How Can We Add Jobs to the American Economy?

Stop raising taxes on businesses so they can use that money to hire new workers instead of paying taxes. And lower the corporate tax rate. Those who argue that money would go straight into the CEO's pockets clearly haven't done their research.

Capitalism, not government hand-outs or intervention, creates wealth and a productive economy.

ETA: And ditto Victoria W. =)
ETA: Cherly O for president!!

CEO's used to make 10x as much as their employees. Now they earn 100x as much. I'm all for business owners kicking financial butt, but greed has gotten way out of proportion. These huge amounts of money could be going into different areas of development or competitive employee salaries, but they're not.

A.:

This is a VERY hot topic and you will get a FULL SPECTRUM of thoughts on this one.

1. Repeal Obamacare - that piece of legislation is costing us TRILLIONS. Yes, something needs to be done - but TORT Reform will work better than this. (if this was sooo good - why does Pelosi have to hand out waivers in her district if it was sooo great?!?!?)

2. Stop increasing taxes on small businesses.

3. Encourage employers to hire Americans by taxing them at a higher rate for sending their jobs to India or Mexico (many won't like this- but Americans need jobs!)

4. This will be the hottest point - get rid of unions....they served their purpose years ago but now? they are just draining our economy...they really don't serve the employees anymore like they did years ago - now they just serve the Bosses and the Leaders - who get paid out the wazoo...

5. Get rid of the current Congress and Administration - get people in there who want to work for the people instead of for themselves.

6. Get rid of the Congress' perks - they don't need full pay retirement for serving just one term. that's insane....they shouldn't be paid $100K - they don't work full time and it's just gotten out of hand.This would save us BILLIONS.....

7. Encourage more American's to get educated...instead of feeling entitled to things...98% of the jobs I hire/recruit for require a college degree...

8. Stop the hand-outs....give people that are down on their luck tools - education (some need their GED others need more), certifications (classes for C+, JAVA, etc. developing so they can get a job), etc. to be able to obtain a job...if people are on welfare - they should either pay it back when they are back on their feet or do community service - because welfare is NOT free money....many won't like it - but it's true. I support welfare REFORM - time limits and conditions so that these people can get back to being productive citizens. Many on welfare NEED it...it's the few bad ones that have ruined it for all of them...

The best thing that anyone can do is research the candidates they will be electing this year and next....not just vote by party lines...check their voting status, check on the legislation they want to or have passed...if it fits with your values - great...make sure the person you are voting into office ACTUALLY SHOWS UP FOR VOTES!!! Make sure they are there for the right reasons....not to help themselves - but their constituents!!!

Corporations add jobs. Companies add jobs. Those jobs are not drags on the budget like government jobs are. If you want to improve the number of jobs and not increase the amount of the deficit, give tax incentives to the private sector to add jobs. And make those incentives last for many years, not just until the next administration has to deal with the real problems.

My out look is that the economy is going down, down, down and will continue to do so until we eliminate drags on the economy, like HUGE deficits.

Obamacare is horrible for the economy. During the great depression, unenployment got to 27% at its worst. Families lived in roadside parks and in national parks because they were forclosed on and had no place to go.

The American Dream has been for everyone to own their own home. But the "gold rush" by banks for profits and their willingness to loan to anyone that said (not prove) they had enough money to make a mortgage payment was a contributing cause of this depression. Too many people are willing to walk away from a mortgage and a home and forget about their credit score. The housing collapse spurred the stock market collapse which caused people to cut back their buying which caused business to cut back on their payrolls and unemployment to rise.

What can we do to turn this around? First, reduce the price of oil. How in a free market can we do that? Increase the amount of money speculators have to have to invest in the commodities markets, especially in oil. That would stop so much "cornering" speculating of the oil futures. That would reduce the price of oil almost over night. Some of the experts I listen to on TV say it would reduce the price of oil by $20 per barrel. That would reduce the price of fuel by at least $1 per gallon. Reduce the price of fuel and you reduce the cost to business of doing business. Groceries can be delivered cheaper. Grain/crops can be grown cheaper. Cattle, chicken, pigs can be fed cheaper. Stop turning corn into fuel. Its expensive and it is subsidized in some states like Iowa and Nebraska. If corn isn't going into fuel it can be used to feed people and animals and again that will reduce the cost of food to the public.

How does that help the economy? If your fuel bill was reduced by 25%, its like getting a BIG raise. And it is far reaching. It affects your electricity bill, your cost of commuting, the cost of clothes, the cost of tires and oil, the cost of food, and more things than I have space to list. What doesn't get to you by truck or train?

Thanks for the question. Good luck to you and yours.

Wow, you are going to get either a lot of folks who are very political, or nothing b/c nobody wants to go there today, lol.

The first thing I would say, is we need to get rid of "Obamacare". Businesses cannot afford to hire any new employees until they know what it will cost them to do so. And the lack of information about how much Obamacare is actually going to cost them per employee is a HUGE unknown. They are playing it safe and not hiring because the logical expectation for businesses is that the cost of obamacare on the employER is going to be a HUGE burden. They cannot afford that huge unknown floating out there and will not hire if they can avoid it in any way.

Just "my" first line item thing that would encourage employers to hire.

If tax breaks are the answer, where are all the jobs created by the tax breaks for the last 10 years?
Oh yeah - India.
(There are over 500 people in my department and 3/5's of them are overseas.
Management is doing what it can to make that 4/5's in the next year.
It's a department policy that we can not/will not hire onshore employees as long as we can find a similar skill set in an off-shore low cost center.)
It didn't work, it is not working, it will not work and it's insane to think more of the same will do anything but continue to fail.
Outlawing off-shoring would go a long way to bring a whole lot of jobs back.
No more H1B visas and importing cheap labor would help, too.
I think the government could stand to be more efficient, but I'm not convinced small government / no government regulations is going to solve anything.
Employers can and will exploit and pollute if they are left to their own devices and it's been proven they will time and time again.
Free enterprise that flocks to cheap labor which is kept artificially cheap through communism totally screws up any notion that our market is free because it's not.
We spend more on health care than any other nation on the planet and get less bang for the buck than anyone else.
A single payer system (not health insurance for all, which is what we got, not what we need) means we would be the largest bargaining group possible and could negotiate reasonable prices.
We could pay half of what we pay today and get the same care with none of the insurance hoops we have to jump through now.
We need to stop the way campaign donations work today because in effect it means our elected officials are bought and paid for by corporations.
Our politicians do not work for the citizens of our country and they haven't for a long, long time.
And because of the way the system works - there is no one you can vote for that will make the least bit of difference.
Every politician is a puppet who's string are pulled by some corporation behind a curtain.
I blame Herbert Hoover for partnering government with business and we can't seem to get away from it.
Some don't want to get away from it, but the partnership is no longer what's good for our country.
(I delete hate mail, so don't bother.)

Quit taxing the hell out of companies so they can afford to pay American workers!

We are in the raw materials industry and manufacturing is booming right now. Maybe it is not supposed to be a known fact but it is happening in many sectors of manufacturing.

We are almost sold out of our materials and we have 3 week lead times on new material to be manufactured. I am not speaking of my business only.... many of the companies we as well as many others like us buy from are sold out.

We have a positive outlook on the economy and fortunately we are in a good position right now but we have worked very hard and sacrificed to get where we are.

We are currently forecasting and we may well be to a point where we must move the company from our home office to an office and possibly hire support staff and sales staff.

As for healthcare reform, I agree, get rid of BOcare.

I believe the news media is so skewed to provoke fear among people. They don't give anything positive to grasp onto. It is like the Washington people want to keep anything positive under wraps and then when election time rolls around, "WOW, look what I did to bring back the country" will be the quote, BLAH

I will add, we are in the Dallas area which has not been hit as hard as many areas economically. I also see a lot of signs that say "hiring". There are a lot of people who prefer to live off the government instead of getting off their rear and working at something... so what if it is not your degreed or experienced area... if it is a job it = $$.

Ditto: Scarlett

The fastest growing segment of the economy is home-based businesses. Shocked? It's true. The other megatrend is wellness. As the baby boomers age and more people are fed up with the medical system, they are taking their health and their finances into their own hands. It's not just the insurance companies - it's the system that makes doctors order endless tests so they don't get sued for malpractice. It kicks up the prices of everything. That's why employers have cut so many jobs back to part-time, so they don't have to pay benefits. It's not "Obamacare" - that's not even in effect yet! So blame needs to go to the right places!

I got tired of getting laid off so I started my own business with a great company, with things that people need every month. It puts the control back in my own hands and, if I want a raise, I just work a little harder. Not like people in the corporate world who are now working 60 hours instead of 40, going to work even if they are sick, skipping vacations, etc., ALL FOR THE SAME SALARY because they are frantic that they are going to lose that job if they don't.

It used to be that corporations rewarded loyalty of employees, but over the past generation the gap between the highest paid executives and the lowest paid workers has widened exponentially. There is a much higher proportion of "working poor" and an extremely wealthy population of top executives.

A tremendous number of corporations pay no taxes at all despite profits in the billions of dollars. So abolishing or lowering the corporate tax rate solves nothing because they aren't paying taxes now anyway! Closing loopholes would be a huge step. Also penalizing companies for shipping jobs overseas. ABC News (David Muir) just did a program on a family who agreed to let them come in and remove everything that was not American-made. Guess what - the family was left with less than 10% of their furniture, appliances, and clothing. The house was virtually empty.

Green energy is another area that needs investment and will create jobs. But people who balk at putting in efficient light bulbs or who don't recycle aren't going to pay more money to get the green economy going. I think people want someone else to do it!

And I think people need to write to their senators and representatives, no matter what political party, and tell them to stop arguing, start cooperating, and stop pandering to a particular interest group because they are too worried about getting re-elected.

One good way to start would be to lower the corporate tax rate.

Let's start by looking at where the jobs have gone. Why were so many people laid off or let go? Banking dergulation, cronieism, & tax cuts led to a colossal failure of our economic system. You can't blow billions on 3 wars AND cut taxes at the same time. Small businesses failed. Big businesses outsourced to 3rd world countries. The rich got richer. The poor got poorer. And the middle class got the bill.
I think if we start at the source and correct the culture of pure greed, with no accountability, that will be a good 1st step. Banks were bailed out, but were not required to make changes or be accountable for the money. No new jobs were greated. Banks and oil companies report record profits with zero taxes paid and no jobs created.
SO, we know what doesn't work. Now, let's look at what does. Detroit was bailed out. And they were required to be accountable for the money. They were required to make leadership changes at the top and the US became shareholders. They streamlined operations and facilities. Auto companies had to respond to the market and revamp thier product so that people would want to buy them. They offered incentives to buy and made a good product. Now the money has been paid back and the auto companies that adjusted survived have started hiring again. It took the industry to rexamine itself, it's products, and it's management in order to reinvent itself and be competitive in the 21st century. Corporations and industries have to be nimble, accountable, and aggressive in order to grow and create jobs. Throwing tax cuts at them doesn't accomplish that. It encourages more of the same.

I don't think taxes make a real difference, didn't Warren Buffet just admit that? And this summer then the FAA taxes on airlines was suspended, airlines didn't turn around and hire more employees, they actually raised fares to take advantage.

The truth is jobs are created when demand for product and services increases. That's it. If more people wanted to buy airline tickets, they'd hire more attendants, more mechanics, etc. Same for cars, new houses, computers, phone service, whatever, it all boils down to consumer spending. Creating jobs is very hard to do in a scary economy when people aren't spending the way they used to.

I'd wager that the best we can do as citizens at this time is to Buy American. Make an effort, see where our products are manufactured, try to buy local, make our products in higher demand, which leads to more production, advertising, support, etc.

All I know is that I see plenty of "now hiring" signs every day. Perhaps people don't want certain jobs b/c it's 'below them' to wash dishes or serve food or perhaps they make more money being on unemployment. A family member of mine felt like that. I asked why he didn't get a job at Sonic. He tells me "I make more money on unemployment. I can sit here and drink my beer and play video games and make more than I would being on my feet all day in the heat." GRRRRRR. Not to say everyone abuses the system. But come-on! He should make a friggin effort! Also, he was having to pay child support at the time, so working at Sonic would have cut his paycheck drastically. So instead, he sat at home. I don't know if his daughter gets money if he's collecting unemployment or not, but OMG - if this guy is just one guy, what's to say there's not 100,000 more just like him?

My outlook - It's not getting better, IMO. One brother's been looking for a job for a few months now and still no luck. Granted, he should maybe go wash dishes. He is super-over-qualified for that, but whatever. Not my decisions to make for him. My personal situation is fine. We have been budget conscious since we got married and my husband's a real go-getter who will do everythinng in his power to keep food on the table and make our cars work, etc.

What Cheryl O. said.
I can't say it any better than that!
LBC

I am in South Florida - and it is worse here than many parts of the country. No one is hiring - not McDonalds, not Dunkin Donuts, no retailers, etc. My brother just got laid off from his job as an accountant for a bail bonds company. (I guess people aren't bailing out their criminal relatives these days.)

My general outlook is that the economy is about the same. It is certainly NOT better and hopefully not worse, but I can't document that one.

I agree with what many have already said - Cheryl O for President? Since you already live near DC could we close up the White House and save some cash there?? (Just kidding!)

One thing that was not mentioned is that we need our Congress to create tax code so that individuals and companies can actually plan for the future. Too many individuals (who are business owners) and companies are holding cash trying to figure out what Obamacare and future tax law will cost them. If you can't create a budget because Congress doesn't pass the tax laws for the previous year until 2 months into the current year - you have to self-insure. This means holding cash instead of hiring anyone or investing in equipment, training, etc.

I think we should fire the entire Congress and start over. I am tired of the whining!! It is like a bunch of 4 year olds!! Anyone with me? C.

I agree with every word that Cheryl O. said!!! Especially #4.

The economy is getting worse. The best way to get jobs back in America? That's easy. Companies need to QUIT outsourcing! You know how when you call customer service of company X and someone you cannot understand answers, you ask where they are and they say Pakistan or the Phillipines. Put the call centers in America, where they should be and we'd have more jobs. Of course it would help if companies would quit hiring illegal workers or those that have a work permit. Start with offering the job to Americans. *Disclaimer, I know some people are too lazy to do some of the jobs that the immigrants or work permits take but most companies don't offer it to Americans first. Also, take away welfare and do random, mandatory drug tests to those on it. I know too many abusing it. Take away that money they are forced to work rather than sitting on their butts. *I'm not saying take it from the retired or truely disabled, just those abusing it and it's CLEAR who is.

I don't have a lot of time to write my ideas because I am heading off to a PTA meeting at school.

I would elect Cheryl O. for President in a heartbeat!! She takes the words right out of my mouth.

I would say a good start would be knock off all the ideas that actually discourage hiring. Obamacare is one but the biggest one to come down the pike that no one talks about is the reduction in social security tax. They only did it on the employee side.

So to add a job it saves the employer nothing. From an employer stand point it makes more sense to work the employees you already have to death. After all they are getting 2% more in their pay check so they got a psudo raise.

Of course this is the failing of all parts of government. They focus on one part of their actions, the part of what they are trying to do. In the tax case put more money in the paycheck so people spend it and stimulate the economy and add jobs. They kinda forgot that not doing it on both sides actually causes an employer to keep the employees they have so even with the increased need for production they won't add jobs because it is only temporary.

Any solution must be long term and balanced to benefit both employer and employee. It must benefit the employer because he does the hiring. It must also benefit the employee because we have a lot of people out there that are having trouble accepting they aren't worth what they were back in the day.

The infrastructure bank doesn't work and is inefficient for two reasons. It doesn't work because it is keeping unneeded jobs in only one area of the economy at the cost of all other areas. The other thing is our roads are not in bad shape, at least the federal ones that it only applies to. No one rides rail no matter what you build they still won't. The high speed rail ran out of Chicago will go no faster than 60 MPH because it becomes unsafe. Brilliant, build high speed rail but don't run it at high speeds.

It is inefficient in that there are other parts of infrastructure that is more in need but cannot be targeted because of how the funds are allocated. How many water main breaks are there in your community. Can't fix that. How about your sewer system. Our bills are slated to go up to a hundred a month to fix our system. Can't fix that. How about our electrical grid and current plants. Can't fix that. We can't even retrofit the plants, they want new and green.

The housing market will not hit bottom until the government accepts that the bottom is pretty darn low and everything they are doing is just keeping it from bottoming. Sorry folks, do the math, your home just isn't worth what you think. We need to accept that and move on. Then and only then will the market recover.

Yeah love the home energy credits. Thankfully I am smart enough to do the math but most don't. 6,500 to replace all my windows, a huge!! 600 off my taxable income that yielded me 60 dollars. Wow, way to go there, government. The real savings came with it cutting 150 a month off my gas and electric so in the three years it has paid for itself. Problem is no one looks at the long run or they just don't have the money to begin with. Won't work and really no one should be paid to do what they should do on their own and the government doesn't seem to like to loan people money they just like to give it.

I really like your question. Why not ask the everyday people who are living it?

My thoughts:
1. I do see a lot of NEED HELP signs here. I didn't back in MN.
2. When you have a family to support it is difficult to go off of unemployment for a part-time job. But, the attitude of some of the moochers (sp?) suck!
3. We left a house we couldn't afford (I lost my job at 8 months pregnant) and really couldn't find suitable income within an hour from my house. We are able to afford a less expensive house now (not that the first one was all that grand). We don't qualify due to our credit. I'm sure there are LOTS of people in this boat. Why not allow those of us who are able (and can show it) buy houses sooner? That would seriously help the housing market.
4. My husband works for a company that keeps laying off (from the top) and making the bottom people do 3-4 people's jobs. They are even outsourcing to India. The company makes great money, but they don't seem to be interested in saving America. They know they can work their people to death because they are afraid of losing their jobs.
5. There are lots of employers who are knowingly hiring illegals and paying them minimum wage for jobs that are worth more than that.

A LOT of things need to be fixed and cleaned up. Neither side will like what that would really mean.

I think the economy will stay the same with a little ripple here and there until people in my situation who lost jobs and homes can buy homes again. That will be another year to 5 years. I also think it is all evening out. People can no longer live above their means and have learned this valuable lesson. When the economy does come back, it will be with a stronger foundation. (or at least this lady hopes so)

Here are three ideas:

*Invest in our nation’s infrastructure through existing channels and a new infrastructure bank
(Overall, for every $1 billion spent on infrastructure, 18,000 jobs are created.)

*Speeding the housing recovery by reducing the flood of foreclosed homes on the market

*Supporting the retrofitting of homes and businesses to make them more energy efficient

As for the same old plan of cutting govt spending and decreasing taxes for our CEO buddies,

In short, the plan should be a sharp contrast to the economically nonsensical agenda his political opposition is passionately arguing for. The idea that simply slashing government programs and taxes is the key to economic success is a tried and failed strategy. The tax system we have now is a tax system inherited from President George W. Bush. We’ve seen the results. Economists across the political spectrum agree that spending cuts in a weak economy run counter to everything we know about getting a country out of an economic hole. President Obama should not meet halfway those who only offer economic incoherence. He should take them head on.

ETA: Libby for President!