Free trade will boost jobs (Rep. Aaron Schock)

This is the height of foolishness. As of October 30th, the Administration says $214.5 billion of the “so-called” stimulus has been spent thus far and this spending has “saved or created 640,000 jobs.” In other words, according to the numbers provided by the White House, these jobs have come at a cost to the American taxpayer over $335,000 PER JOB.

There is a better way to create jobs and there is a way we can create these jobs at no cost to the American taxpayer. By passing these free trade agreements, which won’t require a tax increase, add to our national deficit or hurt our small businesses, we can create good paying American jobs in sectors of our economy such as manufacturing and agriculture.

Surprisingly, even President Obama agrees with me. He recently stated that increasing US exports by just one percent would create over 250,000 American jobs. According to the International Trade Commission, passage of the Colombia, Panama and South Korea free trade agreements would increase our exports by more than one percent. The inaction on these trade agreements is preventing the creation of a quarter million American jobs.

While some may prefer summits and speeches to action, I believe we should immediately implement these free trade agreements to ensure the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs. Free trade equals free jobs.

Cross-posted from The Heritage Foundation.