WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Bush insisted Saturday his economic policies were making a good thing better, while a Democratic congressman from his home state of Texas said his party's plan would close loopholes in the president's policies and benefit workers instead of businesses.
While Bush said that job reports were looking good for Americans seeking work, Rep. Nick Lampson of Houston said the president's policies remained shortsighted.
"It's a shame when the White House's top economic adviser says outsourcing of American jobs is inevitable, or even that it benefits our economy," Lampson said. "I believe Americans know that our country gains when we export American goods - not American jobs."
"It's time for Republicans to join with Democrats to enact a jobs plan that keeps American jobs in America and ensures that America remains the world's foremost land of opportunity."
Bush, though, continued the theme of his latest campaign ad, which portrays the Democrats -- and their presumptive presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry -- as pessimists in the face of a sunny society.
"Because of the hard work of so many Americans, and because of the good policies in Washington, D.C., our economy is strong and it is getting stronger," Bush said. "But there's more to do to keep our economy growing."
Bush wants Congress to make permanent his tax cuts, which Democrats say are largely responsible for a multi-trillion dollar budget deficit, and to pass his energy bill, which critics complain was written behind closed doors in meetings Vice President Dick Cheney held with leaders of the energy industry.
"We have a culture of innovation where people are encouraged to come up with new solutions to old problems," Bush said. "We have a great work force. With these strengths, there is no limit to how much we can accomplish. And I am certain that our best days are yet to come."
Lampson, however, said that while some jobs have been created, they often pay too little to support a family, while the U.S. tax code "actually rewards companies for moving jobs overseas."
The Democratic "American Jobs Plan" will eliminate such loopholes, he said, "ending tax shelters and foreign tax havens that allow some corporations to avoid paying their fair share."
The Democratic plan would increase well-paying jobs by investing in the nation's infrastructure, he said, and the program would be paid for by closing the loopholes.
Both men touched on worker training and education as vital parts of strengthening the economy.
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