Hard Times And The Way Government “Help” Is Likely To Make Things Worse
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
With the serious problems that Nevada’s economy is encountering comes an onslaught of additional information that we all need to consider as we weigh the public policy routes to take in working our way to better times. Nevada’s vaulting into first place as the top state for unemployed workers is not only a sign of the problems our private sector is having in making a living – it is also becoming an even bigger problem by nature of the costs connected with the assistance that unemployment support provides.
Before going any further, raising this issue should not be construed as an anti-support message for those who have lost their jobs and now require assistance. Nearly all of us have friends, neighbors, relatives (and perhaps ourselves) who have needed to deal with the consequences of the weakened economy and the loss of employment because employers have either needed to reduce workforce or have gone out of business. Those in need of temporary help warrant the best effort possible from society to not only get through the unemployment situation, but also to have the ability to get back on their feet with new jobs.
It’s this second point that should be given greater consideration as the more complete picture develops a clearer focus.
Geoffrey Lawrence from the Nevada Policy Research Institute started my thinking on this when he offered this analysis on the way in which giving government aid, actually works to make things worse.
Shortly after reviewing Lawrence’s opinion piece, a friend provided a link to a blog by Samantha Stone who offered an overview which brought to light some very real and very troubling insight into the further burdens that are connected with the state’s long-running unemployment situation.
As members of the majority party continue to posture to set the stage for their run at further burdening Nevada’s business enterprises with a heavier tax load recognition needs to be given to the additional resources which will be taken from those who aren’t exactly in a position to be forced to pay more.
Stone followed up with her piece on this perspective with a follow-up which offered more of the same, providing an even greater understanding on the compounding factors which are further eroding the position Nevada is in.
Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C. where we are told all hope for our economic prosperity resides, conferred on us by a regime that not only creates jobs but has even invented new ways of creating appreciation by “saving” jobs too -- we see that the bloom is fading from the rose. From this national perspective, on the debates taking place in the U.S. Senate on extending further the time frame for paying unemployment benefits, we read this post by Robert Romano who shares some dire analysis of where we stand and how the overall debt situation will be a highly negative factor in turning the economy around and limiting the ability to rebuild things in the future.
Although assistance for those in need should continue to be a matter for attention, the reality of accomplishing this through a model of growing government at the expense of the private sector’s ability to provide needs some rethinking and replacement. In the process, those who wish to further burden whoever might still be standing (wobbling as it might be) with even greater tax loads to support their desire for greater government, should be taken to task with the admonition that their efforts are only making a bad situation worse!
With the serious problems that Nevada’s economy is encountering comes an onslaught of additional information that we all need to consider as we weigh the public policy routes to take in working our way to better times. Nevada’s vaulting into first place as the top state for unemployed workers is not only a sign of the problems our private sector is having in making a living – it is also becoming an even bigger problem by nature of the costs connected with the assistance that unemployment support provides.
Before going any further, raising this issue should not be construed as an anti-support message for those who have lost their jobs and now require assistance. Nearly all of us have friends, neighbors, relatives (and perhaps ourselves) who have needed to deal with the consequences of the weakened economy and the loss of employment because employers have either needed to reduce workforce or have gone out of business. Those in need of temporary help warrant the best effort possible from society to not only get through the unemployment situation, but also to have the ability to get back on their feet with new jobs.
It’s this second point that should be given greater consideration as the more complete picture develops a clearer focus.
Geoffrey Lawrence from the Nevada Policy Research Institute started my thinking on this when he offered this analysis on the way in which giving government aid, actually works to make things worse.
Shortly after reviewing Lawrence’s opinion piece, a friend provided a link to a blog by Samantha Stone who offered an overview which brought to light some very real and very troubling insight into the further burdens that are connected with the state’s long-running unemployment situation.
As members of the majority party continue to posture to set the stage for their run at further burdening Nevada’s business enterprises with a heavier tax load recognition needs to be given to the additional resources which will be taken from those who aren’t exactly in a position to be forced to pay more.
Stone followed up with her piece on this perspective with a follow-up which offered more of the same, providing an even greater understanding on the compounding factors which are further eroding the position Nevada is in.
Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C. where we are told all hope for our economic prosperity resides, conferred on us by a regime that not only creates jobs but has even invented new ways of creating appreciation by “saving” jobs too -- we see that the bloom is fading from the rose. From this national perspective, on the debates taking place in the U.S. Senate on extending further the time frame for paying unemployment benefits, we read this post by Robert Romano who shares some dire analysis of where we stand and how the overall debt situation will be a highly negative factor in turning the economy around and limiting the ability to rebuild things in the future.
Although assistance for those in need should continue to be a matter for attention, the reality of accomplishing this through a model of growing government at the expense of the private sector’s ability to provide needs some rethinking and replacement. In the process, those who wish to further burden whoever might still be standing (wobbling as it might be) with even greater tax loads to support their desire for greater government, should be taken to task with the admonition that their efforts are only making a bad situation worse!
Posted by Doug Busselman at 6/26/2010 6:22 AM 
Categories: Government
Tags: Unemployment Nevada Budget State Spending Taxes Government
Categories: Government
Tags: Unemployment Nevada Budget State Spending Taxes Government
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