Very disheartening news on the jobs front came out a few days ago. Rather than unemployment going down last month as expected, especially after all the money wasted on Stimulus and other federal government programs over the past two years, unemployment actually went up – from 8.6% to 9.1%. And try as they might, the Obama Administration was unable to spin the news in a positive direction.
In a related story, the Administration announced that its Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, Austan Goolsby, is leaving even though he was only appointed to the position nine months ago. He followed Christina Romer who left after approximately two years in the post. What this amounts to, is that as time passes, it’s becoming more and more obvious that the Obama Administration’s economic policies aren’t working, and they’re flailing about trying to find someone with a plan or an answer. As many of us have been saying all along, more government programs, more government spending, more government bureaucracy and red tape won’t work; in fact, they’re only making matters worse.
What we need is a re-invigoration of the economy through private sector investment; a significant cut in the federal bureaucracy; and a complete overhaul and simplification of the tax code. And I’d throw in a healthy dose of reduced energy costs through more American drilling, and more exploration off America’s coasts, not funding with U.S. tax dollars exploration off Brazil’s coast.
And finally, an invitation. If you have some free time this evening (Wednesday, June 8th), please consider traveling to the West Side, specifically to Nathanael Greene Lodge in Green Township where I’m hosting a town hall meeting at 7 p.m. This is a way for me to directly let the folks I represent know what’s going on in Washington, and listen to their concerns and suggestions. I hope you can make it.