Obama Cautious On Job Creation
President Barack Obama says job-creation in America is difficult in a time of economic hardship and that the work of the future should be in more high-paying, high-skill areas like clean energy technology.
The comment comes as the Labor Department reported Thursday that the number of new jobless claims rose to 652,000 last week. The total number of people claiming benefits for more than a week jumped 122,000 to 5.56 million, significantly higher than analysts' projections of 5.48 million and the highest on records dating back to 1967.
The Commerce Department also reported Thursday that the economy shrank at a pace of 6.3 percent for the 4th quarter of 2008.
Mr. Obama was asked at his virtual town hall meeting Thursday when people can expect a return of jobs that have been outsourced to other nations. He said the United States has suffered a "massive loss of jobs" because of the deep recession and the turmoil in the financial industry.
Mr. Obama also said many of the lost jobs in recent years involve work that was done by people getting very low wages and those with limited work skills. He said it will take some time - perhaps through the rest of the year - before vigorous hiring resumes, and that might not happen until businesses see evidence the economy is rebounding.
Mr. Obama said that "not all of these jobs are going to come back" and that may not be a bad thing.
"It probably wouldn't be good for our economy for a bunch of these jobs to come back, because, frankly, there's no way that people could be getting paid a living wage on some of these jobs."
Mr. Obama stressed the importance of developing the "high-skilled, high-wage jobs of the future."
"That's why it's so important to train our folks more effectively and that's why it's so important for us to find new industries, building solar panels or wind turbines or the new biofuel that involve these higher-value, higher-skill, higher-paying jobs," he said.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The comment comes as the Labor Department reported Thursday that the number of new jobless claims rose to 652,000 last week. The total number of people claiming benefits for more than a week jumped 122,000 to 5.56 million, significantly higher than analysts' projections of 5.48 million and the highest on records dating back to 1967.
The Commerce Department also reported Thursday that the economy shrank at a pace of 6.3 percent for the 4th quarter of 2008.
Mr. Obama was asked at his virtual town hall meeting Thursday when people can expect a return of jobs that have been outsourced to other nations. He said the United States has suffered a "massive loss of jobs" because of the deep recession and the turmoil in the financial industry.
Mr. Obama also said many of the lost jobs in recent years involve work that was done by people getting very low wages and those with limited work skills. He said it will take some time - perhaps through the rest of the year - before vigorous hiring resumes, and that might not happen until businesses see evidence the economy is rebounding.
Mr. Obama said that "not all of these jobs are going to come back" and that may not be a bad thing.
"It probably wouldn't be good for our economy for a bunch of these jobs to come back, because, frankly, there's no way that people could be getting paid a living wage on some of these jobs."
Mr. Obama stressed the importance of developing the "high-skilled, high-wage jobs of the future."
"That's why it's so important to train our folks more effectively and that's why it's so important for us to find new industries, building solar panels or wind turbines or the new biofuel that involve these higher-value, higher-skill, higher-paying jobs," he said.
Popular in Politics
- Obama prom pictures surface
- Drones, Gitmo part of broad Obama counterterrorism speech
- Lawmakers push to punish sexual offenders in the military
- IRS' Lerner: "I have not done anything wrong" 799 Comments
- Boehner calls out Obama administration's "arrogance of power"
- House passes GOP bill to speed Keystone XL pipeline approval
- Could the GOP pull an upset in Mass. senate race?
- Former Miss America might challenge McConnell














THESE GUYS (the company executives,owners) have become filthy, filthy rich buying cheap junk and selling it to us. Has anyone looked at the prices right now of items at Kroger Fred Meyer. It is ALL cheap stuff from China, which I'm sure, Kroger paid PENNIES on the dollar for, and turns around and sells it at fairly high prices to us!!!....Look at their prices now. It is OUTRAGEOUS......d'ya think they're having the last laugh again? or what!!!
We are the DUMMIES by continuing to give them our business. How about a BOYCOTT. THAT!!! ALWAYS worked in the 60s!!!
Companies ONLY CHANGE when it hits THEIR pocket-books.
We could actually have good paying jobs at FACTORIES making things in America. THAT is what America USED TO DO........make things.....T.Vs., radios, refrigerators, toys, clothes, etc, etc
Posted by dowell100 at 1:38 PM : Mar 26, 2009
You are misinformed. Abortion "on demand" (meaning it is entirely a woman's choice, no particular reason need be given) is LEGAL (as of 2007) in the following countries: Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, China, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Rep., Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Hungary, Italy, Kazakstan, N. Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, S. Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikstan, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Yugoslavia. A few of these countries restrict it to the 1st or 2nd trimester.
MANY MORE countries allow abortion for various reasons, like to preserve the physical or mental health of the mother, if the fetus is malformed, in cases of rape or incest, or if the mother cannot support another child.
There are only 5 countries in the world which do not permit abortion under ANY circumstances. They are: Chile, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Malta, and Vatican City.
If the credit freeze does not flaw soon, we are going to see a lot of these businesses go under. It will not make the news like a big corporate layoff announcement, but it will be wide spread and people WILL take notice.
CONSTRUCTION needs to be addressed more! CONGRESS needs to initiate more construction contracts to rebuild the infrastructure of the UNITED STATES! Also, there needs to be additional funding to local (STATE and COUNTY) construction!
CONGRESS needs to pay-off all STATE deficits, especially CALIFORNIA! This will cost several BILLION DOLARS; however, it would be worth the effort!
CONGRESS needs to screen and loan funds to certain businesses to shore-up the economy. This will keep said businesses functioning while jobs are created to produce consumer spending!!!! This is the primary factor as to the solution--consumer spending!
CONSTRUCTION needs to be addressed more! CONGRESS needs to initiate more construction contracts to rebuild the infrastructure of the UNITED STATES! Also, there needs to be additional funding to local (STATE and COUNTY) construction!
CONGRESS needs to pay-off all STATE deficits, especially CALIFORNIA! This will cost several BILLION DOLARS; however, it would be worth the effort!
CONGRESS needs to screen and loan funds to certain businesses to shore-up the economy. This will keep said businesses functioning while jobs are created to produce consumer spending!!!! This is the primary factor as to the solution--consumer spending!
Since GOD changed GOD'S LAW, there is adequate change for change to take place. The destruction of certain individuals is NOT necessary anymore! Therefore, everything can take a new direction! Things that could not be changed before can be changed now!