Just read an article on the New York Times about how Obama and Congress are planning to tackle "job creation." So, I decided to post a message to them about the subject.
Dear President and Congress,
I read today that you are planning on "creating" jobs in the coming months. I ask of you to do one simple thing. Stop. You have been pushing stimulus plan after stimulus plan, regulation after regulation, and policy after policy down the throats of the job market for years (I'm including the years Bush was president, heck I'm sure it's been going on since long before George W. Bush) and have done exactly the opposite of your stated goal. You have destroyed jobs, and plunged us into a depression. If you think otherwise, you are wrong, if you hear otherwise, they are lying.
Absolutely the only thing you can do to help the economy and the job market is this. Make life predictable for businesses.
Fix the tax system. And lock the rates in for the next ten years. Audit all the regulations you've passed and eliminate the ones that aren't doing any good and just costing us money. Then stop making new regulations. Stop trying to "stimulate" the economy. It doesn't work. You've proven it. Stimulus money is short-term, and can only create short-term jobs. We need the long term jobs created by real business.
I'm a web developer. In a couple years, once I have more experience, I really would like to start my own business. That would result in me outsourcing, or hiring, at least a graphic designer. I'd likely need a couple other positions as well. So, I'd be "creating" jobs. The thing is, if you people keep meddling in things so much that I have no idea how to make sure I'm following the law, well, I'm never going to start. I shouldn't have to hire a lawyer and an accountant just to make sure I stay a law-abiding citizen. That would be far more than I could afford.
So, please, clean up the mess you made, and then get out of the way.