Tuesday, December 08, 2009
The continuing war on business
In today's Wall Street Journal, we learn that the Obama administration is, again, proposing to discourage employers from hiring:
Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said her agency will seek to enact an array of 90 rules and regulations next year aimed at giving more power to workers and unions.
Signaling priorities, Ms. Solis said: "We are committed to ensuring that workers are paid a fair wage, have a voice in the workplace, are provided a safe workplace and have a secure retirement."
Ms. Solis's agenda will promote rules requiring employers to increase disclosure to workers on how their pay is computed, strengthening affirmative action requirements for federal contractors, and compelling greater disclosure from employers about their dealings with consultants who advise the companies on how to deal with workplace unions or unionization attempts.
It ought to be no surprise that this announcement came just after the Obama administration's "jobs summit." Regulatory risk from the federal government is now -- by a longshot -- the biggest barrier to increasing private sector employment. Neither looser money nor string-pushing "stimulus" can overcome that in the long run.
Already our economy is struggling against health care "reform," massive new regulation and/or taxation on any business that emits carbon, the proposed "Employee Free Choice Act," new regulation in financial services, new corporate "governance" requirements, fiscal catastrophes in all the large states controlled by the Democrats, and huge new tax increases for the people who actually decide to hire people (whether they are corporate tools or individual entrepreneurs). Do we really need "an array of 90 rules and regulations" from the Labor Department on top of all that?
Just when you think "they can't keep making it harder," they do.
25 Comments:
By 
Mrs. Davis, at
Tue Dec 08, 04:10:00 PM:
Time to discuss repealing the Wagner Act. Republicans stand to lose no votes as a result of such a position. It is time to get the subject on the table.
By 
, at
Tue Dec 08, 04:13:00 PM:
Which is worse: higher taxes on employers, carbon rules by fiat, the forced enslavement of medical providers, restructuring of executive pay, seizure of the failed portion of the auto industry so that the assets couldn't be sold to productive owners, or new labor department "rules" intruding in private employer/worker relationships? We're going to become the new Argentina even sooner than the worst pessimist thought possible.
By , at
Tue Dec 08, 05:50:00 PM:
Welcome to the Peoples State of America. Pretty soon a new "Deputy Director of Distribution" will be assigned to all of our businesses, so as make sure all is "fair" to everyone involved.
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Tue Dec 08, 06:14:00 PM:
TH: "Just when you think 'they can't keep making it harder,' they do."
And exactly why is your company still headquartered in the U.S., TH? Go global. Create a smorgasbord of new corporate entities in other countries. Play one national government off against another. Make deals for free land in China and Indonesia. Do you want to pay employees less an $1 an hour? You can find a number of places where you can do that. Do you want 10-year tax holidays? No problem. Do you want to pollute? No problem. Do you want high import duties on the products of your competitors and no import duties on the products of your companies in certain countries? It can be arranged.
And stop thinking about your long-term career. You can get rich in five years in the global marketplace if you think like a "citizen of the world." Then you can spend your work time doing the things you want to do in business--the fun things.
America first? Pay the price.
By Dawnfire82, at
Tue Dec 08, 06:28:00 PM:
Don't despair too much, folks. If things get bad enough, there's always the Reset Button, revolution, or its lesser cousin, dis-union.
Some light, relevant reading.
"That government being instituted for the common benefit, the doctrine of non-resistance against arbitrary power and oppression is absurd, slavish, and destructive of the good and happiness of mankind." - Constitution of the State of Tennessee
"All political power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their benefit. The faith of the people of Texas stands pledged to the preservation of a republican form of government, and, subject to this limitation only, they have at all times the inalienable right to alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may think expedient." - Constitution of the State of Texas
"That government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security of the people, nation, or community; of all the various modes and forms of government, that is best which is capable of producing the greatest degree of happiness and safety, and is most effectually secured against the danger of maladministration; and, whenever any government shall be found inadequate or contrary to these purposes, a majority of the community hath an indubitable, inalienable, and indefeasible right to reform, alter, or abolish it, in such manner as shall be judged most conducive to the public weal." - Constitution of the State of Virginia
"...to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security." - Declaration of Independence of the United States of America
There's still a number of years yet to defeat or repeal bad laws and retain our domestic freedoms and position in the world, though I would recommend for you younger guys possession of an accurate magazine-fed rifle. Just in case.
By , at
Tue Dec 08, 06:58:00 PM:
I just bailed out of a deal to buy a company which has gone from a money-making position to a money-losing position in the past two years and is in need of a turn-around. The services provided by this company are extremely carbon-intensive. There is just no way I can justify risking capital on a business like this in this regulatory environment.
There are no other buyers on deck. I suspect this business will be liquidated within 6 months. Another 150 jobs gone. Way to go, Obama.
This is what you get when nobody in the Administration has any private sector experience.
I have to admit that I have never been so disgusted with the Republican party in my life. Is there nobody in the Republican party who can offer a full-throated, cohesive rebuttal to Obama and the Democrats???
By JPMcT, at
Tue Dec 08, 07:02:00 PM:
I guess before Obama creates the new world order, he thinks it's his imperative to break the old one.
My only question: At what point do you think he will don the aviator glasses, admirals cap and sash with epaulets...before or after we are officially third world??
By , at
Tue Dec 08, 08:53:00 PM:
You know, this is amazing. It is almost like these guys are doing this on purpose. Why would Obama want to tank the economy? I thought he was going to save us all from our mortgages and car payments. This just isn't working out like he promised. What is wrong with him?
/sarc off
Don't attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence. Unfortunately this administration has reached the level of malice toward our country and our way of life.
By , at
Tue Dec 08, 09:18:00 PM:
I've called Obama "Peron without the gold braid."
"Is there nobody in the Republican party who can offer a full-throated, cohesive rebuttal to Obama and the Democrats??? "
I'm a fan of John Boehner, House minority leader. He's been a persistent and effective critic of Obama & Co for many, many months now. What he did on the floor of the House on the last day of the Energy bill was masterful. He used a procedural trick to run his own three-hour mini-filibuster -- he lost the vote -- that was foregone -- but scored lots of points. The sane Democrats were forced to realize what an abomination they were voting for.
Boehner's a Catholic small business guy from Ohio who was once Newt's lieutenant. He makes none of the MSM lists as a Presidential contender for 2012. I don't know why -- I may be missing something. The religious right might reject him out of hand -- if this is the real issue the GOP needs to be disbanded. My concern is not that it's because Boehner's Catholic but because he doesn't suck up.
He's a bit like Bob Dole -- not as abrasive as Dole could sometimes be, but borderline asshole -- to my eyes it's because he's sometimes the only grown-up in the room. He can be very CEO direct ... he's not salesman swarmy. He's maybe the only guy in Congress or the administration I could see running a business of size -- although he doesn't have that experience directly. Boehner is frequently on the Sunday morning shows, but otherwise MSM studiously ignores him.
If the Republicans can manage to win back the House, Boehner would presumably be Majority Leader and thus have the visibility to be the anti-Obama. I've had this fantasy for several months now. Devin Nunes is the VP, a solid Hispanic from California.
With the way things are going the Republicans have only themselves to blame if they can't retake the House.
If they don't my kids will each get an automatic rifle for Christmas 2010.
By , at
Tue Dec 08, 10:05:00 PM:
But that's just the problem Link. Good people are starting to go around the bend on Pelosi/Reid/Obama et al. Even Charles Krauthammer was talking revolution yesterday. Do the Democrats not see how terrible this is becoming? Can they really be that blind?
By , at
Tue Dec 08, 10:26:00 PM:
Just when you think "they can't keep making it harder," they do.
This should surprise no one. Didn't Obama recently say that he wanted to reduce the deficit? After he managed to run it up past a trillion bucks?
By Assistant Village Idiot, at
Tue Dec 08, 10:59:00 PM:
Anon: "Is there nobody in the Republican Party..." etc.
Senator Judd Gregg. Not sexy - pretty boring, actually - but devastating if you listen to the content. I don't see how he breaks out of the political celebrity requirement, but he should be president. Unfortunately, he doesn't get a lot of attention. But he is absolutely the real deal.
By TigerHawk, at
Wed Dec 09, 02:17:00 AM:
By , at
Wed Dec 09, 08:24:00 AM:
"This is what you get when nobody in the Administration has any private sector experience."
No this is what you get when you elect a government that hates the private sector and wants to transform the country into a statist one. Words like revolution are being bantered around and the remarkable thing is that there is a legal revolution that requires no violence at all. Its called a Constitutional Convention. Congress is terrified of it because it allows the citizenry to regain control of their government. Professor Randy Barnett has drafted proposed legislation as the subject matter for a convention but has been unsuccessful in generating interest. Its strange that people when speak so rashly of extreme solutions and express no interest at all in legal, workable solutions.
By Dessert Survivor, at
Wed Dec 09, 08:43:00 AM:
For a contrast in comments, see the comments after the Washington Post blog post voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/12/why_not_lower_the_minimum_wage.html that suggested that the recent hike in the minimum wage may not have been a good idea. You will understand why the Obama administration sees nothing wrong with running up the cost of hiring even at the bottom of a deep recession.
By Dawnfire82, at
Wed Dec 09, 09:23:00 AM:
"Its strange that people when speak so rashly of extreme solutions and express no interest at all in legal, workable solutions."
What makes you think it's workable? It's never been done. The only time it was almost done, it was in response to the most hated legislation in the history of the United States (Prohibition) which was itself a Constitutional Amendment that required such an initiative to change, and it was shut down by Congressional intervention (by repealing Prohibition) who feared the effects of a general Convention.
I think such a solution would be excellent; I've got a list of proposed amendments in the back of my skull (including Congressional term limits, a form of line item veto, clarification of War Powers Act issues, a punitive clause for corruption, etc.). But I have little confidence that it would be executed.
By monica, at
Wed Dec 09, 09:37:00 AM:
I wonder what is going on...and we thought Obama was going to make our lives much simpler
By , at
Wed Dec 09, 11:02:00 AM:
Keep it simple folks ... how about trying to win back the House in 2010. A Constitutional Convention is highly unlikely.
Boehner today: "Obama's Plan To Pay For Jobs Bill Is "Repulsive""
http://realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/12/08/boehner_obamas_plan_to_pay_for_jobs_bill_is_repulsive.html
Boehner needs a bigger megaphone. Make him House Majority Leader and MSM can't ignore him
By , at
Wed Dec 09, 11:44:00 AM:
At this rate having a 1st class cave,
near some running water will make you the new rich.
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Wed Dec 09, 11:44:00 AM:
TH: "DEC, great to have you back."
Thanks, TH. It's been a helluva year (good, not bad). You still have one of the best blogs on the Web.
By cf, at
Wed Dec 09, 12:26:00 PM:
The most dangerous Special Interest in the nation is the one that most pays for the party in power. This jaw-dropping chart shows that to be union leadership: bit.ly/7ayoEn
No wonder they will be getting a $10,000,000,000 payoff in the health care boondoggle to rebalance their under-funded pension plans.
And no wonder the Dems are willing to kill private enterprise to stroke their Golden Goose.
So, yes, "End the Wagner Act Now!", America must bust the unions in pure self-defense.
By , at
Wed Dec 09, 12:45:00 PM:
>>> "Is there nobody in the Republican party who can offer a full-throated, cohesive rebuttal to Obama and the Democrats??? "
Oh, please. The Republican Party is the problem. We expect the communists to act as they do. But the Republicans just go right along with it all.
Eight years of Bush and what did we get? New entitlement programs, new enormous burueacracies and the bailouts of the UAW and Wall Street bankers.
The Republican Party lost me long ago and I'm never coming back. Continuing to believe they really desire small government is insanity. Every shred of evidence says the exact opposite.
By , at
Wed Dec 09, 01:58:00 PM:
The Republican response is never to step away from Federal control but just a different set of rules.
They so far show no sign of stopping the train wreck. They'll simply run us off the track farther down the line.
By ZZMike, at
Wed Dec 09, 04:00:00 PM:
The Administration is also proposing to extend provisions of Oxley-Sarbanes to small businesses. Large companies can afford to hire whole departments just to keep up with those rules and regs, but small businesses cannot.
They give grand speeches about "creating jobs", but do everything in their power to make sure it doesn't happen.
By Yehudit, at
Wed Dec 09, 04:53:00 PM:
Jim Inhofe, Jim DeMint, Tom Coburn, and Thad McCotter are other fiscal conservative Republicans with fire in their bellies.
