The White House said Monday it was reviewing options to spark economic activity and job creation, but it emphasized that any actions would be taken in the context of the fiscal challenges facing the country due to the massive federal budget deficit. “We're going to work with members of Congress to try to come up with sensible and reasonable measures that might spur economic growth. I know those conversations continue,” spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters. “Before we can create jobs, we have to have economic growth that is … positive,” Gibbs said, noting that the economy only started growing again in the third quarter after suffering the worst recession in seven decades. President Barack Obama's public approval rating has been hurt by surging U.S. unemployment, which at 10.2 percent now stands at a more than 26-year high and could grow further. Obama will host a job-creation forum on December 3 to formulate ideas on what else can be done to help employment, but he said last week that he was wary of adding to the country's record-high budget deficit.
