War on Jobs

We have all heard of the war on drugs. And the war on poverty. And of course, the war in Iraq, the Cold War, the Civil War and all the other assorted wars we have fought in our nation’s history. But a war on jobs?

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) has leveled that accusation against the Democratic congressional majority in a new report that his office released Wednesday. In it, he says, “Congressional Democrats are waging an undeclared but aggressive policy war on American jobs and economic prosperity.”

The language is purposely provocative in order to capture the attention of the media and perhaps elicit a reaction from the Democrats and from voters.

But the bigger message is important. Plans to raise taxes, increase regulations and encourage litigation hurt the private sector. And that is what the Democrats are proposing to do with their majority.

Do most Democrats want to see jobs destroyed? Probably not. But over-taxation, over-regulation and over-litigation hurt creativity and entrepreneurship.

America has a higher corporate tax rate than France, while it has more frivolous lawsuits than the rest of the world combined. Americans work harder than anybody else, but we don’t get the results we deserve because the government takes too much and does too little to promote a healthy business sector.

The Democratic agenda, as John Boehner points out, grows the government but stifles the economy.

If we hit a recession, as many economists predict, jobs and the economy will become the top issue of the next election. Creating more jobs for tax collectors, lawyers and government bureaucrats may play well inside the Beltway, but it will be a big loser for Democrats.

Boehner is smart to release this report. It highlights an issue that will likely become more important in the coming year.