Obama: Invest in Manufacturing

POLITICO reports:

In his weekly address to the nation, President Barack Obama called on Americans to invest in the manufacturing industry, calling it a necessary step for spurring job creation and economic growth.

Speaking from Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University, which he visited Friday, Obama began by making the case that his plan to withdraw 33,000 troops from Afghanistan by summer 2012 — which he announced in a speech to the nation Wednesday — is not only in the best interest of U.S. security but also a smart move for the economy.

But turning the economy in the right direction is not enough, Obama said. “Many Americans are still hurting, and now is the time to focus on nation building here at home.”

Obama maintained that the economy can’t be fixed through spending cuts alone. He advocated investments in areas like education, infrastructure, clean energy and research and development in a bid to create middle-class jobs.