U.S. President Barack Obama is attending a town-hall meeting on Monday in the U.S. high-tech capital, Silicon Valley, as part of efforts to sell his jobs plan to the American public.

Mr. Obama agreed to attend the event hosted by professional networking site, LinkedIn, to answer questions about his $450 billion plan from LinkedIn's online users and a live audience at a museum near the company's northern California headquarters.

The president is on a three-day West Coast campaign tour where he is expected to rack up millions in donations ahead of a Friday quarterly fundraising deadline that will show how he is faring against his Republican competitors.

Speaking at a fundraising event on Sunday, Mr. Obama said 2012 will be an especially tough election because Americans are discouraged and disillusioned with the government.

But he said he is determined because too much is at stake. He said the Republican alternative would “fundamentally cripple” the United States in meeting the challenges of the 21st century.

With his approval rating falling and his reelection campaign underway, Mr. Obama has introduced a new aggressive tone on the campaign trail and has taken a firm stance against his critics in Congress, calling on them to pass his jobs plan “right away.”

The Silicon Valley is just one of the stops on the president's national tour aimed at garnering support for his $450 billion jobs plan. Mr. Obama says his plan will boost the struggling U.S. economy by helping small businesses and creating nearly 2 million jobs, including for teachers and construction workers.

Unemployment in the United States is hovering around nine percent.