Obama moves on high-tech jobs agenda

President Obama is touting recent executive actions he took on manufacturing in his weekly address, arguing that as Congress dallies he’s creating jobs.

“We need to do more to make America a magnet for good jobs for the future,” Obama said. “And in this year of action, where Congress won’t do that, I will do whatever I can to expand opportunity for more Americans. This week, I took two actions to attract new jobs to America – jobs in American manufacturing, and jobs rebuilding America’s infrastructure.”

{mosads}Obama promoted the launch of two new high-tech manufacturing hubs in Chicago and Detroit — “places where businesses and universities will partner to turn groundbreaking research into real-world goods Made in America” — and a new initiative to improve the nation’s infrastructure dubbed Rebuilding America.

As he did in his State of the Union speech, the president said he’ll keep using executive actions to push for his policy goals and work around Congress, arguing he’s helping to create jobs. 

Obama is seeking to position himself as someone who’s getting things done as Congress struggles to pass basic bills and help revive his flagging poll numbers. 

He promised more calls for infrastructural investment in his forthcoming budget — and ripped Congress for not doing more as well.

“There’s a lot we can do if we work together.  And while Congress decides what it’s going to do, I’m going to keep doing everything in my power to rebuild an economy where everyone who works hard has the chance to get ahead – where we’re restoring our founding vision of opportunity for all,” he said.