Obama Stresses American Nation Building & Manufacturing Jobs (Weekly Address)

Obama: Invest in manufacturing


In his weekly address to the nation, President Barack Obama called on Americans to invest in the manufacturing industry, calling it a necessary step for spurring job creation and economic growth.

Speaking from Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University, which he visited Friday, Obama began by making the case that his plan to withdraw 33,000 troops from Afghanistan by summer 2012 — which he announced in a speech to the nation Wednesday — is not only in the best interest of U.S. security but also a smart move for the economy.

But turning the economy in the right direction is not enough, Obama said. “Many Americans are still hurting, and now is the time to focus on nation building here at home.”

Obama maintained that the economy can’t be fixed through spending cuts alone. He advocated investments in areas like education, infrastructure, clean energy and research and development in a bid to create middle-class jobs.

The president touted the accomplishments of a company called RedZone Robotics in developing advanced manufacturing techniques. “The folks at RedZone aren’t just solving problems; they’re working with unions to create new jobs operating the robots, and they’re saving cities millions of dollars in infrastructure costs,” he said.

On Friday, Obama launched the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, which aims to bring together the manufacturing industry, universities and the government. According to the White House, more than $500 million will be invested in the program, which was created from recommendations made by the president’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

In the weekly address, Obama said the partnership has a broader mission than to create jobs. “It’s to renew the promise of American manufacturing,” he said. “To help make sure America remains in this century what we were in the last — a country that makes things. A country that out-builds and out-innovates the rest of the world.”

To the workers and families struggling to make ends meet, the president said he felt hopeful seeing companies like RedZone in Pittsburgh, which he said developed from a small school to a global university.

“We are a people who’ve always adapted to meet the challenges of a new time; who’ve always shaped our own destiny, and I’m absolutely confident that that’s what we’re going to do one more time.”


Sources: Business Insider, Politico, White House.gov, Youtube