Tony Perkins Washington Update
Say what you will but the Presidents bus tour is focused on one thing -- the road to reelection. Despite the White Houses insistence that the trip isnt a political one even the press corps isnt buying it. Every outlet from USA Today (Obamas Midwest Tour Has Campaign Feel) to the AP (Obama Attacks GOP Field) is pointing out the distinctly political tone of the trip. In Minnesota the local Star-Tribune described the Presidents speech as an unusually partisan address for an official White House visit.
A White House visit some might add thats costing taxpayers a cool $1.1 million dollars each for the buses alone and countless other dollars in gas and security. So far the timing isnt fooling anyone -- including GOP rivals like Gov. Mitt Romney who joked that its more like a Magical Misery Tour.
Apart from slamming the competition the President is hinting at broader plans including the creation of a new federal agency: The Department of Jobs. (Perhaps he hasnt heard of that little $12 billion office called the Department of Labor?) According to the New York Times the administration is considering a merger between the Department of Commerce the Office of the United States Trade Representative and some economic divisions at the State Department into a new agency.
Possible names include the Department of Jobs or the Department of Competitiveness. What President Obama and others dont seem to grasp is that the governments responsibility is not to create jobs. The governments responsibility is to foster an environment for businesses to create jobs. That means promoting regulation reduction and tax relief -- not hiring more federal employees. Its this big government mentality not a run of bad luck thats setting our economy back.
