President Blames Unemployment On Lack Of Tech Skills

IEEE ^

[Florida_Irish]

During a Wednesday morning (July 30th) press conference, President Bush was asked a question about jobs going overseas as a result of technological innovation. His response was:

"I fully understand what you're saying. In other words, as technology races through the economy, a lot of times worker skills don't keep up with technological change."

Many people have taken his response to mean that unemployment in the high-tech sector is the result of American workers who allowed their skills to become obsolete. This is an unacceptable explanation.

[snippy_about_it]

Well said dirtboy, you are absolutely correct. It's H1-B and L1 all the way to the corporate bank while our own get left behind!

[MichiganConservative]

it makes sense for this country to quit making it easy for our economic competitors to kick our butts...

Damn straight! It is rediculous for the government of this country to make it easy for work to be exported to our enemies - financial or otherwise - and workers to be imported from countries with governments that will not allow their own people to build up that country. Indians are smart people, but their government is stupid and stifles free enterprise with government regulation. Which is why they are glad to take a job with an American company. And then there's China.

[dandelion]

Does anyone have that statement in context? Does anyone have a transcript? Because before I take this editorial's word that "many have translated" this statement to say what they are saying, I'd like to know exactly what it was that the President ACTUALLY SAID, and what followed that statement.

[ffusco]

Good for you. Why not undermine the security and health of the nation since the world owes you a living.

[Mad Dawgg]

"Colleges are for propagandists and Bolsheviks, not for people who want to learn something useful."

"If you want a degree, go to college... if you want an education, go to the library!" --- Paul Henry Gettles ---

[dirtboy]

I'm all for making it tough on our economic competitors, and I'd love to see good paying jobs stay in the U.S., but your claims that our middle class is literally shrinking and that our government is taking more and more of our paychecks demand substantiation.

Well, I got a tax cut from Bush - but then he turns around and spends more money anyway, which means it'll have to come from somewhere, such as higher interest costs in the future. And my local taxes are going up, and I expect my state taxes to go up at least a percentage point here in PA. And there are plenty of stories of folks who used to make a good living in the tech sector who are now facing the loss of their home.

You want hard census data? It isn't in yet. But millions of unemployed, facing little prospect of reclaiming their old level of employment, means the middle class is shrinking.

[Moonman62]

Before you don't vote for Bush, you need to realize that the President did not say what the headline accuses him of...

Just what did the president say then?

[hchutch]

Yeah, but nobody wants to do the heavy lifting to fix those problems. It's always easier to DEMAND that the government protect you from the consequences of badly thought-out policies and decisions.

[N3WBI3]

I think keeping hig-tech jobs here IS security for our nation do you want all software being used in the US to be developed by people who hate our country?

Think

[spodefly]

"I fully understand what you're saying. In other words, as technology races through the economy, a lot of times worker skills don't keep up with technological change."

G-d help us. If he really believes that, then he is a clueless bastard, and any one of us thinking that we would ever get a handle on jobs going offshore are SOL.

[carton253]

Read the entire quote in post #60...

[Elliott Jackalope]

AMEN! And thanks for that great quote!

[Florida_Irish]

There is a link in the actual article that goes to the White House transcript.

[knowtherules]

Over priced is over priced.

[harpseal]

Whatever the reason for H1-B visas, it makes sense to hire the best for less. When I shop for software and hardware I look for the best quality at the best price. I don't expect any one to be any different. That's the way markets work, wether it's the job market or the supermarket.

It is about a direct violation of our Immigration law and you say whatever the reason. Perjury isn't really a crime if its about sex or money right?

Try giving up the Marxist line.

[lelio]

People holding out their hand shouting, "Gimme gimme gimme" both me.

While I agree with you, this isn't the case here. The US federal government, as it is the only one that can regulate foreign trade, should make it more appealing to invest in American workers than sending the jobs overseas.

[dirtboy]

What!? He repeated the clarification of the phrasing of the question and now he's vilified even more for it?!? Feh. More liberal clap-trap. Yet another reason to beat up on GW...

Nice try. Look at what Bush said:

"I fully understand what you're saying...

What part of "fully understand" do YOU not understand?

There is a huge resentment brewing in this country. The party that first grasps that and works to do something about it is the party that will hold power by 2008. If you consider that reality to be Bush-bashing, then go ahead and play kill the messenger.

[Moonman62]

THE PRESIDENT: Sure. Listen, I fully understand what you're saying. In other words, as technology races through the economy, a lot of times worker skills don't keep up with technological change. And that's a significant issue that we've got to address in the country.

And no doubt that he will come up with a plan to spend hundreds of billions more, while only returning a fraction of that in value.

[N3WBI3]

No this is the straw... The fact he is spending more money than Clinton ever dreamed of spending, the 'Patriot' Act, the total silence on the implosion of the technology sector in this nation and the fact hes more a free trader than his father have put me to this point..

[Delphster]

Will government programmers receive pay cuts or layoffs as their civilain counterparts are forced to. Government wages are supposed to be based on prevailing wages for that particular service.