Obama's Jobs Errors

Cato scholar Dan Mitchell analyses Obama's track record on improving the economy. He notes that the Obama administration sets the record for having the least private sector experience, which seems to have had an influence on the White House's approach and may be a factor that is harming more than helping. From spending that has grown the government more than the productive private sector to increased taxes and healthcare mandates that restrict businesses, the Obama administration has done a fairly good job doing exactly the opposite of what it claims to pursue. Mitchell explains that for businesses to contribute to the economy, they need confidence that their efforts will be rewarded and not punished or hindered.

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Private Enterprise Does It Better

"Free enterprise does everything better," is the claim John Stossel makes in an article on privatization. The government is often seen as the default provider of all sorts of so-called public goods. Stossel uses the example of privatization in the transportation industry to show how entrepreneurs improve social well-being by taking risks that pay off. From toll roads, to maintenance, to accident prevention, private parties demonstrate that private entrepreneurs improve conditions and save money in the process. Government acts on the premise of making social order, while the free market relies on catering to the people. Stossel's examples demonstrate that "freedom and responsibility triumph." If we could get government out of the way, imagine the better services, lower taxes, and fewer intrusions in our lives.

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It's a WikiLeaks World, Get Used to It

Cato technology scholar Jim Harper analyzes the recent and growing trend of information "leaks" -- most notably those involving classified government documents and the Internet site WikiLeaks. The military has long relied on secrecy to conduct its missions and operations, but as the information age advances and culture changes, the ability to keep secrets becomes increasingly difficult. To Harper, that growing difficulty is cause for a dramatic new strategy, for both military and other organizations: hide as little information as possible and become more transparent. "Information technology is a strong and growing adversary, and it is better to turn its strengths to one's advantage than to waste resources trying to fight against it."

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What's Holding Back the Hiring?

Obama has said that he is all about "jobs, jobs, jobs," but Jim Powell takes issue with that. In fact, he takes ten issues with it.

In an article that outlines job killers and economy stoppers, Powell documents ten examples of specific policies Obama and his administration have implemented that have hindered private sector growth and employment. "By increasing the cost of hiring people, increasing the cost of doing business, reducing after-tax returns from investment, and subsidizing unemployment, Obama is repeating FDR's misguided policies that prolonged high unemployment during the Great Depression." Businesses stagnate with uncertainty, and that's exactly what the Obama administration has been delivering through its contradictory policies and double-speak. If Obama is interested in sticking to his word, he would do well to work his way down Powell's checklist of business-stunting policies and adjust his policies accordingly.

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