USA: Job growth takes center stage in White House race

Record ID: 347827

  • Title: USA: Job growth takes center stage in White House race
  • Date: 7th September 2011
  • Summary: HEGINS, PENNSYLVANIA, UNITED STATES (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF WORKERS WELDING IN MANUFACTURING PLANT MAN WORKING WITH MACHINERY MANUFACTURING PLANT FLOOR AND U.S. FLAG HANGING OVERHEAD
  • Embargoed: 22nd September 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa, Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Economy,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA74YQNXHO7TW5S79GC1QOZ8I0G
  • Story Text: Sparking job growth in a lackluster economy - it's what U.S. President Barack Obama hopes to do before next year's election. To that end, the President is set to deliver an address on his plan to ignite job creation to a joint session of congress Thursday (September 8).
    But Tuesday (September 6), one of Obama's Rival - Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney - attempted to beat the President to the punch - announcing a plan for economic development and job growth of his own.
    Romney unveiled 59 initiatives he's ready to take if he's elected.
    "The first one is going to direct the secretary of Health and Human Services to grant a waiver from Obamacare to all 50 states, so we can stop that in its tracks. The second one is going to put all of President Obama's regulations on hold until we see if they cut jobs, and if they do, we'll get rid of them. The third one is going to open up production of energy across this country, and get jobs as we do so, and get Americans back to work. The fourth one is going to send a signal that while we love free trade and we're going to open trade in a way no other president has ever done in history, we're going to clamp down on China for not living by the rules that they signed up to live by. We're going to make sure they get sanctioned," Romney told supporters in Las Vegas.
    The former Massachusetts governor said Obama lacked the experience to get more Americans back to work.
    "And I want to tell you that I will use every ounce of my energy, and every element of my devotion to get America back to work. I'm concerned about middle-income Americans - the families all over this country that have really suffered under the Obama economy. He's not a bad guy, he just doesn't have a clue what to do, in part just because he just hasn't ever done it before, and I have. I've done it before. I'll use that experience to get America working again, and I'll make sure that you never have a question in your mind about whether the future is brighter than the past. It is," Romney said.
    Monday (September 5), Obama provided a preview of some of the measures he would like to take - and challenged members of congress to put their differences aside in order to lower the U.S. unemployment rate.
    "We've got roads and bridges across this country that need rebuilding. We've got private companies with the equipment and the manpower to do the building. We've got more than one million unemployed construction workers ready to get dirty right now. There is work to be done and there are workers ready to do it. Labor is onboard. Business is onboard. We just need Congress to get onboard. Let's put America back to work," Obama said.
    But major infrastructure projects mean more government spending - something Republicans are opposed to. And with unemployment in the United States over nine percent, the issue of job creation is set to become a primary issue during the election season.
    Texas Governor Rick Perry, who is leading many early polls of Republican candidates, is drawing a distinction between his record and Obama's.
    "Actions speak louder than words. My actions as governor are helping create jobs in the country. The President's actions are killing jobs in this country. It's time to get America working again," Perry has said at campaign stops.
    Romney was the early leader in the race for the Republican nomination to challenge Obama's bid for re-election next year, but has fallen behind Perry in recent polls. Seeking to regain that lost ground, Romney has stressed his record in private business as co-founder of private equity firm Bain Capital.
    Polls released on Tuesday showed Americans are unhappy with Obama's handling of the economy and jobs. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll showed Obama's overall job approval rating at a low of 44 percent. An ABC News/Washington Post poll showed six in 10 Americans rated Obama's performance on the economy and jobs negatively.
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