Obama hits GOP during factory visit

BLADENSBURG, Md., Oct. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama chastised Republicans Friday for delaying legislation providing tax incentives to encourage small-business growth.

During a visit to a masonry factory in Bladensburg, Md., Obama repeated his opposition to extending the Bush-era tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans and again called for making permanent the cuts to those earning less than $250,000. The tax cuts expire at the end of the year without congressional action.

Obama shook hands with workers at Ernest Maier Inc. during a quick tour of the factory and engaged in a bit of nostalgia

"This is what all my bookshelves were made of in college," he said, pointing to cinder blocks.

"Small businesses like this one are the bricks and blocks of our entire economy," Obama said.

The president chided Republicans for delaying the small-business bill he signed into law last week, saying companies across the nation had been waiting for the bill, which eases credit and provides tax cuts to enable the hiring of new employees.

"I believe that instead of sitting still we should invest in rebuilding America's roads, railways and runways," he said. "Too many American workers have been out of work for months, even years. That doesn't do anybody any good when there is so much of America to rebuild. Our infrastructure is falling far behind what the rest of the world is doing."

Obama also tried to put a positive spin on Friday's unemployment figures, which showed a loss of 95,000 jobs, mostly government census workers, and the rate remaining flat at 9.6 percent. He said the 64,000 private sector jobs added in September brings to 850,000 the number added since the beginning of the year.

Later in the day, the president was to sign the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 and speak about the law's effect on people with disabilities.