Obama Calls U.S. 'A Little Bit Lazy' About Foreign Investment

Speaking to a group of CEOs this weekend President Barack Obama said the U.S. has "been a little bit lazy" about performing in the global marketplace.

We haven't been hungry enough about "selling America" oversees in order to attract new businesses and foreign investment, the president said.

There are a lot of things that make foreign investors see the U.S. as a great opportunity -- our stability, our openness, our innovative free market culture. But we've been a little bit lazy, I think, over the last couple of decades. We've kind of taken for granted -- well, people will want to come here and we aren't out there hungry, selling America and trying to attract new business into America.

Some Republicans have jumped on the comment, claiming the president blames Americans for the country's economic troubles.

The president spoke this weekend at the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Hawaii. Obama said his administration has set up an organization focused on making it easier for foreign investors to build in the U.S., but there is still much more to do.

Comments

[rightiswrong77]

12:16 PM on 11/17/2011

So in a country where crops wither in places like Alabama and Georgia because draconian immigration laws drive away immigrant labor because Americans don't wanna pick crops it isn't fair to say Americans might be lazy?

[RepublicanDepression]

01:18 AM on 11/17/2011

"Obama Calls U.S. 'A Little Bit Lazy' About Foreign Investment"

WRONG! Bogus headline!

Obama: "...we've been a little bit lazy, I think, over the last couple of decades. We've kind of taken for granted -- well, people will want to come here and we aren't out there hungry, selling America and trying to attract new business into America."

WHO is not "out there hungry, selling America and trying to attract new business into America?"

Ordinary Americans?

NO!

The US?

NO!

Clearly, the "we" "all" who have not been out attracting new business to the US are The US LEADERS!

Like the very people in the GOP (Greedy One Percent) who are putting that false spin on Obama's clear words.

[ivorykeys87]

02:45 AM on 11/16/2011

I'm sorry, but with the bulk of American companies going across seas in order to create their products, why would any foreign countries businesses wanna come over here? I hate to say it, but the Chinese have something right. Instead of allowing google in their country, they have their own search engine modeled after it, allowing for the Chinese to create jobs in their country and profit from their country. America needs to start telling these manufacturers that if they want to sell products here in America, they should manufacture here in America. This isn't to say that they can't manufacture elsewhere, however that they should simply sell their products where they are being manufactured.

[rightiswrong77]

12:18 PM on 11/17/2011

Well, it's easy to do that when you use slave labor.

[ivorykeys87]

12:52 PM on 11/17/2011

They are exploited no more by their own government then our American companies exploit third world countries.

[blarneydude]

03:04 PM on 11/15/2011

"Some Republicans have jumped on the comment, claiming the president blames Americans for the country's economic troubles."

One more true statement; one more idiotic response by the GOTea.

You know, I wonder what in their continued efforts to stop the nation from making any progress under the nation's choice for President qualifies any GOTea member for anything other than trial for treason. Just musing.

[Rags2Rags]

01:43 PM on 11/15/2011

So President Obama is going to make it easier for foreign companies to do business in America???

WHY DOESN'T HE MAKE IT EASIER FOR AMERICAN COMPANIES TO DO BUSINESS IN AMERICA????

I mean really??? Who would re-elect this guy? He makes me long for the Carter years.

[whiskyjack]

01:44 AM on 11/16/2011

Companies are making way too much money with bush's deregulation party he had for 8 years. Why would they want to come back.

[doncinnh]

09:09 PM on 11/14/2011

This President is such a Horses A** ! If he thinks this country has become lazy thank goverment for all the handouts and "Free Stuff" he throws out to his base ! I, unfortunately, am not one of those people.
I am working harder for less and I am sure many others are too. Get this boob out of office !
1-20-13 cannot come soon enough !

[RobJames]

01:01 AM on 11/15/2011

So you would rather the republicans subsidize the wealthy?

[Nikita007]

07:24 PM on 11/14/2011

Obama pointing the finger - again!

Nothing new.

[ponchoparadise]

04:00 PM on 11/14/2011

The Republican have something negative to say about President Obama? I'm shocked!!!!!! B

[doncinnh]

09:15 PM on 11/14/2011

He has earned his title !
Vacations and big government spending give us a lot of fodder to bring up !
His democratic base is starting to see what we have seen for 3 + years !

[whiskyjack]

01:50 AM on 11/16/2011

I got my reality goggles on. I come to my own conclusions based on the actual truths, not someone elses conjectures. Any adult, especially a parent of a young child like myself must weight the options of who will best make this country safe for their children. Education, health care, a safe place to live are on the top of my list. And those are three areas the republicans want to cut...why on earth would I or any rational person want to vote for that? Would you? Sorry, but I'm part of his base...and I have absolutely NO FAITH in what the republicans have planned.

[JBDenver]

02:26 PM on 11/14/2011

I'm a conservative...and I am agreeing with the President on this one.

Sure, I may not like the economic climate and regulatory environment we live with today. But that just means we need to work harder and smarter to compete more effectively worldwide.

We are still the world's leading exporter - but you'd never know it. We've lost a lot of jobs, some to other countries, but more to improvements in technology. We have been lazy about "beating the American drum".

[kengault]

02:06 PM on 11/14/2011

What a joke Obama!

The fact is that the policies of our federal government have forced the United States down to #9 on the Index of Economic Freedom. We continue to slide down the list, while countries like Canada .. freaking Canada! .. have now surpassed us.

[cureyourosity]

02:05 PM on 11/14/2011

We understand Obama...it's alright. You were either too busy golfing or sucking up to foreign dignitaries to worry about such things. And those for softball verbal threats to China to make them more accountable in their trade practices has them shaking in their boots---NOT! It's what happens when you let overspend and have to borrow from the very country you're trying to compete with.

[Mark Urbanski]

01:57 PM on 11/14/2011

This S.O.B. Obama, this comment really torches me !!! As a small businessman, I’ve had to do double duty to make a success of my company. First, stay alive despite his absolute failed policies with the economy. Second, try to stay positive while he continues to drop bombs (Obamacare, spending, taxes, regulations, etc.) on us in a really negative environment. Even my employees who voted for him are feed-up.

How dare he say we are lazy, I’m mad, really mad now…

[whiskyjack]

07:20 PM on 11/14/2011

Wow, how did so many people totally miss the intent of what he said. Jeesh!! All he was talking about was investing in foreign compainies. Why do people keep thinking he's talking about americans in general. D@M...read the article.

[blarneydude]

03:06 PM on 11/15/2011

NEVER underestimate The Stupidity of Tea.

[blarneydude]

03:08 PM on 11/15/2011

Why be mad? The GOTea wants to make life wonderful for the big companies that simply want to eat you up. Smile! Put a spring in your step! Vote for the destruction of your small business!

[penndl]

12:49 PM on 11/14/2011

Reading the quotes from the article it sounds as if he is admitting that his administration has been failing in it's responsibility. Of course everyone knows about the GOP resistance to anything he does. Still, I have to ask. What role does the US Department of Commerce play in promoting foreign investment?

1. "The United States Department of Commerce is the Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with promoting economic growth."
2. The mission of the department is to "promote job creation and improved living standards for all Americans by creating an infrastructure that promotes economic growth, technological competitiveness, and sustainable development."

So, this being the case why is he calling on CEOs to do his commerce department's work? I'm all for the President's success but he lost me on this one. Although he did say he set up an organization that makes it easier for foireign investment. I still don't get it, sounds duplicitous.

[jufrgs]

12:10 PM on 11/14/2011

No the President should have blamed the United States Congress for the Economic state of this Country. I am sick of those pigs on Capitol Hill blaming everyone but themselves for this economy. They are responsible it is there Constitutional Duty to oversee Banking and Commerce, but they allowed Wall -Street to babysit themselves and do as they pleased with American's investments and pensions. We need to take our movement to CAPITOL
HILL were the real THUGS are. Americans should fill up every Bus Line across America and fight for our rights. We need to clean the halls of Congress from lobbyist and special interest and take out Capitol back, and we should suspend their pay and benefits until further notice.

[Richard Genco]

11:02 AM on 11/14/2011

Did he say this from the basketball court or the golf course?

[Nikita007]

07:27 PM on 11/14/2011

It may have been on one of the beer summits, or a date night, or a WH rock concert