With unemployment at 9.1% (13.9 million) during the month of May, there is a greater sense of urgency for the Obama Administration to create new jobs both in the public and private sectors. In addition to job creation, the economy continues to decline.
The dismal unemployment numbers and the economic decline has not gone unnoticed by some in Congress, who have called on President Obama to address this issue and get the economy on
track. The House GOP leadership held a press conference today with members of the newly created House Jobs Caucus, which is comprised of freshmen members, who have been entrepreneurs before
being elected to Congress. During the conference, the House GOP released their new jobs plan, which will motivate small business owners, fixing the tax code to help those creating employment opportunities, and encouraging growth.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said:
“Yesterday, the head of the Democrat National Committee said that their party owns the economy, and she expressed some frustration questioning why businesses didn’t embrace their agenda. That shows you how out of touch they are. The reality is, most people in this country are employed by small businesses, and what small businesses see is a myriad of overregulation, of unfair taxes and of new mandates that keep coming down the pike.
“Again, where is the realization that we have to create an environment where small business people and entrepreneurs are going to take some risk? Economic growth is not a government program. It is high time this Administration realize they should join us. We put together a Plan for America’s Job Creators. Central to that notion is that we have to empower entrepreneurs, people who are willing to open new businesses, people who are willing to commit their capital to grow jobs and grow value. That is how we are going to get this recovery going again. Not through insistence here in Washington that government knows how to grow this economy.”
Joining Cantor, Rep. Scott Rigell (R-Va.) made the following statement (which you can watch here):
“I’m Scott Rigell and families in the second district and across this great land are reeling from the effects of unemployment. Recently the President said this about the jobs report:
“People and the markets are still skittish and nervous…. And so they pull back because they’re still thinking about the traumas of just two and a half years ago.”
As an entrepreneur, as a person who knows the great joy that comes with being able to look someone in the eye and say, “You’re hired,” I know that America’s small business owners are not looking to the past. By our very nature, we want to look to the future. We want to be optimistic, we want to invest, and yet what we see are so many obstacles in front of us.
I want to speak directly to my fellow job creators this morning: Here’s what you’re faced with because of the Administration’s policies:
- Would you like to create green jobs off Virginia’s coast with a wind farm? Well be patient, because it’s going to take you about seven years just to get a permit.
- Would you like to get HUD to assist the financing of your construction project? Well be patient because it’s going to take about a year for the initial review of your application.
- Do you wonder why the local banker isn’t coming by to make a house call and say “Hey how’s your business doing, how can I help you, can I lend you some money?” They’re not coming out, because they’re back there trying to grasp the enormity of Dodd-Frank and the implications of that. They’re out there hiring regulatory analysts.
To our job creators, I want to look you right in the eye: I want you to know that we are fighting for you. We know what you’re up against first hand. These good men and women behind me and so many of us who were sent to Congress as first time elected officials: We get it. The American people get it. We ask the president to stand with us as we get the country back on track creating jobs.”
In order to get the economy back on track, we need to be open to free market ideas that will not only address current budget woes, but boost employment in both sectors.
