If you watched the town hall meeting, Obama basically said that the keys to fixing the economy is to improve healthcare, education, and energy.
It does make sense. I mentioned in another answer that Americans need to stop thinking they can just graduate high school (or drop out) and somehow find a full time job that pays a living wage. There is a SHORTAGE in this country of SKILLED MANUAL LABOR, as well as healthcare professionals. People need to stop complaining if they have little to offer the economy and start thinking about how to become recession-proof.
If you're a girl who normally works mindless reception and office jobs, then maybe it's time you think about IT training, or going into the medical field. Eventually you'll get let go or watch younger people with degrees get into promotions and you left behind.
If you're a guy who doesn't want to go to college for 4 years, then do 2 years in a trade school. Be an electrician, learn to lay networks down, learn something. Don't show up on the construction sites or factories begging for a job...especially if they tell you that you have no skills they need.
Many publications have spoken of what Obama has for years. We have a 19th century education system and we need it to be 21st century. This is why Europe and the Orient are kicking out butts. We need the system to be more about teaching children to think and reason, not just dates and facts. Let them grow and become more than they could be, and even get into fields where they can excel and later become valuable members of society who can't be easily outsourced.
Healthcare is another problem. If the US is spending billions on the old system that's not working, then we need to overhaul it to work better and cheaper. Some say to abolish it all, but I'll bet those are the ones who can easily afford healthcare. One big benefit companies have in Europe is that they don't have to offer healthcare because the country offers it. Everyone pays in some way, but in the end we all pay less somewhere else. However again, we have an antiquated system in place. Plus improvement also means more job openings.
Energy is the same deal. You heard him talk about a new electrical system, or pushing wind farms, cleaner vehicles, and even speed trains in some talks. Where do you think the labor will come from to build all that?
I agree that we can't keep trying to fight to keep jobs in the country that a company can easily take out for a very cheap price. If you pay someone $7 an hour to build an item that someone in Taiwan can build for $1 an hour, wouldn't you pack up and move?
Obama is basically building us a new economy off of the three things that we've been very weak in. You want to get a job, then I suggest you start looking to training and schooling to be one of the labor needed to build in those three areas, rather than wonder if your old outdated jobs will come back.
