By Arun Kumar

Washington, Aug 18 (IANS) President Barack Obama has asked Americans to produce more scientists and engineers and return to making things themselves lest nations like China and India outcompete them for the jobs of the future.

"We did not become the most prosperous nation on Earth by rewarding greed and recklessness of the sort that helped cause this financial crisis," he said speaking at a fundraiser for fellow Democrat Senator Patty Murray, who is in a tough race for a fourth term, in Seattle, Washington, Tuesday.

"We did it by rewarding the values of hard work and responsibility. We did it by investing in the people who have built this country from the ground up - workers and families; and small business owners and responsible entrepreneurs.

"We did it because we out-worked and we out-educated and out-competed other nations. That's who we are. That's who we need to be," he said. "Because right now, countries like China and India and South Korea and Germany, they are fighting as hard as they can for the jobs of the future."

"They're trying to out-compete us when it comes to clean energy. They're trying to out-compete us when it comes to producing engineers and scientists," Obama said. "And frankly, in some cases, they've been catching up and even propelling forward ahead of us."

"The United States does not play for second place. We play for first," he said recalling his remarks at his State of the Union address.

"We are going to rebuild this economy stronger than it was before," he said amid applause. "And at the heart of this rebuilding effort are three simple words: 'Made In America. Made In America.'"

"Instead of giving tax breaks to companies that are shipping jobs overseas, we want to cut taxes for companies that create jobs right here in the United States of America," Obama said.

Obama also called on Senate Republicans to allow a vote on legislation to help small businesses, saying "now is not the time for political games." Obama criticised "a small partisan minority" that he said will not let the bill come to a vote, echoing the theme of Republican obstruction he has hit hard during a five-state fundraising swing.