Get Government Off My Back

Do you get tired of politicians talking about how many jobs they have created? Or how few jobs their opponents have created? The president claims his administration has created so many million jobs. And Gov. Romney says his policies will create so many million jobs. They speak rubbish.  If government creates a job, it does […]

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Do you get tired of politicians talking about how many jobs they have created? Or how few jobs their opponents have created? The president claims his administration has created so many million jobs. And Gov. Romney says his policies will create so many million jobs.

They speak rubbish. 

If government creates a job, it does so with money it takes from someone. It takes it from individual taxpayers. It takes it from businesses — as taxpayers. 

What do you suppose people and businesses would have done with the money that government took? Would they have baked it into casseroles? People would have spent it, which would have created jobs. People would have invested it, which would have produced jobs. Businesses would have done the same, thus creating jobs.

But they did not, because government took that money and tried to create jobs with it. There have been many studies that have concluded this: Government is the least efficient in creating anything, including jobs. Individuals and businesses are far more efficient than government. So why not leave more money with them? And stop taxing it away?

The best way government can help an economy is by getting out of the way of its people. By getting off their backs. By truly reducing the regulations and red tape.

This is not brain surgery. Everywhere you look, government slows business. It impedes business. It does not mean to, but it does.

You want to make a few bucks braiding hair for your neighbors? Hey, you could start a business braiding hair. Nope, it’s against the law. You must take some courses, get a certificate, and pay for a license — to braid hair.

You want to leave your job to start a business? You don’t dare, because you would have to leave your health insurance behind.

Who says you cannot take it with you? Government. 

Why is basic health care so expensive? Because governments insist that health-insurance policies cover 10,000 different ailments and services. You ought to be able to pick and choose from basic ingredients in a policy. Maybe you don’t want to pay for coverage of illnesses and diseases that only a tiny number of people get. Well, there ain’t no maybes. Governments force you to pay. 

And, governments won’t allow a less costly policy from Idaho to be sold to you in New York. All this government interference makes insurance too expensive — for employers, for small-business owners. These are the people we expect will create jobs for us.

Here is another reason your business will cost more than it should. You have to pay huge amounts for liability insurance. Why huge? Because government won’t reform the laws that let people sue you for millions when they stub their toes on your sidewalk.

In thousands of ways, government impedes business. And thereby, it lowers the growth of our economy and the growth in the number of jobs.

The politicians jabber on about jobs, jobs, jobs. The best thing they can do for jobs in this country is to shrink, shrink, shrink government. Trim its tentacles, and get it out of the way of thousands of corners of the economy where it impedes.

From Tom...as in Morgan.       


Tom Morgan writes about financial, political, and other subjects from his home near Oneonta, in addition to his radio shows and new TV show. For more information about him, visit his website at www.tomasinmorgan.com 

 

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