The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

Opinion

Discussion

August 22, 2010

Maintaining Bush-era tax cuts is vital to creating jobs

Enid News and Eagle

President Barack Obama is traveling around parts of the country campaigning and fundraising, and he’s also touting what he says is the beginning of economic recovery.

Yet many hard-hit parts of the country know this economic recovery is elusive at best. There may be higher productivity in some areas that help the statistics, but that higher productivity just means fewer people are doing a lot more work for a lot less pay.

What is missing from this recovery is real job growth, and just about every American in both predominant political parties knows it.

The path to economic recovery really only can come through private-sector job growth. Unfortunately, that’s a statistic the president cannot point to as a success.

Obama’s policies thus far have not inspired private-sector job growth, and the expiration of Bush-era tax cuts expected to come at the end of the year means employers are not willing to start hiring until they see how these renewed tax increases will affect their businesses.

If the president wants to instill any kind of confidence in the economy from the private sector, it would be wise to start with renewing the Bush tax cuts. Unless he and Congress renew them, almost every working American is going to be hit with a massive across-the-board tax increase on their income and investments at the beginning of 2011.

Unless Obama and Congress promote extension of these tax cuts soon, more employers and investors will continue to lose confidence in the economy — and, that means no new job growth.

Text Only
Opinion
Featured Ads
AP Video
Voters Could Elect LA's First Female Mayor Huge Tornado Kills Dozens Near Oklahoma City Raw: Rescuers Pull Tornado Survivors to Safety Oklahoma Gov: 'Hearts Are Broken' After Tornado Raw: Walking in a Flattened Okla. Neighborhood Raw: Rescue Workers Search Oklahoma School Raw: Witness Describes Scene After Okla. Tornado Raw: Aftermath of Massive Tornado in Oklahoma Raw: House Burns After Massive Oklahoma Tornado Raw: Tornado on the Ground in Oklahoma Split-second Choice Ended With NY Student Dead White House Backs 'Shield Law' for Media Wave of Attacks Kills Scores in Iraq Pug Life on Display at Wisconsin Festival Company Promises to Make All Snail Mail Digital Analyst: Tumblr Fills Void in Yahoo's Offerings Commuters Face Delays After Conn. Train Accident Raw: Swarm of Tornadoes Slams Plains Raw: Fierce Bombing in Qusair, Syria RAW: TV Staff Take Cover From Tornado
NDN Video
RAW: Moore, OK tornado touches down near school Okla. tornado survivor finds dog buried alive under rubble Robert Pattinson Moves Out RAW: Russian dash cam catches car 20 feet in the air Oklahoma tornado survivor: "Everything is gone" Khloe Lashes Out at Kim Kardashian's Critics Couple Argues As Woman's Lover Crawls Out Window RAW: Brad Paisley Forgets Lyrics To His Own Song Justin Bieber Gets Booed RAW: TV Staff Take Cover From Tornado New 'Anchorman 2' Trailer, Drake Joins List of Rumored Cameos Eva Longoria's Wardrobe Malfunction Heat Star Dwyane Wade Surprises Coral Gables Teen At Prom Steak n' Shake waitress scores huge tip Singer Miguel Accidentally Lands on Fan At Billboard Music Awards Celebs Celebrate the Rise of the Side Butt Grizzly bear gets up close and personal with camera Justin Bieber Gets Booed After Winning at the Billboard Awards Tornadoes, Storms Strike Midwest Singer forgets lyrics, makes up words to National Anthem
Seasonal Content
House Ads