Obama: 'Nothing Works' Because Republicans Are Willing 'To Say No To Everything'

President Barack Obama railed against Republicans during an event in Los Angeles Wednesday night, saying the GOP's willingness "to say no to everything" makes the upcoming midterm elections especially important.

“Their willingness to say no to everything -- the fact that since 2007, they have filibustered about 500 pieces of legislation that would help the middle class just gives you a sense of how opposed they are to any progress -- has actually led to an increase in cynicism and discouragement among the people who were counting on us to fight for them,” Obama said.

"The conclusion is, well, nothing works,” Obama continued. “And the problem is, is that for the folks worth fighting for -- for the person who’s cleaning up that house or hotel, for the guy who used to work on construction but now has been laid off -- they need us. Not because they want a handout, but because they know that government can serve an important function in unleashing the power of our private sector.”

Obama said a strong showing by Democrats in the midterm elections could help Washington "break out" of a vicious cycle.

"We're not going to make good choices unless we break out of this cycle in which dysfunction breeds cynicism, and cynicism then breeds more dysfunction," Obama said. "We've got to break out of it. And that happens during midterms."