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Outsourcing of jobs not reversible: Obama

Washington: Outlining his vision for a strong U.S. economy, presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has said outsourcing of American jobs to India and China cannot be reversed.

“Revolutions in communications and technology have sent jobs wherever there’s an Internet connection, that have forced children in Raleigh and Boston to compete for those jobs with children in Bangalore and Beijing,” Mr. Obama said in a speech in Raleigh, North Carolina.

“We live in a more competitive world, and that is a fact that cannot be reversed,” he added.

Fresh from his victory over Hillary Clinton to clinch the Democratic Party nomination to the White House, Mr. Obama said the country must invest in research and innovation to create jobs and industries.

“I understand that the challenges facing our economy didn’t start the day George Bush took office, and they won’t end the day he leaves. Some are partly the result of forces that have globalised our economy over the last several decades,” he said, kicking off a series of speeches across the country focusing on the economy.

Observing that America’s challenges on the economic front cannot be overcome by building “protectionist walls,” the 46-year-old Democrat said the country needed to focus on improving the situation of the middle class and investing in education. — PTI

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