Economy-choking laws won't create jobs

Here we are several months after the mega-billion dollar federal stimulus plan and unemployment remains stubbornly high. What was supposed to stimulate job creation has led to no more than a blip on the job front and now there seems to be a renewed interest by President Obama in job creation by the private sector.

The private sector, however, is too busy being wary of Washington. Job creators must keep their eye on Congress because of at least three issues on the White House agenda that are counterproductive to the idea of creating jobs. Business doesn't know yet how much healthcare reform will cost. We're now hearing that the very anti-business "card check" union issue will be back on the front burner soon. And while environmental "cap and trade" appears to be stuck in the mud in Congress, the EPA has moved forward with its own job-choking regulations.

Make no mistake that the results of all three of these issues would be expensive for business. More to the point, all three issues force business to take their eyes off their business of creating products or providing services and helping customers. That's no way to create jobs and as long as these three issues are hovering over business, job growth is likely to remain skittish at best.

Yes, we want clean air. There should be a balance of employer and employee interests in the workplace and healthcare is too expensive. The fact remains, however, that business creates jobs. When you make it harder and more expensive to do business, the jobs won't come. There's no amount of stimulus that will change that.