In Texas, Obama presses middle-class jobs agenda

Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas

Offering a more upbeat view of the economy, President Barack Obama resurrected his jobs proposals Thursday, advancing modest initiatives as he pushed for action on more ambitious efforts that face resistance from congressional Republicans. “We’re poised for progress,” he declared.

The president chose the bustling Texas capital as a backdrop to refocus on higher wages, education and a manufacturing- driven agenda that had been eclipsed by his struggles over gun control and spending cuts and his push for an overhaul of immigration laws.

“You might not know this, because if you listen to all the doom and gloom in Washington and politics, and watching cable TV sometimes you might get kind of thinking nothing is going right,” Obama told students at a technology high school. “The truth is there’s a lot of reasons for us to feel optimistic about where we’re headed as a country.”

“Thanks to grit and determination of the American people, we cleared away the rubble of the worst economic crisis in our lifetime,” he continued.

Still, Obama said that while housing markets are improving, corporate profits are skyrocketing and the energy and auto industries are thriving, there remains a need to boost the middle class.

The president’s visit to Austin is the first in a series of field trips aimed at giving a high profile to the economy and jobs, issues still clearly at the forefront of the public’s concerns.

In addition to his appearance at Manor New Technology High School, Obama scheduled a tour of an Applied Materials Inc. plant.

The company provides equipment, services and software to the semi- conductor, flat-panel display and solar-power industries.