The American Jobs Solution

Statement

Fellow Idahoans:

President Obama recently spoke to the nation and introduced his newest proposal, which he called "The American Jobs Act". Almost three years into his term, with unemployment stagnant at an astounding 9 percent, with economic uncertainty growing and the majority of people being unhappy with the direction of the country, the President has simply rewritten his previous speeches to try to convince the American people that the economic picture will soon improve.

The fact of the matter is the President does not know how to create jobs. If he did, he would not have waited for three years before starting the process. Too many Americans today are either unemployed or underemployed. This fact is not news and therefore the president's speech, while good intentioned, rings hollow to the hundreds of thousands still seeking new or full-time jobs nearly three years after his election to the White House. Instead of another speech, I believe President Obama would have been far better served having a dialogue with Congress to find common ground on job--producing measures.

I sent a letter to the president two months ago outlining three areas I believe we can reach common ground based on his past remarks. Since his election, the president has suggested he believes in cutting regulations, cutting spending and reforming the tax code yet he has not worked with the House on any of these items. After Republicans took over control of the House of Representative, we worked with businesses to identify regulations that hindered job growth. Instead of building off our work and seeking to repeal burdensome regulations of things like farm dust--he chose to give another speech.

Despite the clear will of the American people to reduce spending, one of the primary objectives of President Obama's plan seems to include even more deficit spending. The American people realize that another spending stimulus isn't the answer. The president already tried and failed with a stimulus spending binge over three years ago. Businesses and job creators are waiting to invest in the American economy but only once they are assured that the federal government is prepared to cease its economic experimentation and just get out of the way.

It is too early to say the President's speech and his proposal are failures. I am encouraged that the President recently acknowledged the economic harm his ozone regulations would have in the energy sector and rescinded them. Such a move was no doubt difficult politically for the President, many of whose supporters are enamored with environmental regulations. I had hoped for more such specifics and bold actions in his speech, but since there were none I am working with my colleagues to provide Mr. Obama with more examples of burdensome regulations, wasteful spending and damaging tax policies where, with his engagement and cooperation, we can work together to produce an economic environment where job growth can occur.

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