Secret Ballot Watch

As President Obama and Democrats try to spend their way out of this recession,they are ignoring the consequences of their job-killing agenda, including the uncertainty it fosters in an already troubled economy. In a blog post for FOXBusiness, Brian Sullivan reports on signs the Administration may be finally, grudgingly leaning toward some pro-growth policy initiatives on top of the tax, borrow, and spend policies that have characterized their agenda to date. This follows the White House’s recent jobs summit, which was a tacit acknowledgement that their $787 billion “stimulus” package had not delivered.

Unfortunately, America’s job creators are not yet convinced that Washington Democrats will pursue an agenda that supports them rather than one which taxes their success and dictates their behavior.

“…[T]he President and Democrats in Congress continue to try and force through cost increasing measures such as fines for lack of mandatory health insurance, carbon taxes and even an easing of job-killing unionization rules.

“The good news for companies is that it looks like carbon taxes and card check have been pushed back until next year or shelved permanently.  It is also good news that the President seems to finally be coming to grips with what most in the business community already know about economic growth: lower taxes good, higher taxes bad.

“But the bad news is that there are simply too many mixed messages from Washington on what cost increases small businesses will face for most of them to do any real hiring.”

Brian Sullivan, “Obama's Mixed Message for Small Business,” FOXBusiness, 12.08.09

Workers and employers may take some small comfort in the fact that the President and his allies on Capitol Hill have not yet found time and support to pass “card check” – a bill that will undermine workers’ right to a secret ballot. But no doubt, with the urging of powerful special interests, the economy and America’s workforce are not in the clear.

After all, just today congressional Democrats lined up to vote on a tax on investment capital which will once again take more money out of the economy at a time when businesses need that money to grow and create jobs. Additionally, the Majority has signaled no willingness to hit the reset button on other job-killing agenda items like a massive government takeover of health care with its own tax hikes and mandates. As long as they persist in fomenting uncertainty, the Administration and congressional Democrats will stand in the way of our nation’s job creators.

# # #