Obama begins 9-day Asia-Pacific trip
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are welcomed by Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie and Rep. Mazie Hirono, as they disembark Air Force One at Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, Friday, Nov. 11, 2011.
/ AP Photo/Charles DharapakIn his meeting with leaders, Mr. Obama will focus on economic integration and increased trade between the U.S. and the region.
"When the American people see the president traveling in the Asia-Pacific, they will see him advocating for U.S. jobs and U.S. businesses," said Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser for strategic communications, in a briefing about the trip.
The Asia-Pacific region already supports nearly 4 million American jobs and purchases 61 percent of total U.S. exports. But Mr. Obama aims to open these markets even further, creating more American jobs. The administration calls this fast-growing region the future of the 21st century.
In his first scheduled meeting with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the President will discuss the broad outlines of a trade agreement with the TPP s other eight nations Chile, New Zealand, Brunei, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Peru. Japan will also join the dialogue. These TPP talks may eventually serve as the basis for an APEC-wide trade agreement.
Later, President Obama will attend a CEO Summit with business leaders from around the region and hold bilateral meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, Russian President Dimitry Medvedev, and Chinese President Hu Jintao.
Tomorrow, Mr. Obama will make remarks at the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting, which will again focus on growth and job creation. He will then attend the APEC Business Advisory Council and hold a press conference. At the day's end, he will hold the annual North American Leaders summit with Mexican President Calderon and Canadian Prime Minister Harper.
On Monday, Mr. Obama will have some down time with just one event scheduled - a campaign fundraiser - before he moves on to Canberra, Australia.
Later in the week he will stop in Darwin, Australia and Bali, Indonesia.
According to CBS News' Peter Maer, the trip in total will tally an estimated 23,342 air miles and 46 hours of flight time.
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Currently Congress is reviewing cutting benefits of millions of Americans while keeping their perks and benefits intact. They must not be treated differently than any average hard working American. If the hatred and the childish behavior we are currently witnessing in the congress does not end soon we must fire the elected representative whether a Democrat or Republican and elect a new member who puts the interest of the millions of hard working Americans before the party. If necessary, the time is now to start a new 3rd party "All American" that governs from the middle representing the most Americans. This party can start with the following platform:
1) Balance the Budget in the next 8 years.
2) Make a pledge to make America energy independent over the next 8 yrs. Start using natural gas for converting national Buses, Trucks and all gas guzzling vehicles to natural gas in the first phase. In many countries mass transit buses and some private automobiles already run on natural gas which is cleaner than regular gas. The technology already exist.
3) Cut the budget of non-essential and non-productive Federal Departments in half.
4) Cut the budget of every other Federal Department except Defense by 10%
5) Review Defense and cut all the waste wherever possible and feasible. Strengthen wherever necessary.
6) Put wage and price freeze across America until we balance the Federal Budget that includes Congress, Federal Employees and ordinary Americans
7) Cut the Expense Budgets of Congressman by 15% and put a mandate that they must travel in economy class in public airlines like most Americans do.
8) Give Tax Breaks to companies that innovate and manufacture in America using American workers.
9) Close all corporate loopholes, stop all subsidies to large oil companies and other profitable public corporations. All large corporation should pay a minimum of 15% corporate tax, no exceptions.
10) Give incentives and low rate loans to bonafide new start-up small companies with a strong business plan that would employ more than 10 employees.
11) Re-evaluate all trade agreements and stop all unfair trade practices by all foreign countries.
12) Give 10% Tax Credit to anyone buying an American car or any American made large ticket item.
13) Require banks to approve all mortgages in a timely manner with clear guidelines to stimulate home buying. Hold banks accountable if they turn down any qualified loan application in a timely manner. Offer $2000 Tax Credit to a qualified new home buyer for the next 3 years
14) Introduce a new 2% National Debt Reduction Tax for all the ordinary American tax payers. Anyone making more than half a million dollars ($500,000) per year would pay 3% National Debt Reduction Tax while all corporations with the revenues over 1 Billion Dollars would pay 4% National Debt Reduction Tax. The budgets of all the federal departments would be frozen until the federal budget is balanced. THIS TAX MUST BE ELIMINATED UPON BALANCING THE FEDERAL BUDGET with a going forward balanced budget amendment without this added tax.
15) Put a 5% National Debt Reduction Tax on all the Chinese imports until the federal budget is balanced.
16) The Social Security and Medical Benefits of all the individuals over 58 yrs would be protected while looking to eliminate waste without reduction in benefits. In the future, Congress should not be allowed to dip in to Social Security and Medical trust fund. The Congress and the Federal Employees will not have a separate program. All individuals should be given control of their own accounts with a limited safe investment options similar to the options available in the annuities offered by many private insurance companies.
IF YOU AGREE, PLEASE MAIL THIS TO EVERYONE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR ECONOMY AND SERIOUS ABOUT FIXING THE PROBLEMS. We must be strong at home to be strong abroad. If we don't fix our problems at home, we would become a laughing stock in the rest of the world. Fire any elected official who play the partisan politics and ignore the reality and fail to understand the pain of ordinary citizens. Do send this to your Congressmen and Senators.
We thought his home state was in Chicago by way of Hawaii by way of Kansas and then originally Kenya?
The media can't seem to get that straight.
So is he taking Michelle and the girls on this all expense paid vacation by the taxpayers again?
And Perhaps he is taking his wife and children on this business trip. So sorry you are too ignorant to understand the difference between a business trip and a vacation. Part of the job of the President of the United States of America is to travel to do the business of our country. Sometimes family members are lucky enough to go along. If the president's family is with him, how nice that they may enjoy some time with him. How sad your unreasonable hatred for our President also extends to his family who have done absolutely NOTHING to warrant the attacks people like you have launched on them.
With Christian like you while will someone want to be a Christian?
Where is the light that you are shinning so the world may see your good works. Right now all we see from you is darkness.
Mr. President, we wish you a safe trip. May God light your part in all that you do. May those who wish the president arm be put to shame.
The Teapublicans told America that we are going to congress to create jobs. It has been almost a year, with not a single job created by the republicans. Instead, GOP idea of job creation is the pre-occupation with a woman's uterus, and reducing a woman's right to decent healthcare.
The party of NO, have no good ideas, notting to offer but lies and more taxes break for millionaires and billioniares.
After your party wrecked the economy, you are now blaming it on fire fighters, teachers, and police officer, and all other public workers. GOP is the party that destroyed the economy, and now the obstructionist party.