Post date: Feb 18, 2011 10:36:16 PM
President Barack Obama says despite the struggling economy, the United States has to "invest in America's research and technology" to bring about the next technological breakthrough.
HILLSBORO, OREGON, UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 18, 2011) - President Barack Obama touted his agenda to foster innovation as a means of spurring job creation and boosting U.S. global competitiveness during a high-tech visit to the Pacific Northwest on Friday (February 18).Obama used a tour of an Intel Corp semiconductor plant in Oregon to underscore his commitment to finding ways to reduce stubbornly high unemployment -- considered crucial to his 2012 re-election chances.
While facing a brewing budget fight back in Washington, Obama sought to showcase research, development and education -- areas he has vowed to protect from spending cuts -- as keys to rejuvenating the sluggish U.S. economy.
"But even as we have to live within our means, we can't sacrifice investments in our future. If we want the next technological breakthrough that leads to the next Intel to happen here in the United States, not in China, not in Germany, but here in the United States, then we have to invest in America's research and technology," Obama told Intel's workers.
Obama, in his State of the Union speech last month, called on Americans to rally around a "Sputnik moment" -- akin to the space race unleashed when the Soviets launched their first satellite in the 1950s -- for an increased focus on technological advances.
The aim is to unleash a wave of innovation to face down fast-growing economic powers like China and India and generate new jobs at home.
"Basically, if we want to win the future, America has to out-build, out-educate, out-innovate and out-hustle the rest of the world," Obama said.
Obama's $3.7 trillion budget proposal for fiscal 2012 released this week seeks to keep funding for research, education and infrastructure intact even as it attempts to rein in deficit spending in some other areas.
Republicans say Obama is not going far enough in embracing fiscal restraint and deeper cuts are needed.