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Obama Meets With Business Leaders on Immigration

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    Former White House Chief Economic Advisor Austan Goolsbee on immigration reform.

  • Duration 5:34
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Appreciate is that CEOs that the White House again -- Obama and business leaders discussing the deficit an immigration reform.

But critics claim the White House will not listen anyway so -- the meetings to president Obama's former top.

-- data what my favorite guys Austan Goolsbee another straight shooter.

Also and I want it react to a sound bite that we have -- -- -- that's very off here.

But this Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein went on your world and he spoke about the economy he spoke about what we're just about to get into it I want to react to this sound -- from like like -- And I think a lot of the economic numbers are if anything surprising a -- to the high side.

There -- some -- in front of us it's not smooth but I think it's undeniable that we are entering a growth -- at this point.

You agree with that often.

I hope that's true my feelings been that that probably is true path the next six months it still feels looked to me like the next six months has got some.

Got some bumpy patches that that we got to get through but I but I do you think that as we're slowly come out of this downturn.

That they're probably are a bunch of things to the upside that that we can only start.

Looking to benefit from not the least of which being we're finally -- -- from under the rock of the collapse of the housing market.

Got it we're not so much an immaculate recovery up that we are getting out from under here -- an -- And Lloyd Blankfein and that more along with a number of other CEOs of chairman and Motorola Steve case former -- well founder Paul Jacobs who runs Qualcomm.

-- -- meet the president is meeting with these CEOs were gonna turn to another topic immigration reform now.

Choose -- president in your experience really listen to these CEOs on these issues there was a more about getting them behind him.

In other words the president -- in these of them as leverage to push forward his own agenda just like -- -- with tax hikes on the upper brackets go ahead.

Well.

I I think he listens to them and -- eyes particularly on immigration if you look at what the president said.

Over the last two or three years.

He he had a number of the council's advised him that.

Visas.

For business people and for tourists come into the US.

Were important for economic growth.

And that high skill immigration was important for a lot of high tech industry and you saw the president.

I think position move on on some of those and they've they have done.

Important work in those areas in this case.

I'm not sure I mean I think -- given that collection of of high tech people there you probably would hear a lot about.

High skill immigration I think broader immigration is is defined by more than just what this what the -- thing.

Yeah I'm here to -- -- and there's and number of people also in the GOP who do want.

Immigration and they do -- a vibrant economy that's built from and you know skilled immigrants and Smart immigrants coming up.

But here's a thing that's suffer from sealing the border.

I mean there's some serious debate about the need to realize the seal the border because -- -- criminality at the border.

Aren't those two separate issues often.

They they they are related but yes I do think they are separate issues -- they start to.

Blend together when you get into some of these issues about OK well how would it work.

To verify whether employees.

Are not -- and should that be a burden that would be put on the employers and stuff like that so.

I do think that the issues that the business people have.

On immigration and those issues of the border are related but I but I do think they're distinct yet.

You know -- -- to saying also about the president meeting with the CEOs and he listens to their ideas but you know getting back to the jobs council which has just been disbanded.

I mean listen the US economy is way more complex than a GE or an Intel.

Is that more about the name of the game is is that you gotta be at the table because you're -- you're not on the table you gonna be on the menu so that's the name of the game of the CEOs again the -- -- the White House.

They're that bad -- good phrase I'm Roger -- he had those -- -- I think.

With the jobs council you know as you know when they set it up it was scheduled to go for two years it went for two years and and expired and then some people's civil why did they.

Get rid of it but I mean you it was scheduled to go for two years.

I think.

To your other point if the president was only using these meetings.

As a way to get.

Business CEOs to get up and defend his program.

It didn't really get a whole lot of that over the last four years -- so I don't think that -- good really say that that was the main thing he was doing I think.

The gathering of information and ideas from the jobs council before that from the economic recovery advisory board.

From a lot of these meetings.

I think informs policy but it's not as if that these outside groups of people who have.

Important day jobs ought to be replacing the National Economic Council or -- or the operation of the government.

-- point Smart point all right also what does the president get done.

What's -- big ticket item that the president gets done in his second term just pick one what is it.

Well I I think you would count immigration is that I feel like they will get it done but I think there's a decent chance in addition to immigration.

That we actually do have some tax reform and we address the longer run budget issues.

The which are separate from the short run issues and have to do with the -- of the -- So Smart Austan Goolsbee always a pleasure to be okay sir thank you so much for -- and I really -- it next update.

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