President Obama Touts Job-Creating Potential of Boeing Indonesia Deal
BALI, Indonesia — Hailing the deal as a “remarkable example” of the commercial opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region, President Obama touted a new agreement between Boeing and an Indonesian company, claiming it will create more than 100,000 jobs in the United States.
“For the last several days, I’ve been talking about how we have to make sure that we’ve got a presence in this region, that it can result directly in jobs at home. And what we see here — a multibillion-dollar deal between Lion Air — one of the fastest-growing airlines not just in the region, but in the world — and Boeing, is going to result in over 100,000 jobs back in the United States of America, over a long period of time,” Obama said this morning at a signing ceremony between the two companies in Bali, Indonesia, where the president is meeting with East Asian leaders.
Lion Air has agreed to purchase 230 Boeing airplanes at a list price of$ 21.7 billion, marking the largest commercial airplane agreement ever for Boeing.
The White House has been eager to show the job-creating potential of investments in the Asia-Pacific region during the president’s nine-day trip to Hawaii, Australia and Indonesia.
“This is a remarkable example of the trade investment and commercial opportunities that exist in the Asia Pacific region,” the president said.
“I want to congratulate Boeing for making outstanding planes, including the one that I fly on,” the president joked. “And this is an example of a win-win situation, where the people of the region are going to be able to benefit from an outstanding airline and our workers back home are going to be able to have job security and be able to produce an outstanding product made in America.”

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Then let Boeing build the new plant in South Carolina and call off your NLRB goons! Hypocrite!
Posted by: newcountryman | November 17, 2011, 11:28 pm 11:28 pm
POSTED BY: NEWCOUNTRYMAN | NOVEMBER 17, 2011, 11:28 PM 11:28 PM
The United States does not operate under whatever opinion you happen to hold at the moment nor on what you might happen to imagine. It operates under the rule of law. Even large companies like Boeing must operate within the laws of the land. This is a legal question that will be resolved through proper legal process.
Posted by: Norm | November 18, 2011, 12:16 am 12:16 am
Norm | November 18, 2011, 12:16 am —- Actually, the SC deal is an example of the government reaching too far into the free market. Please explain why Boeing should not be able to build a plant wherever they want it? Obama, unions or judges should not interfere. I find it comical Obama allows them to build a mosque near the 9/11 site, but Boeing is being railroaded out of SC!
Posted by: commonsenseparty | November 18, 2011, 1:49 am 1:49 am
POSTED BY: COMMONSENSEPARTY | NOVEMBER 18, 2011, 1:49 AM 1:49 AM
The United States does not operate under your opinions, nor mine. It operates under the rule of law. Labor laws exist in the United States. The Boeing situation will be decide by the rule of law – not your opinions on unions.
Posted by: Norm | November 18, 2011, 2:19 am 2:19 am
The courts will never rule that, unless under circumstances that clearly show otherwise, that a company cannot do business where ever it choses. This “rule of law” argument being brought up recently (and I’ve heard it applied to this particular case many times now) is one of smoke and mirrors.
Posted by: newcountryman | November 18, 2011, 7:00 am 7:00 am
Boeing is not moving jobs or closing the plant in Washington. They are expanding their operation in anticipation of world market demand for the 787 Dreamliner. The current administration is choosing to interfere with Boeing’s choice of South Carolina for it’s new plant simply to appeal to their union voter base using the NLRB as leverage. It’s all politics and it’s as simply as that. I wouldn’t be the least surprise to hear of Boeing moving operations overseas like G.E. is doing. Let’s see them try and stop them from doing that. Obama is either ignorant of free market principles or he’s a hypocrite with his “touting”.
Posted by: newcountryman | November 18, 2011, 7:15 am 7:15 am
newcountryman | November 18, 2011, 7:15 am – I am not sure Obama knows wha the is doing. Look at the request from Taiwan for $14 BILLION deal for over 100 F-16 fighters. He says no because he doesn’t want to upset China, yet he added 250 Marines in Australia to bolster our defenses against China’s growing threat. Seems to me we should sell Taiwan the fighters and preserve thousands more jobs here and let another ally defend the threat with us. Obama has 3 foreign policy pluses, OBL, Gaddafi and 3 pirates all dead.
Posted by: commonsenseparty | November 18, 2011, 7:42 am 7:42 am
CommonSense; I’m quite sure he doesn’t know what the heck he’s doing. I’m also sure his advisers don’t either. But he sure has a lot of people fooled with his silver tongue. Interesting you should mention the Taiwan F-16 fighters. I was the principle design engineer for the Taiwanese F-16 fighter simulator we built at a small company in 1988-89 (some powerful math equations). Looks like they’ll not be using it much. Retired now.
Posted by: newcountryman | November 18, 2011, 7:56 am 7:56 am
NORM! This has nothing to do with the law, but all about votes and money, the UNION don’t want another plant built in RIGHT TO WORK STATE, that decreases their dues.
Posted by: Lizzie | November 18, 2011, 10:42 am 10:42 am
Despite the desperate attempts here to deny it, this is reprehensible. Building a Boeing plant in South Carolina would create jobs and help the economy. But “Th One ” doesn’t care. Without the unions he’s dead politically.
Posted by: BcdErick | November 18, 2011, 10:43 am 10:43 am
It’s stunning the posters here are not aware there are labor laws in the United States. This is not a matter of your personal opinion, nor anybody else’s. It’s a matter of law. Even large companies like Boeing must operate within the laws of the land. This is a legal question that will be resolved through proper legal process.
By the way, the CEO of Boeing Jim McNerney was with the President on this trip and acted as moderator for Mr. Obama’s question-and-answer session with business executives at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Hawaii last weekend. This administration and Boeing are professionals.
Posted by: Norm | November 18, 2011, 1:50 pm 1:50 pm
Norm, Please tell us what laws you’re refering to. Be specific. You can even provide a link. Exactly what law defines where a company can do business and who they can hire. So far it’s all empty rhetoric you’ve been spouting. Talking points to defend to indefensible. What law is Boeing allegedly breaking? I’d really like to know. Educate me. Your posts all sound alike.
Posted by: newcountryman | November 18, 2011, 3:34 pm 3:34 pm
POSTED BY: NEWCOUNTRYMAN | NOVEMBER 18, 2011, 3:34 PM 3:34 PM
I’m referring to the National Labor Relations Act. There’s your project for the evening – learn something about the laws you know apparently know nothing about. If you can’t figure it out, it would be your own belligerence and I am not going to explain it to you. You’ll find lots in that law the at pertains directly to the issues at hand.
I was glad to see all the union-busting moves of the right wing fail over the last couple of weeks – the people spoke loudly through their votes.
It’s also good to see President Obama and the CEO of Boeing working hand in hand on this Pacific relations undertaking over the past week. Billions of dollars in jobs for Americans and excellent public relations.
Posted by: Norm | November 18, 2011, 6:58 pm 6:58 pm
The National Labor Relations Act, signed by Delano Roosevelt in 1935 allowed workers to be able to form union if the so choose (among other provisions), and limits what actions employers can take to limit worker rights. OK, South Carolina is a “right to work state”. That means that people can choose to join a union (if one exisits) or not. It doesn’t mean the S.C. workers couldn’t form a union. The NLRB wants to prohibit Boeing from even doing any work in S.C. because they are afraid some workers wouldn’t join a union. I will tell you Norm, if this issue gets to the courts, it will go down in flames and rightly so.
Posted by: newcountryman | November 19, 2011, 11:18 am 11:18 am
Norm, you are missing the whole point of the NLRB issue.
Posted by: newcountryman | November 19, 2011, 1:17 pm 1:17 pm
Why in the world would Obama support SC’s anti-union, republican supported attempt to build a plant there. Washington State and its pro-union Boeing workers support Obama and his re-election. Seems pretty simple to me. Blue state Washington is pro-Obama. Red state South Carolina is not. Do the math. Of course it’s politics. Everything is political. This is news to you? Thanks for the order, Indonesia.. it will keep the factories in Everett and Renton humming for years to come! Obama 2012!!
Posted by: John K. | February 21, 2012, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm