Jobs Are Still Top Priority
Missourian Harry Truman always wanted a one-handed economist. He explained that all of his economists said on the one hand…but on the other hand. Sometimes, it's hard to make heads or tails of the economic news from Washington.
On the one hand, the unemployment rate dropped to 8.5%, the lowest since February 2009. The economy added 200,000 jobs which were more than expected. Those are positive numbers that seem to indicate our economy is recovering.
On the other hand, there are still 13.1 million people who are unemployed. If you count the underemployed, those who are working part-time but want full-time work, then 15.2% of Americans are looking for work. Even with the recent job gains, we are 6.1 million jobs short of where we were in January 2008.
According to the ADP National Employment Report, 85% of the new jobs were created by small businesses.Washington should focus on ways to help small companies build from their holiday hires because small business growth is the key to addressing our unemployment crisis.
No matter which hand you look at it, it's clear that more needs to be done to help our economy. That's why the House has passed 27 common sense jobs bills that will provide relief from burdensome regulations, address our nation's unsustainable debt, create energy production jobs, and encourage entrepreneurship.
Small businesses want to hire and invest in their companies, but they need certainty from Washington. Our job will not be done until everyone who wants a job, can find a job.
Sincerely,
