AFL-CIO, Obama said that his plan to boost employment and the economy “will include proposals that previously have had support from both parties,” and part of that includes “putting people back to work by repairing roads and bridges,” reports Bloomberg. He emphasized there are more than 1 million unemployed construction workers who are ready to get to work.