Jobs

Did not Congress promise that this year they would focus on jobs? Why then is Congress focusing again on health care? They are once again trying to spend trillions of dollars we do not have on legislation that the American people do not want. Why does Washington continue to ignore the American people? Where are their priorities? Washington is putting party agenda ahead of the good of the country. Health care is sucking all the air out of the halls of Congress. Every other issue is placed after it. JOBS should be the main issue. Concentrate your efforts on jobs.

The Senate passed a 15 billion dollar jobs bill. This bill exempts small businesses, who hire unemployed workers – What about underemployed workers? – from the 6.2 social security tax until December and allows a one time $1000 tax credit if the worker retains his or her job for one year. This is not really much of an incentive to hire new workers. It may offer a small amount of help, but will not reverse the massive job losses that are crippling this country. The bill is exempted from PAYGO and will be financed by increasing the deficit. Moody’s Investors Services estimate that it may create 250,000 new jobs. This is not cost effective job creation.

Congress wasted 862 billion dollars on a “stimulus” bill filled with pet pork projects. Unsurprisingly it did not work. The Senate proposes spending just 15 billion dollars on jobs. That tells you what their priorities are.

The House’s “jobs” bill proposes spending 154 billion dollars. A portion of it will be used to encourage small businesses to hire unemployed workers. It proposes using 75 billion of TARP funds for aid to states and infrastructure. The TARP bill stipulated that returned or unused TARP funds would be used to reduce the national debt. It is illegal to use this money as the House proposes. The bill also extends unemployment benefits by six months; expands the child tax credit; and extends highway and mass transit programs. This is not really a jobs bill. It’s the “Son of Stimulus” bill.

Washington needs to get serious about jobs. The government does not create anything but short term or bureaucratic jobs. Businesses create jobs. All the government can do is to create an atmosphere that is conducive to job creation. This can mainly be accomplished by across the board tax cuts. Right now the government is a roadblock to job creation. Government needs to get out of business’ way and let capitalism work.

Signed,
The Electorate