Obama and Healthcare: Another Hit to the Michigan Economy!

My wife knows a few people who work at the Jasper Clinic in Kalamazoo, "an independent phase 1-2a clincal pharmacology service provider." [Essentially, they do drug tests on human subjects before those drugs reach the market. Fascinating stuff, really.] Conversing with one of them this week, she learned that about eleven people recently lost their jobs. Why? My wife said the explanation went something like this:

New president...drug companies don't know what he wants to do...drug companies are hesitant to put money into research

If I were the person in charge of Jasper Clinic, I would be cautious, too. The healthcare system overhaul the president proposes will almost certainly cause spending on R&D to diminish substantially. Here in the greater Kalamazoo area, unlike much of Michigan, the healthcare industry is a big deal: Pfizer, Stryker (yes, the stalwart supporter of democrat causes...but a lot of good people work there), and a host of smaller pharmacological companies call this their home. If R&D spending in the healthcare industry drops, as it almost certainly will if the President gets his way, the Kalamazoo area will feel the hits.

And if you're keeping track of the "jobs created or saved" that the President promised several months ago, that takes him to -11.

Jobs "Saved or Created"? Pure Fiction!

I read an excellent opinion article today in the Wall Street Journal online. The thesis of the article is found here:

"Saved or created" has become the signature phrase for Barack Obama as he describes what his stimulus is doing for American jobs. His latest invocation came yesterday, when the president declared that the stimulus had already saved or created at least 150,000 American jobs -- and announced he was ramping up some of the stimulus spending so he could "save or create" an additional 600,000 jobs this summer. These numbers come in the context of an earlier Obama promise that his recovery plan will "save or create three to four million jobs over the next two years." [Emphasis mine]

It is not too difficult either to understand the concept of, or to measure, job creation. We have government departments that track job creation, and there are monthly reports of this data. But what does it mean to "save a job"? How is this measured? And if a job can indeed be "saved," how can the credit be objectively placed?

There are a few forces at work here:

1. First and foremost, "saved jobs" is nothing more than fiction. Or fantasy. There is no objective way whatsoever, short of omniscience (which the President most assuredly does not have), to credit anything the government has done with saving any number of jobs. This is simply a made-up figure that makes a good talking point.
2. The Obama Administration is, at best, misleading us; and at worst, they are lying through their teeth. They know that there is no data to back up their claims. Which brings us to...
3. The press would never, ever have let Bush get away with such foolishness. And quite frankly, had Bush been so foolish as to try to sucker the American people with this sort of baloney, they would have been right to jump all over him for it. So, um, why aren't they jumping all over Obama right now? [Moment of silence to ponder the question.]

Sadly, many of the American people are not paying attention like they should to the propaganda coming their way. On the other hand, at some point, reality should strike them in the head. That will probably be blamed on Bush, too.

A Word From Rep. John Proos (R-St. Joseph, 79th District)

State Rep. John Proos is one of those people whom I have come to know by being involved in local politics. Even though he is not my state representative, I have been impressed with his stands on the issues that face Michigan. At my request, he sent me this information about the new Strategic Task Force on Jobs. If anyone in state government can do a good job on this front, it is Rep. Proos.

Do you have any thoughts you'd like to share with him? Contact Rep. Proos here.

APPOINTED TO JOBS TASK FORCE

June 2009

We are all feeling the effects of Michigan's struggling economy and we must continue to be proactive in creating solutions. If we want to move our state forward, let's get the momentum started.

I have always believed in the potential of Michigan's citizens to bring jobs to our great state. This is why I am proud to announce that I have been appointed as chair of the newly-created Strategic Task Force on Jobs. This committee will hold hearings across the state, talking to business owners, employees, experts and officials on how to create and improve Michigan's jobs situation. We will strive to find new ideas and new concepts to help implement a long-term and strategic policy solution.

Since our goal is to enact real reform, we want to learn from the true experts on Michigan's economy - citizens, teachers, businessmen, farmers - who every day see opportunities for change.

This will not be yet another dust-gathering report from Lansing. Rather, we will take your ideas and suggestions to heart, while working to make our state a better place to live, work and raise a family.

We're all in this together, and we can restore vitality to our great state's economy.