Obama offers upbeat view of US economy

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — President Barack Obama offered a more upbeat view of the economy Thursday, pushing for action on more ambitious jobs efforts that face resistance from opposition Republicans in Congress. "We're poised for progress," he declared.

The president, speaking in Texas, focused on higher wages, education and a manufacturing-driven agenda that had been eclipsed by his recent struggles over gun control and his push for an overhaul of immigration laws.

"Thanks to grit and determination of the American people, we cleared away the rubble of the worst economic crisis in our lifetime," Obama said. But he said there remains a need to boost the middle class.

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

The attention to jobs comes amid questions about whether the second-term Obama has enough sway to get his agenda through a divided Congress before attention turns to the November 2014 midterm elections.

The economy is continuing to recover, the private sector is hiring — though not at an optimal rate — and the stock market is maintaining a record-setting pace. But hidden behind the positive numbers are stagnant wages, reduced working hours and low-wage hiring. What's more, with a 7.5 percent unemployment rate, nearly 12 million Americans are out of work.

An Associate Press-GfK poll last month showed that the percentage of the public that believes the country is headed in the wrong direction has been rising, as has the percentage of people who disapprove of Obama's handling of the economy.

The White House used the trip as an opportunity to launch administrative initiatives even as Obama's bigger proposals find opposition in Congress.

One initiative is a competition to create three new Manufacturing Innovation Institutes, partnerships among businesses, universities and government to help U.S.-based manufacturers and workers create good jobs. Five federal agencies — the Defense, Energy and Commerce departments, the space agency NASA and the National Science Foundation — are putting $200 million toward the effort.

Texas is represented by two of the most conservative Republican members of the Senate — John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. Texas also has the second-highest Hispanic population in the country, an attractive demographic group for Obama's Democrats.