Comments about the State of the Union Address
Melissa Haluszczak, Candidate for the U. S. Congress in PA-14th District, responds to President Obama's State of the Union message
President Obama is right to focus intensely on the economy and jobs. When he took office, the unemployment rate was 7.7 percent. One year and $1.4 trillion later (total deficit spending from February 2009 to December 2009), the unemployment rate stands at 10 percent, and 3.4 million jobs have been lost.
In addition to the ineffectual fiscal stimulus voted for by Congressman Doyle, President Obama has proposed a variety of policies sharing the unified characteristic of being anti-jobs. He proposed higher tax rates on investment and small businesses. He proposed an immensely expensive and unpopular health care bill, which, again was supported and promoted by Congressman Doyle. He proposed massive additional taxes through cap and trade which again was also supported and promoted by Congressman Doyle. The President and Congressman Doyle continue to create uncertainty and threaten the businesses that produce jobs.
President Obama should remember to "First, do no harm". In that spirit, he should remove government barriers to hiring. An executive order suspending the Davis-Bacon Act, for example, would create 160,000 new construction jobs in 2010. Then, President Obama should press for policies that will encourage investment and entrepreneurship - the activities that create lasting jobs and will bring employment down. His capital gains tax cut for small businesses is a step in the right direction, although he should apply it to all businesses. Tort reforms that make it more difficult for trial lawyers to extract multi-million dollar jackpots from productive businesses would also spur business investment and hiring.
Calling for a freeze in non-defense so-called discretionary spending is a little like the guy who robs your house and then returns your toaster-oven and expects you to be happy about it. The freeze applies to 15% of the total federal budget. This part of the budget was increased by $140 billion last year. Freezing spending after he increased it by 25% last year appears to be little more than political "window dressing". It is apparent that he and members in Congress still do not understand how severe our fiscal problems are. Their agenda remains one of feeding their special interest groups and making deals at the expense of our future.
Melissa Haluszczak is running in the 14th Congressional district for the U. S. Congress. You can reach the campaign: Jeff Steigerwalt, 412-331-8700, jfs@skylinexhibits.com