Obama Jobs Summit: President Holding December 'Forum On Jobs'

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama announced Thursday that he'll host a White House summit next month on fighting the chronic joblessness that continues to be a drag on a struggling economy.

"We are open to any demonstrably good idea to supplement the steps we've already taken to put America back to work," Obama said before taking off for a trip to Asia, where U.S. and global business prospects will be among the key issues under discussion.

Speaking at the White House, the president called a report showing fewer claims for jobless benefits "a hopeful sign." But with millions of Americans out of work, Obama said the government has "an obligation to consider every additional responsible step we can" to get people back to work.

The nationwide unemployment hit 10.2 percent last month, the highest jobless rate since 1983. Economists believe more jobs will be lost, and the unemployment rate could possibly reach 10.5 percent next year because employers remain reluctant to hire.

The December jobs "forum" will bring in public and private sector experts to talk about how to get the job-creation engine running again, Obama said. Because economic prosperity at home is tied to economies around the world, the president said he also plans to talk about a strategy for growth with leaders in Asia.

"It's a strategy in which Asian and Pacific markets are open to our exports," Obama said. "Prosperity around the world is no longer as dependent on American consumption and borrowing, but rather more on American innovation and products."

Comments

[you can call me Roy]

If President Obama wants to solve the jobless problem, he and our Congress need to wake up and mistrust the globalists and drastically change the trade laws.. President Obama, afraid China won't buy U.S. debt, won't challenge China on currency and trade. That demonstrates how little Obama and Treasury Secretary Geithner understand about money and trade. If China doesn't buy our bonds, all those dollars Beijing purchases to keep its yuan cheap will get stashed in the vaults of the Peoples Bank of China and go out of circulation. China undervalues its currency to boost its U.S. sales, domestic employment and growth. Its economic miracle is engineered by Beijing buying hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars, with freshly printed yuan, to keep its currency undervalued and Chinese products inexpensive in U.S stores. Then China uses those dollars to buy U.S. Treasury securities. I reiterate America has no jobs because the global companies need to decide if they are American or Chinese). If they leave their manufacturing facilities in China, laws need to be passed that they move their headquarters there too. Then they can live under communist law. America has no jobs because our free trade laws are a joke. America has no jobs because of our trade deficit. So who does our President invite to the job summit today for input and advice? The very same people who have been instrumental in the slow destruction of our country- the leaders of the global companies.

[Kellyk311]

How about ending the prohibition of marijuana? That would create an entire new industry to be taxed, while at the same time creating more small business owners, who then create jobs. Oh and at the same time putting a dent in the HUGE drug cartel issue. 3 Birds with 1 bong?
You can also look into the textiles that hemp can be used for, creating that many more new jobs in textiles... When can we end this ridiculous "War" on marijuana? It is time sir.

[deltalady]

Obama can have all the job summits he wants, but until he brings real working people in for their opinions, nothing will change. Because the people in charge don't want it to change. To bring back American jobs would cut into their bottom line. Check out the NYT article this AM regarding outsourcing to India. The companies are no longer satisfied with hiring the people in the cities and paying them $150 per month. Now they're heading to the rural areas to pay those poor, starving people $60 per month..no sense of fairness or morality involved here. And they are processing time sheets/drivers' logs for AMERICAN TRUCKING COMPANIES!! Look at the free clinic being held in NOrleans this weekend..all volunteer. Do you know how many out of work health professionals there are in this country? We can subsidize these free clinics rather than giving to big insurance/pharma. But that's just too practical. We have summits to ask the opinion of the very people who have put the middle class into this position.

[sarabono]

In other words, the White House / Obama Administration doesn't have any idea what to do about our nations Unemployment Problem since the Stimulus (aka as Pelosi's Pet Project's Plan) hasn't worked.

When in doubt, delay and form a meeting a month from now to show "Were doing something, now get off our back" (In Gibb's speak)

[SilenceDoGood1776]

there will be no real job creation and only higher unemployment as you penalize those who do the actual job creation

[MyNameIsJames]

Hell What Stimulus?- about 1/3 of it was Tax cuts another 40% was unemployment benefits and various other programs.

The Bill was way too small. The whole infrastructure of the nation is falling down- there is enough work to give everyone a job if the projects were put into place.

[SilenceDoGood1776]

mynameis
Only about 8% of the stimulus package was put into effect. The rest will not start till next year, right before the elections.

[ConservativeFrank]

You guy messed up with this guy :/
I know bush did it right

[xamojjomax]

I've heard no one address THIS issue.

In his 40 years of work my husband has never had to file for unemployment until about 6 weeks ago. At that time, they told him it would be 6 to 10 weeks to evaluate his case and make a determination. Today he called them (Washington State) and they told him they are so backed up with filings that he will be lucky if a determination is made within 20 weeks. Fortunately, we are eeking by on my salary. My question is how do they expect people to last up to 20 weeks without income??? Why not hire more staff to process the claims - thus reducing unemployment and speeding up claims processing?!? All the extensions of UE I've heard about in the news of late don't mean beans if people are waiting and waiting and never receive a determination! This is shameful.

[slowhand0728]

Having been there in 2001, it took a good 2 months back then to qualify, but yes 20 weeks is unacceptable I felt the same here I am paying towards unemployment for decades and am a chump begging for my money.
So sorry to hear it. Best of luck

[hhayden]

If they put this health care scam over on us, get used to it. We don't have the doctors and facilities for everyone coming in every time they have a sniffle.

[sarabono]

Yesterday, my Family's GP/Internist, told me that he will be retiring from practice next year if the health care bill, as passed in the house, gets signed into law. What a bummer. He has been my family's Dr. for almost 20 years.

He said that the reimbursement rate from the various government programs, mainly Medicare and Medicaid, have become insufficient to cover the costs of his practice and still make a decent wage.

[masher]

You need to stay nice and polite but constantly call them. Find out if hiring a lawyer helps...I don't know if it would. Might want to try contacting your state Rep. And you might want to head down to Olympia. Again I don't know but just brain storming. Or call the local TV station too. You know "Get Jesse" here in Seattle can help sometimes.
Good luck. I feel I might be joining you guys any day.

[PoliticiansRspineless]

Wow....He is a clueless embarassment .... have to hold a summit ?? Come down out of the tower and open your eyes and

TELL CONGRESS to stop spending $$$,
mandate to balance the budget,
cut 30% of the fed employees
cut 30% of all agency budgets
No more bailouts
Withdrawl the worthless stimulas
Clean up wall street

US Business and a return of foreign investment might be willing to take more risk if they saw some sort of leadership.....But when this news of a summit hits US and overseas CEO's office tommorrow they will be quite embarassed for our president.

[hhayden]

I'm not embarrased for Obama, I am embarrassed by him.

[flyribbon]

"cut 30% of the fed employees"

This would bring DOWN unemployment. Really?

What other Glen Beck talking points do you have?

[hhayden]

Good tactic to keep bloated government. Make it so they can't get a job anywhere else.

Of course getting rid of the top federal employee alone wotld't bring up the numbers at all.

[supergenius02]

It is amazing that unemployment is at 10.2% and climbing, record foreclosures and record homelessness all due to a dismall and ever dimishing job market and Obama wants to wait until next month to hold a summit? What has he been doing for job growth this entire time? Why in the world is he waiting until next month? It's absolutely shameful and reprehensible that Obama is taking the misfortunes of millions so lightly while globetrots to other lands in style.

[Azsin]

asian summit is for trade,terrosim talk (china faces terrosim as well)

this will be the first meeting between obama an he asian counter parts since he was elected

this is all in good faith with our mainly allies and was planned months ago.
we are in a global crisis here and we are in a global community
we cannot just focus on ourselves

remember during campaign noone thought the situation would be this bad not conservs or libs
and the proposed stimulus package was watered down in both the senate and house

he did want alot more for job creation and had to settle for bigger middle class tax cuts than he wanted.
the main act was to STOP the slide in the economy
almost every state has been able to stop the bleeding and keep the states running
next year is supposed to have more creation

but noone could have tought it was this bad
took years to get this way its been 11 months

rome wasnt built in a day.

need more $$ for job training and rebuild this country
start building things people need in the future wind turbines solar equipment good farm equipment

this wont be easy and people should stop thinking it could be

[masher]

The way you are talking is exactly the way Bush apologist talked.

The facts are that Obama hasn't lifted a finger to end the worst of the anti-worker regulations. For instance, look up H-1B. In February the USCIS issued a report detail the fraud in this federal regulation. There are 2.2 million work visas issued now. Where I work we filter out all resumes from Americans. So we only hire people on H-1B. (We do this legally by hiring an India vendor to screen all the resumes). These regulations are perfect for letting American corporations filter out American citizens.

Obama knows about this but won't stop it. He won't even talk about it. In fact the labor secretary he brought on is in favor of expanding H-1B!

So don't tell me he needs more time. Obama is doing exactly what he wants. He wants to crush the middle class because it make the rich even richer.

Obama is Bush. They both we their people as "the haves" and "the haves even more".

[hhayden]

And who does he invite? The so called experts that led us astray. The unions who helped send job overseas. Big business who have abused the system and the tax payers - and no workers.

[masher]

I thought he said he would invite CEOs, executives, and other leaders. I'm sure multi-national corporations will be very well represented.

He isn't going to listen to the American people.

[PoliticiansRspineless]

He is going to Asia to beg them to purchase more of our debt. The asians have stopped investing in the USA. The Asian investors took a bath a year ago and know the dollar is going to fall substancially very soon and that the US economy is heading for a second crash. They will return after the crash and the dollar devaluation to purchase assets at fire sale prices in 2011.
The Asian financial markets has hired the best and brightest from Wall Street and has become along with London the financial giants. They know Pres Obama is coming to beg for money but he will return to DC empty handed.

[nicholasjh1]

I'm worried about this too, but at least our debt will be easier to pay off.

[nicholasjh1]

and my home loan will end up being much cheaper. due to devaluation in the dollar, if only I can wait till salaries compensate!

[flyribbon]

"while globetrots to other lands in style"

I think you betrayed your true political allegiances with that.

Hint: We don't believe you are interested in the welfare of the American family - We think you are just interested in your own anti-Obama agenda.

[hhayden]

Who's we kemo savi?

[liberalbug]

I'm probably gonna get creamed for this comment, but Obama looks like he has been asleep at the wheel when it comes to unemployment. His laser focus on health care has been appreciated (and I believe that is why he has taken his eye off the unemployment ball), but for most folks, unless there is single payer, which there never will be, health care reform is meaningless if they don't have a job that gives them insurance or the money to pursue options. Additionally, with Geithner seemingly capitulating to wall street at every turn and people seeing little in the form of reform at banks that we bailed out to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars, it seems like the administration has been more focused on taking care of bankers than the middle class.

[naschkatze]

You won't get creamed on this thread. The mob is not on it. That's mob not as in the mafia but as in mob mentality.

[hhayden]

The left doesn't seem to like this thread much.

[DrToketee]

Only the blind-faith-ers will attack you - but rest assured their numbers are dwindling every day. Your comments are completely on the mark. I have had enough of the "long list of Obama's accomplishments" that don't amount to a hill of beans.

But at least we can soon start counting up the to-be-long list of his failures. Counting #1 - the foreclosure program has been revealed today to be a complete disaster, and Obama wouldn't listen to the experts who had already worked out the correct solution. Counting #2 ...

[Azsin]

what was the correct solution
every thing he wanted was watered down in congress
president can only sign billls and enforce them

cannnot make congress pass the right bills for the country
can ask nicely or yellll they still only vote for what they want


2 years since this started 11 months in office number dont work out!

[hhayden]

No reason to slam you. At least you are catching on a bit.

[thepheonix]

Dear America. My trip comes first. In the mean time, there is cake to eat.

[supergenius02]

Obama clearly does not think unemployment is a big deal. He lives in a 100 room mansion called the WH, his wife wears $1,700 Moschino jackets, his kids attend elite private schools, he attends fundraisers with wealthy donors who plunk down $30,000 a couple to attend, stays at a $7,000/night suite at the Waldorff for the UN conference and vacations at a $20 million estate. When that is your world, the recession or unemployment are not in view. Obama is way out of touch with main street.

[hhayden]

He can't wait to embarass us to the Asians.

[thepheonix]

Just face it gang. Obama doesn't have a clue. If you can throw a three quarters of a trillion dollars at a "stim" plan and it fails. That pretty much shows that Keynesian economics doesn't work. Of course, to really stim the economy, you need to cut taxes across the board. But Obama could NEVER do that. That would mean the Conservatives would be right. It is better to have 12 to 13% unemployment than let the Republicans win one.

[jwredd]

Do you know how much of that "three quarters of a trillion dollars" has actually had a chance to get doled out and spent?

[hhayden]

No much, even though he had to have it right now or else. Lets give it back while we have a chance. It's doing no good for the average person at all.

[masher]

Do you realize that were I work your resume will never get in the door if you are an American but if you are on an H-1B visa it will? Obama is continuing the Bush era policy of telling corporations like Microsoft fire Americans (we fired 5000 so far this year, excuse me, laid off) and we are hiring folks on H-1B.

So under Obama I am seeing men and woman in their 50's getting the boot and the next week we hire a 20 something from India on a work visa.

What it looks like Microsoft is doing is using H-1B to train enough people that they can then move entire groups offshore. Obama is making it easy with these work visas.

So are you still saying he just needs more time? The US government issued a report in Feb (see USCIS) detailing the fraud in H-1B. And that report was from Bush. Its far worse than the report said. But still Obama hasn't done anything.

And now he says he wants to wait another month, have a blue ribbon panel talk about it.

Its really sad what Obama is doing to the American people.

[Azsin]

cut taxes in a recession?
liek we did in 1930? it was a very very good depression

think ansd read history

every economist even conservative ones say that u cannot cut taxes in a resssion it lead to depression

europe is run by conservatives and they would never cut taxes during recessions

and it seems that the new deal took us out of a depression and kick germanys and japans ass!

run by democrats


cleaning up bushs and gops 30 years of failure wont happen in 11 months nor 24

[supergenius02]

Both JFK and Reagan cut taxes in down times and both did well.

[hhayden]

Leaving more of the peoples money in their own hands causes depression? Then depress me.

Obama's so called mess was brought on by bad loans demanded by liberals.

[Loveforlife]

Say what? Will this be before or after the Peace Prize acceptance? And will a decision on Afghanistan be made before or after the Peace Prize acceptance?

[masher]

Funny. I'm sure Obama will give some awesome speeches. We can warm ourselves in his speeches as we all get laid off.

[tnkeating]

YA THINK ?

[DontJustFollow]

why don't we just raise taxes and raise the debt ceiling and be done with it? That is sure to create more jobs, no?

[masher]

If we raise the debt ceiling then the Democratic party will give half that to Wall Street and the other half to unions.

So we will be an America with roads which are pot hole free, a New York full of billionaires, and no middle class.

We will all have jobs filling pot holes after a while. Well, Obama will declare we are too expensive. He might create another work visa program to import even more labor into the US labor market.

[Tackora]

Next December, if they don'ft find it too early, they could hold a suumit on forclosures.
Great team, great move. Keep up the good work Mr. President!