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.

[mhking]

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

What part of "And that's a significant issue that we've got to address in the country" do you not understand!?

He says he understands that it's a problem. He doesn't have a ready solution. Hell, no one does yet, short of closing the borders and prohibiting companies from employing people offshore.

The Dems sure as hell don't have a solution - they're too busy beating up on the Administration and cooking up all sorts of straw boogiemen to jump on. The Administration is at least honest enough to tell us that they don't have a solution yet; that they're trying to find a solution.

[ffusco]

Nope. I went to an Engineering School and now I am a stock analyst. Just one of the many job titles I've had in the last 15 years.

[CCCV]

But we do have the right that our government treat ALL citizens equally.
We also have a right to expect that the Government that WE PAY for will not ambush us.

[oceanview]

I am not having second thoughts about voting for Bush at all, but I fear that many others who are politically naive about the Dems, and who are hurting as a result of the jobs meltdown in certain sectors, are having second thoughts. Without a big voter edge amongst private sector middle class people (the "office park dads"), the Republicans cannot win.

[N3WBI3]

No business is not the problem they are doing what they are supposed to do, make money. Now the Governemnt has a need to protect industry in this nation (tariffs) that is who I fault..

[Southack]

c#34

[mhking]

I would rather have the republicans and democrats fighting all the time (1994-2k) than have one guy get to spend whenever he wants..

So you trust the Democrats to run the White House effectively? We just got rid of one kook on Pennsylvania Avenue, you want another one?

[lelio]

How is that groundless? What slowdown in government spending have you seen? It just went up 24% which is the sole reason the GDP numbers are hailed as "great" versus being worse than expected. We're going to have to pay the piper one of these days.

[carton253]

Hey laweeks... you're juvenile retorts get tiring...

[RobFromGa]

One out of five factories up here in northern Ohio is EMPTY.

Maybe some people should either consider 1) MOVING somewhere with jobs or 2) STARTING A BUSINESS to take advantage of all these skilled out of work people willing to work really hard without whining.

It is not the President's job to make Northern Ohio a wonderland of economic prosperity. Take it up with your local government and your state government to provide incentives for businesses to grow there. If they can't do it, its up to the population not the FedGov.

[Florida_Irish]

Doesn't Bush support all the things you just pinned on the Democrats?

[N3WBI3]

I too have a BS in engineering and am working on my MBA, and right now I have no trouble with a Job. Im the kid of guy who would take the 35k job and deliver pizza on the side if I had to, but that does not mean the government should not work to protect the **American** worker..

[Tancredo Fan]

No mention of the H1B visa program! He's more out of touch than I imagined.

The man is a menace.

Sen Hollings (of whom I'm no fan) railed on this and the current econonic situation on CSPAN-2 for at least an hour today. I had to agree with most of what he said.

[dirtboy]

the free trade would have probably accelerated even more with Gore in there.

And that's exactly the point I am making. There are major issues nowadays of job loss due to outsourcing overseas, illegal immigration and the H1-B/L1 visas. There is the genesis of a completely new political movement happening now. The party that realizes it will be in power in 2008. If neither party realizes it, a new party will form and will be the dominant party then - and it will probably be center-left. The only way it can be center-right is if Bush and the GOP start understanding this sea change and adapt to it NOW.

[wesdale]

I am an individual. I want no part of your "collective society."

I love America because it still is the only place on earth I have a chance of being an individual. I pray that the alleged "victims" of corporate outsourcing do not prevent me from hiring or firing whoever I like.

[lelio]

THE QUESTION IS DIRECTED AT MANUFACTURING, NOT AT THE TECH SECTOR>

Where do you see that? I didn't see "tech" or "manufacturing" or "my neighborhood baker" mentioned in the lead in to the question.

[carton253]

I'm teasing... what else would someone from Cincinnati say about Cleveland...

[N3WBI3]

No I trust the republicans who are actually responsable for making law to grow a spine if they have to fight someone..

[dirtboy]

He says he understands that it's a problem. He doesn't have a ready solution.

He doesn't even have a friggin' clue, nor, do I think, has a desire to change it. He is promoting last decade's solution when all it does in this decade is lead down a different dead-end. I've NEVER seen Bush say, "gee, maybe we need to do something about job loss due to H1-B visas. Maybe we should try and stop illegal immigrants from lowering pay for jobs."

[wesdale]

While she may not have done business with China (I assume that's who you mean), I do not think she would be calling for the government to interfere with the hiring policies of corporations. Be careful what you wish for.