Michigan Defeats Ohio and Other Job News

At Watchdog.org, Jason Hart points out that Ohio is now lagging behind Michigan in job growth.

Also at Watchdog.org, Maggie Thurber points out that Ohio's unemployment numbers aren't telling the whole story. Apparently, when you take in to account the number of Ohioans who have dropped out of the work force (given up on finding a job here), things aren't looking all that great. There were more people working in Ohio in June than in August. Think about that...

My reaction to all of this is that with a record like this the governor of this great state really ought to seriously consider running for President of the United States......

Chairman Bennett on Ohio's Falling Unemployment Rate

Release:

COLUMBUS - Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Bennett said that Ohio's falling unemployment rate is a direct result of the smart and innovative policies of Governor John Kasich, Republicans in the legislature, and other Republicans in statewide offices.

"Unemployment is falling in Ohio because more Ohioans are creating jobs. Ohio is finally open for ideas thanks to our Republican leaders who are making wise decisions and enacting bright new policies, but we still have a lot of work to do to keep Ohio's momentum moving forward."

Ohio's unemployment rate continued to fall today to 6.7 percent and still remains well below the national unemployment rate of 7.8 percent. This is Ohio's lowest unemployment rate in over four years.

GUEST COLUMN: "Obama’s Defense Cuts Will Leave Lima Struggling"

BY: REP. BOB LATTA

During the vice presidential debate, Joe Biden said that more M1 Abrams tanks were no longer necessary. For people who live in Lima and work to make the tanks, Biden is saying the jobs they love and care about are no longer necessary.

President Obama’s looming defense cuts are threatening to devastate our national security and destroy jobs across the nation. In Lima alone, the President’s 2013 defense budget plan puts at jeopardy nearly 800 jobs, including thousands of jobs at small businesses. Under the President’s plan, General Dynamics, the company that manufacturers the tanks, would be forced to temporarily shut down and hand out hundreds of pink slips. To add insult to injury, the plant has already cut a number of well-paying jobs.

At a time when 23 million Americans across the country are struggling to find work, it’s unconscionable to kick more Lima workers to the unemployment line. Unfortunately, this course of action is unwise when we are trying to preserve our national security and jump start our economy.

The Lima plant tank is not only vital to the local economy but our country’s national security and military readiness. However, Joe Biden and Barack Obama don’t seem to understand this. If the tank plant isn’t saved, we risk losing a unique manufacturing skill set and perhaps most concerning is the way the world views us. When we make cuts to our defense we project weakness abroad.

Perhaps most concerning about the President’s reckless pursuit of disarmament is his commitment to pursue it at a time when disorder is on the rise abroad, particularly in the Middle East. Every day, Iran marches closer to a nuclear weapon, and in Syria, tens of thousands of innocents have been slaughtered by an oppressive regime.

Indeed, the world is a dangerous place. It’s quite clear that closing the doors to a plant here in Lima and cutting our defense at this critical moment is not the solution. They don’t seem to understand that when we make cuts to our defense that the President’s own Secretary of Defense characterized as “devastating,” we project weakness abroad.

I know the President hopes for a safer, freer, and a more prosperous Middle East allied with the United States. I share this hope. But hope is not a strategy. We cannot protect the United States and support our friends when our words are not backed up by deeds when our defense spending is being arbitrarily and deeply cut, when we have no trade agenda to speak of, and the perception of our strategy is not one of partnership, but of passivity.

And that’s why the contrast before the American people in this election could not be more important.

Mitt Romney will not weaken our nation’s defenses. He will reverse the President’s misguided cuts to our military. Instead of leading from behind, he’ll restore American leadership across the globe. And he’ll put America on a new course at time when we cannot afford four more years of the same failed policies.

For Every One New Job, Ten People Disappear...

So much for being a job creator...of course, anyone can look like a job creator if you forget to include the mess in California...From the Weekly Standard:

A new chart from the minority side of the Senate Budget Committee details the fact that, since January 2009, for every person added to the labor force, 10 have been added to those not in the labor force. Here's a chart showing the dwindling labor force:That is, in nearly the four years, since President Obama took office in January 2009, only 827,000 people have been added to the labor force, while during that same time period, 8,208,000 have been added to those not in the labor force. The chart relies on data available from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. "The numbers represented in the chart are a measure of growth from January 2009 through September 2012," the Republican side of the Senate Budget Committee explains. "The data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Population Survey, a sample of 60,000 households conducted by personal and telephone interviews. Basic labor force data are gathered monthly. The labor force consists of all people aged 16 and over either employed or actively seeking work. It does not include discouraged workers, people who have retired, or those on welfare or disability who are no longer looking for work. The 'not in the labor force' group is defined as the total civilian non-institutional population minus the labor force."

Guest Column by Rep. Bob Gibbs

By Rep. Bob Gibbs

On April 13, 2011, President Obama revealed his plan to cut the national deficit. In an address at George Washington University, he said, “We have to live within our means. We have to reduce our deficit, and we have to get back on a path that will allow us to pay down our debt. And we have to do it in a way that protects the recovery, protects the investments we need to grow, create jobs, and helps us win the future.”

And now, well over a year later, our national debt has surpassed $16 trillion for the first time in American history. That number equates to $50,950 in debt for every single person in the United States. If these disturbing statistics are any indication of the President’s idea of living within our means, the thought of his Administration in the White House for four more years is truly frightening.

Our financial house is spiraling out of control and instead of facing that reality, the President is pushing a destructive agenda that includes a massive tax hike at the end of this year that would result in an increase in taxes on small businesses of $232 billion in 2013. The last thing we need to be doing is holding small businesses back from infusing new jobs into our economy, trapping them in federal bureaucracy.

In August, I voted for the Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act, which would decrease the Obama Administration’s ability to place harmful regulations on America’s small businesses. By combating the red tape that restrains our economy, House Republicans are working hard to get America back to work. Instead of placing more harmful regulations on America’s job creators, we should be fighting the burdensome and unnecessary red tape that is restraining our economy.

Government spending has increased by $800 billion in only two years under President Obama. The Republican House has passed a budget that would cut government spending to shield taxpayer dollars from unnecessary and reckless wasting. We cannot afford the President’s budget plan, which is fueled by more squandering away of money we simply don’t have.

12.5 million Americans are out of a job and our unemployment rate has hovered over eight percent for 43 consecutive months. That is unacceptable. President Obama’s misguided policies have continued to lead us further into this economic crisis, and the American people have endured this long enough. The Obama Administration’s job-killing policies have plagued this country for far too long, and the state of our economy is a direct result of his failed principles.

Statements on Jobs Numbers

Speaker John Boehner:

“Two years after the Obama administration declared, ‘welcome to the recovery,’ this much is clear: with 42 consecutive months of unemployment above eight percent, the private sector still isn’t ‘doing fine’ and President Obama’s economic plan did not work. While the president is telling small businesses ‘you didn’t build that,’ his policies are making sure they can’t.

“Any new job creation is welcome news -- but with unemployment still above eight percent and rising, and millions of Americans looking for work, it is insane to raise taxes on small businesses, as the president and his allies in the Democratic-controlled Senate propose. Ernst & Young says their tax hike will destroy more than 700,000 jobs. And yet, top Democrats say they’re willing to let taxes rise on middle class families, tank our economy, and impose devastating cuts to our national security if they don’t get their way. It’s reckless, it’s wrong, and House Republicans aren’t standing for it.

“A group of 88 American economists warned that we need to stop all of the tax hikes scheduled for January 1 to prevent more damage to our economy. A bipartisan majority in the House voted to do so, and to make sure no middle class family or small business sees a tax increase. We also voted in May to replace the ‘sequester’ defense cuts insisted on by the president. The House is ready to act at a moment’s notice this August on these, and the more than 30 jobs bills we’ve passed, if Senate Democrats get serious about addressing the threats to our economy and our national security.”

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus:

"Last week President Obama said, 'We tried our plan, and it worked.' With the unemployment rate going up again, it's obvious that plan didn't work at all," said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus.

"Instead of supporting American innovation and job creation, he has squandered taxpayer money on failed companies like Solyndra, which led to job losses. It's no wonder we can't end this economic nightmare. The president continues to take us in the wrong direction.

"In a time of widespread economic hardship, the president's schedule has not included a 'Daily Economic Briefing' since April of 2011. He has not convened his Jobs Council in over six months, yet he has found time for over 120 political fundraisers and 11 rounds of golf since their last meeting.

"President Obama's only plans for a second term are higher taxes and more spending--exactly the opposite of what we need. On Day One of his presidency, Mitt Romney will get to work implementing his comprehensive jobs plan to turn around the economy."

ORP Chairman Bob Bennett:

"Forty-two straight months of bad unemployment numbers underscores that the private sector is not doing fine. Now is the time for President Obama to stop strong-arming Congress into raising taxes on small businesses, which Ernst & Young says threatens to destroy more than 700,000 jobs.

"With so many job creators and middle-class families struggling in the Obama economy, Americans deserve a president who will put job creation first. That's why we need Mitt Romney's vision for prosperity in the White House."

Congressman Bob Gibbs:

“The Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that the unemployment rate has risen once again, reaching 8.3 percent during the month of July. The unemployment rate in this country has hovered above eight percent for 42 straight months now, and that is unacceptable. President Obama’s misguided policies have continued to lead us further into the worst unemployment crisis since the Great Depression, and the American people have endured this long enough.

“Instead of facing the reality that millions of Americans are out of a job and our economy is suffering, Democrats are pushing a destructive agenda that includes a massive tax hike at the end of this year that would result in an increase in taxes on small businesses of $232 billion in 2013. Obama’s tax hike would cost the economy 710,000 jobs. Americans are desperate for new direction.

“I voted last week for the Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act, which would decrease the Obama Administration’s ability to place harmful regulations on America’s small businesses. By combating the red tape that restrains our economy, House Republicans are working hard to get America back to work.

“The Obama Administration’s job-killing policies have plagued this country for far too long, and July’s unemployment report is a direct result of his failed principles. Republicans need to take the reins this November and ensure that these harmful regulations come to an end.”

Ohio Continues to Attract New Business Investment

Release:

COLUMBUS – Gov. John R. Kasich today announced the approval of assistance for 25 projects set to create more than 2,000 jobs and retain 2,655 jobs statewide. During its monthly meeting, the Ohio Tax Credit Authority reviewed economic development proposals brought to the board by JobsOhio and its regional partners. Together the projects are expected to result in more than $84 million in new payroll and $212 million in investment across Ohio.



Projects approved by the TCA include:



Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc., (Location TBD) expects to create 34 full-time positions, generating $1.5 million in additional annual payroll and retaining $9.7 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project a location to-be-determined. Sedgwick Claims Management Services provides claim and productivity management solutions to locations in the United State and Canada. The TCA approved a 50 percent, five-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc., (Location TBD) expects to create 240 full-time positions, generating $9.1 million in new annual payroll as a result of the company’s new location project a location to-be-determined. Sedgwick Claims Management Services provides claim and productivity management solutions to locations in the United State and Canada. The TCA approved a 50 percent, five-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Total Quality Logistics, LLC (Location TBD) expects to create 40 full-time positions, generating $1.4 million in additional annual payroll and retaining $1.5 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project at a to-be-determined project location. Total Quality Logistics is a freight brokerage firm. The TCA approved a 40 percent, five-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Total Quality Logistics, LLC (Location TBD) expects to create 75 full-time positions, generating $2.6 million in new annual payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project at a to-be-determined location. Total Quality Logistics is a freight brokerage firm. The TCA approved a 50 percent, six-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Central Ohio

Sarnova, Inc., City of Dublin (Franklin Co.) expects to create 21 full-time positions, generating $1.2 million in additional annual payroll and retaining $8 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s consolidation project in the City of Dublin (Franklin Co.). Sarnova distributes emergency medical equipment in the United States. The TCA approved a 40 percent, five-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Sid Tool Co, Inc., dba MSC Industrial Direct Co., City of Columbus (Franklin Co.) expects to create 250 full-time positions, generating $7.9 million in new annual payroll as a result of the company’s new location project in the City of Columbus (Franklin Co.). MSC Industrial Direct Co. is one of the largest direct marketers and distributors of a range of metalworking and maintenance, repair, and operations products to customers through the United States. The TCA approved a 65 percent, eight-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Northeast Ohio

Alltech Medical Systems America, Inc., City of Solon (Cuyahoga Co.) expects to create 77 full-time positions, generating $5.3 million in additional annual payroll and retaining $3.4 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Solon (Cuyahoga Co.). Alltech Medical Systems America designs, manufactures, and will ship and support Magnetic Resonance Imaging systems in the United States and the western hemisphere. The TCA approved a 50 percent, six-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Crosscountry Mortgage Inc., City of Brecksville (Cuyahoga Co.) expects to create 40 full-time positions, generating $2.4 million in additional annual payroll and retaining $6.7 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Brecksville (Cuyahoga Co.). Crosscountry Mortgage offers a variety of consumer loan products mainly to residential loan customers. The TCA approved a 35 percent, five-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Nestle Research & Development Center, Inc., City of Solon (Cuyahoga Co.) expects to create 23 full-time positions, generating $2.2 million in additional annual payroll and retaining $8.7 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Solon (Cuyahoga Co.). Nestle has a mission of “Good Food, Good Life” and is a food and beverage distributor. The TCA approved a 45 percent, seven-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

The Brewer-Garrett Company, City of Middleburg Heights (Cuyahoga Co.) expects to create 27 full-time positions generating $1.5 million in additional annual payroll and retaining $6.2 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Middleburg Heights (Cuyahoga Co.). The Brewer-Garrett Company is a design/build mechanical contractor. Products and services offered by the company are energy saving mechanical contracting solutions, maintenance services, and facility services. The TCA approved a 35 percent, five-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Wiseco Piston Company, Inc., City of Mentor (Lake County) expects to create 100 full-time positions, generating $3.5 million in additional annual payroll and retaining $12.4 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s consolidation project in the City of Mentor (Lake Co.). Wiseco Piston Company is a manufacturer of high-end internal engine components, specifically forged aluminum pistons. The TCA approved a 55 percent, seven-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Western Ohio

BOI Solutions, Inc., City of Miamisburg (Montgomery Co.) expects to create 15 full-time positions, generating $926,000 in new annual payroll as the result of the company’s new location project in the City of Miamisburg (Montgomery Co.). BOI Solutions is a design/build company focusing on media collaboration for Key Fortune 50 Companies. The TCA approved a 35 percent, six-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Production Control Units, Inc., City of Dayton (Montgomery Co.) expects to create 55 full-time positions, generating $2.7 million in additional annual payroll and retaining $2.8 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Dayton (Montgomery Co.). Production Control Units specializes in production process, automated assembly, and product testing solutions. The TCA approved a 45 percent, six-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Eurofins QTA, Inc., West Chester Township (Butler Co.) expects to create 12 full-time positions, generating $699,000 in additional annual payroll and retaining $1.1 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s acquisition project in West Chester Township (Butler Co.) The Eurofins Quality Trait Analysis System utilizes Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy to provide analyses of the broadest range of materials, components, and properties. The TCA approved a 40 percent, five-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Honeymoon Paper Products, Inc., City of Fairfield (Butler Co.) expects to create 16 full-time positions, generating $749,000 in additional annual payroll and retaining $2.4 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Fairfield (Butler Co.). Honeymoon Paper Products provides packaging solutions for a variety of businesses. The TCA approved a 35 percent, five-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Koch Foods of Cincinnati LLC, City of Fairfield (Butler Co.) expects to create 390 full-time positions, generating $10 million in additional annual payroll and retaining $20.6 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Fairfield (Butler Co.). Koch Foods of Cincinnati provides food products and service to retail operators around the world. The TCA approved a 55 percent, six-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Northwestern Ohio

Toledo Molding & Die, Inc., City of Toledo (Lucas County) expects to create 41 full-time positions, generating $1.1 million in new annual payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Toledo (Lucas Co.). Toledo Molding & Die is a full service automotive supplier. The TCA approved a 50 percent, seven-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Toledo Molding & Die, Inc., City of Tiffin (Seneca County) expects to create 64 full-time positions, generating $1.8 million in additional annual payroll and retaining $12.9 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Tiffin (Seneca Co.). Toledo Molding & Die is a full service automotive supplier. The TCA approved a 50 percent, seven-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Toledo Molding & Die, Inc., City of Delphos (Van Wert County) expects to create 45 full-time positions, generating $1.3 million in additional annual payroll and retaining $6.8 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Delphos (Van Wert Co.). Toledo Molding & Die is a full service automotive supplier. The TCA approved a 50 percent, seven-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Southwestern Ohio

Axiom Consulting Private Limited, City of Blue Ash (Hamilton Co.) expects to create 40 full-time positions, generating $2.7 million in additional annual payroll and retaining $730,000 in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Blue Ash (Hamilton Co.) Axiom is a global Product Development, Innovation, and Engineering/Design Services Company. The TCA approved a 45 percent, six-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Cincinnati Test Systems, Inc., City of Harrison (Hamilton Co.) expects to create 30 full-time positions, generating $1.3 million in additional annual payroll and retaining $10.5 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Harrison (Hamilton Co.). Cincinnati Test Systems designs and manufactures standard and custom test solutions. The TCA approved a 45 percent, seven-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Corbus, LLC, City of Cincinnati (Hamilton Co.) expects to create 128 full-time positions, generating $9.2 million in additional annual payroll and retaining $675, 000 in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Cincinnati (Hamilton Co.) Corbus creates technology-empowered solutions with industry leading processes and technologies that deliver business value to global clients through year-on-year savings. The TCA approved a 55 percent, seven-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Integra LifeSciences Corporation, City of Cincinnati (Hamilton Co.) expects to create 60 full-time positions, generating $2.9 million in additional annual payroll and retaining $6.1 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Cincinnati (Hamilton Co.). Integra LifeSciences offers medical device solutions in orthopedics, neurosurgery, spine, reconstructive, and general surgery. The TCA approved a 45 percent, eight-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Southern Air Incorporated, City of Cincinnati (Hamilton Co.) expects to create 150 full-time positions, generating $8.2 million in new annual payroll as a result of the company’s new location project in the City of Cincinnati (Hamilton Co.). Southern Air provides flight services which include the aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance. The TCA approved a 55 percent, 10-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Wingate Packaging, Inc., City of Washington Courthouse (Fayette Co.) expects to create 30 full-time positions, generating $1 million in new annual payroll as a result of the company’s new location project in the City of Washington Courthouse (Fayette Co.). Wingate Packaging is one of the largest carton and board suppliers to the bacon industry in the United States. The TCA approved a 45 percent, six-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Some Ohio Jobs Numbers

111,300 jobs created since Jan. 11

100,000 jobs created in the past year

18,400 jobs created in June

Unemployment rate down from 7.3% to 7.2%

The national unemployment rate stayed stagnant in June at 8.2%

2nd in the nation in job creation in June

4th in the nation over the past year AND since Jan. 11

1st in the Midwest over the past year AND since Jan. 11

OHIO LIBERTY COALITION COMES OUT AGAINST KASICH PLANS FOR TAX INCREASE

Release:

Columbus, Ohio - The Ohio Liberty Coalition today came out against Governor Kasich’s proposed tax increase on the Ohio oil and gas industry. Tom Zawistowski, President of the OLC said, “What Governor Kasich is proposing is unnecessary and unwise. Under the current rules, the severance tax on oil and gas produced $11 million in state taxes in 2009, and by 2014 it is projected by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce to increase to $433 million per year. If the Governor wants to cut personal income taxes he can use that new money to do so. It is unnecessary to raise taxes when this industry is already on track to dramatically increase tax revenue. It is also unwise to throw roadblocks in front of an industry that is critical to the economic future of our state. Some companies are already leaving Ohio. That is not what we want.”

He went on to explain, “We understand the argument that the Governor wants to bring energy taxes in line with other states, but we do not agree that this is what Ohio should do. If we have a tax advantage then we think we should exploit that advantage and use it to attract more businesses. Then we will get more tax revenue from taxes generated by ‘downstream’ industrial and business activity.”

Zawistowski concluded by saying, “From a TEA Party perspective, to raise taxes on one group to give a tax cut to another group is simply redistribution of wealth. It is not the Governor’s job to pick winners and losers; his job is to run the state government as efficiently as possible. If he wants to cut taxes, he should cut state spending so he can cut taxes. We will encourage our member groups to contact their state senators and house representatives and ask them to oppose the Governor’s proposal.”

The Ohio Liberty Coalition is a coalition of liberty group leaders whose purpose is to unite conservative grassroots organizations for greater effectiveness in the state and nation, and to provide resources for member organizations to strengthen their groups. The OLC currently has over 75 liberty-minded groups across Ohio who are members of its coalition.

A Misery Index Fit For The 21st Century

Obama isn’t working. His big government policies have left Americans with the most tepid recovery since the Great Depression. Standing next to Greek columns at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, Candidate Obama proclaimed that “we measure progress by how many people can find a job that pays the mortgage”.

By his own assessment, President Obama has failed. His slogan should be “moving forward in the unemployment line,” as 552,000 jobs have been lost in his term. Forty months of unemployment above 8% is not the change we were hoping for.

Over $800 billion dollars later and not one net job created, it’s clear that this presidency is one for the history books. Americans are tired of President Obama’s lack of leadership and his focus on short-term political gain. But even in the short-term, his economic policies haven’t worked.

The President’s advisers predicted that the stimulus would lower unemployment to 5.6% by the end of his first term. They argued that “the American people can see exactly what this plan will mean for their families, their communities and our economy”. Three years later, we can see the reality of the Obama Economy: higher unemployment, more debt, and less hope. This President has brought Jimmy Carter’s misery index into the 21st century by continuing to imitate his failed policies.

The American people need a change of pace and a breath of fresh air. We are itching for a new “morning in America” and a president who focuses on jobs and promotes economic growth. With President Obama promising four more years of the same policies, it’s plain that he’s not our man.

Boehner on Unemployment Report

Release:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) released the following statement this morning regarding the Department of Labor’s unemployment report for June 2012:

“Today's report shows the private sector clearly isn’t ‘doing fine’ and that President Obama’s policies have failed. The president bet on a failed ‘stimulus’ spending binge that led to 41 months of unemployment above 8 percent. He bet on a government takeover of health care that’s driving up costs and making it harder for small businesses to hire. He even bet taxpayer dollars on companies like Solyndra while blocking popular projects like Keystone XL that would create tens of thousands of new American jobs.

“The president needs to stop betting on his failed policies and start working with Republicans to remove government obstacles to job creation. We’ve passed more than 30 jobs bills – he should call on Senate Democrats to stop stalling them. Next week we’ll vote to fully repeal the president’s health care law. And before the month is out, we’ll vote on legislation to curtail excessive government regulations.

“The House will also act this month to boost economic growth and create jobs by preventing the largest tax hike in history and providing a fairer, simpler tax code that lowers rates and closes special interest loopholes. This tax hike is scheduled to hit small businesses on January 1, and is already casting a shadow over our economy that will continue to grow until the president works with us to stop it. We won’t wait to act.

“Republicans are listening to the American people and continuing to put economic growth and job creation front and center. We need the president and Senate Democrats to do the same.”

Storm Clouds on the Horizon

The President is following in Mitt Romney’s footsteps and launching a bus tour that will include the state of Ohio. It’s a defensive move by the President, and one that highlights his campaign’s growing concerns about the effect of the worsening economic slowdown on his re-election chances.

That downtown is particularly worrisome here in Ohio. Our manufacturing sector has been one of the few economic bright spots over the last three and a half years. But now it seems that even manufacturing is starting to stall. The Associated Press reported earlier this week:

U.S. manufacturing shrank in June for the first time in nearly three years, a troubling sign as evidence builds that economic growth is slowing. . . . Production fell to a three-year low and a measure of new orders plummeted by the most in more than a decade, suggesting the weakness will likely persist in the coming months.

This news came on the heels of a Reuters report noting the recent downturn in manufacturing. According to the piece:

U.S manufacturing grew in June at its slowest pace in 11 months and hiring in the sector slowed as overseas demand for U.S. products waned, an industry survey showed on Thursday.

Given the President’s tendency to point to manufacturing as one of the few tangible successes of his economic efforts, it’s no wonder that the President has chosen now to visit Ohio in an effort to shore up his sagging campaign.

GUEST POST: "House Bill Would Spur Production of Energy and Jobs"

By U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt,
Ohio’s Second Congressional District

It has become an annual ritual. Each summer, gas prices spike – further burdening American families and causing outrage across the United States. President Obama says there is no “magic wand” that will bring oil prices down – and that we need to discuss long-term energy strategies. Instead, we usually resort to a short-term gimmick, like opening the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Summer turns to fall, and we move on to another topic.

Unfortunately, this is no time to move on. Today, the national average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is around $3.40. And, some 13 million Americans are out of work. Establishing a long-term energy plan can help change all of those numbers for the better.

The fact is that our nation has far more untapped oil than what is in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. There is great potential to develop our own domestic energy sources on federal lands, but we keep getting in our own way. The federal government is making it more difficult to tap the sources of energy. And, once those sources are available, the government throws up road blocks to bringing that energy to consumers.

Last week, the House of Representatives considered a bill, the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act, that seeks to harness our domestic energy resources. It also would help put Americans back to work, lower gas prices over the long term, and reduce our dependence on foreign sources of oil.

More specifically, this bill seeks to stop the Obama administration from hindering domestic oil and natural gas production on federal lands – while cutting bureaucratic red tape and streamlining the federal permitting process.

It also would require the federal government to set longer-term production goals – using an “all of the above” approach to meeting our nation’s energy needs. And, it would make the Environmental Protection Agency consider the effects of its rules and regulations on domestic energy consumers.

This is a common-sense approach for the government to maintain a steady hand in promoting reliable and affordable access to energy.

Bleak House: Not Just A Novel By Charles Dickens

Reuters recently published an article noting the recent downturn in manufacturing growth. According to the piece:

U.S manufacturing grew in June at its slowest pace in 11 months and hiring in the sector slowed as overseas demand for U.S. products waned, an industry survey showed on Thursday.

The article also goes onto explain:

Manufacturing has been one of the strongest links in an otherwise frail U.S. economic recovery, but Markit said weaker overseas demand may be starting to slow hiring in the sector.

This development comes as the latest in a series of bleak news about the national economy this week. And it offers yet another indication that President Obama’s policies are just not working to bring jobs back to this country, get Americans back to work, and turn around the economy. This report comes on the heels of remarks by one of the President’s Big Labor allies characterizing the country’s economic growth as “weak.”

It also underscores the need for a president who will enact policies which foster an economic environment hospitable to growth and investment. That’s why President Obama’s failure to pursue tax reform is hurting the prospects of the manufacturing industry in the long-term. In its present form, our tax code is overly complicated and burdensome, making America uncompetitive on the global stage.

In short, this news about the manufacturing sector offers yet another sign that the private sector is not “doing fine.” It turns out Bleak House is not just a novel by Charles Dickens, but a term to describe the Obama Economy.

$128 Million to be Invested in Projects Across Ohio

Release:

COLUMBUS – Today Gov. John R. Kasich announced the approval of 12 projects which are slated to create 841 jobs and retain 2,093 more. The Ohio Tax Credit Authority (TCA) reviewed and approved packages structured by JobsOhio and its regional partners that provide economic development incentives to companies expected to invest more than $128 million and create approximately $42 million in new payroll.

Projects approved by the TCA include:

Paycor, Inc. (Location TBD) expects to create 150 full-time positions, generating an additional $10.4 million in annual payroll and retaining $27.5 million in existing payroll as a result of their expansion to a location to-be-determined. Paycor is a full-service payroll and human resources company. The TCA approved a 65 percent, eight-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Central Ohio

Arminak & Associates Inc., City of New Albany (Franklin Co.) expects to create 50 full-time positions, generating an additional $ 2 million in annual payroll as a result of the company’s new location project in the City of New Albany (Franklin Co.). Arminak supplies packaging solutions to the cosmetic, personal care and beauty aids, cleaning product, and automotive markets. The TCA approved a 50 percent, seven-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Bare Escentuals Beauty, Inc., Village of Obetz (Franklin Co.) expects to create 75 full-time positions, generating an additional $2.3 million in annual payroll and retaining $8.6 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the Village of Obetz (Franklin Co.). Bare Escentuals is a cosmetic company specializing in mineral-based cosmetics. The TCA approved a 45 percent, seven-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Delaware Art.com, Inc., Village of Obetz (Franklin Co.) expects to create 75 full-time positions, generating an additional $2 million in annual payroll and retaining $5.7 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the Village of Obetz (Franklin Co.). Art.com is an internet retailer of wall art and custom framed art products. The TCA approved a 35 percent, five-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Northeast Ohio

Allied Machine & Engineering Corporation, City of Dover (Tuscarawas Co.) expects to create 30 full-time positions, generating an additional $1 million and retaining $19.7 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Dover (Tuscarawas Co.) Allied Machine is a manufacturer of precision drilling products, providing metal cutting solutions for a variety of applications. The TCA approved a 40 percent, five-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Synapse Biomedical Inc., City of Oberlin (Lorain Co.) expects to create 60 full-time positions, generating an additional $5.1 million and retaining $1.3 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Oberlin (Lorain Co.). Synapse Biomedical is a medical device company that sells its spinal cord injury system to hospitals worldwide. The TCA approved a 50 percent, seven-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Western Ohio

White Castle Distributing LLC, City of Vandalia (Montgomery Co.) expects to create 100 full-time positions, generating an additional $3.5 million in annual payroll as a result of the company’s new location project in the City of Vandalia (Montgomery Co.). This project involves the construction of a new processing plant to expand the company’s capacity. The TCA approved a 55 percent, seven-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Northwestern Ohio

Calphalon Corporation, City of Bowling Green (Wood Co.) expects to create 33 full-time positions, generating an additional $823,000 in annual payroll and retaining $8.5 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s consolidation project in the City of Bowling Green (Wood Co.). Calphalon focuses on aluminum and stainless steel cookware, and is recently is expanding into the small kitchen appliance market. The TCA approved a 45 percent, five-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Hoover Universal, Inc., City of Northwood (Wood Co.) expects to create 86 full-time positions, generating an additional $2.3 million in annual payroll and retaining $13.8 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Northwood (Wood Co.). Hoover Universal manufactures and supplies a number of interior automotive products including seats, panels, and trim. The TCA approved a 60 percent, ten-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

OmniSource Corporation, City of Toledo (Lucas Co.) expects to create 22 full-time positions, generating an additional $663,000 in annual payroll and retaining $9.2 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Toledo (Lucas Co.). OmniSource is a scrap metals recycling, brokering, and wholesaling business. The TCA approved a 35 percent, seven-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

Southwestern Ohio

The E.W. Scripps Company, City of Cincinnati (Hamilton Co.) expects to create 142 full-time positions, generating an additional $11.3 million in annual payroll and retaining $18.2 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in the City of Cincinnati (Hamilton Co.). The E.W. Scripps is a diverse media company with interests in newspaper publishing, broadcast television stations, and syndication. The TCA approved a 60 percent, six-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

H.B. Fuller Company, City of Blue Ash (Hamilton Co.) expects to create 18 full-time positions, generating an additional $960,000 in annual payroll and retaining $1.2 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s relocation to the City of Blue Ash (Hamilton Co.). H.B. Fuller is a worldwide provider of adhesives, sealants, paints, and other specialty chemicals. The TCA approved a 35 percent, six-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project.

A Matter of Perspective

The New York Times has discovered something this week that most people in America are all too aware of—the economic downturn is about far more than just unemployment. Millions of Americans are toiling in jobs for which they are overqualified at wages that don’t pay the bills. As the Times reports:

These are anxious days for American workers. Many, like Ms. Woods, are underemployed. Others find pay that is simply not keeping up with their expenses: adjusted for inflation, the median hourly wage was lower in 2011 than it was a decade earlier, according to data from a forthcoming book by the Economic Policy Institute, “The State of Working America, 12th Edition.” Good benefits are harder to come by, and people are staying longer in jobs that they want to leave, afraid that they will not be able to find something better.

Unfortunately, President Obama is behind the New York Times on the suffering of the American people. He thinks, as he made clear in press conference a few weeks ago, that the “private sector is doing fine.” Clearly, that view doesn’t jive with the reality on the ground.

Or maybe it all depends on your perspective. President Obama was at a celebrity fundraiser last week, and he told the assembled glitterati, “You’re the tie-breaker. You’re the ultimate arbiter of which direction this country goes.” In Hollywood, things probably are going just fine.

President Obama’s problem is he needs to visit the small towns and communities around America and see the true results of his policies. He should start in Ohio. I have a feeling that his perspective might not be the same if he had a change of scenery.

Where IS that Recovery Summer?

The Washington Examiner wants to know, too:

Two years ago today, the White House announced the start of what it called the "Recovery Summer." This initiative was supposed to prove to the American people that stimulus projects were creating jobs.

If the administration had spent less time trying to justify the failed stimulus and more time on policies that work, the summer of 2012 might be the real recovery summer.

Instead, millions of Americans are still waiting for the economic rebound they were promised.

We've had 40 straight months with unemployment over 8 percent. More than 23 million Americans are unemployed or working less than they would like. Unemployed Americans now spend an average of nearly 40 weeks looking for work. That's the equivalent of losing your job on New Year's Day and not working again until October.

Meanwhile, President Obama recently offered his opinion that the private sector is doing fine. It's only government jobs, he said, that have been lagging. He called on Congress to spend even more taxpayer dollars on unproven programs.

Americans want the private sector to create good long-term jobs, not the government to create more wasteful Solyndras.

It's clear who really has been hurt by the Obama economy. We've lost 433,000 manufacturing jobs, 79,000 real estate jobs, 160,000 telecommunications jobs and 932,000 construction jobs.

Behind all these numbers are people. A homebuilder. A phone salesman in the mall. A real estate agent in the community.

These are real people who've lost the private-sector jobs that their families rely on to put food on the table, a roof over their heads and their kids through college. Republicans are focused on solutions that make it cheaper and easier for the private sector to create jobs.

We need to end job-killing overregulation and make our tax code simpler, flatter and fairer for every American. President Obama recently admitted that not every regulation is smart. So why doesn't he get rid of the bad ones?

We must repeal the president's health care law and its expensive mandates. Small-business owners now face a difficult choice: offer high-cost, government-approved insurance that hampers their growth, or don't offer any coverage at all. That's not a choice Washington should force on Americans. It's time to replace this law with step-by-step reforms that actually reduce costs for businesses and families.

Thats just it. This celebrity president doesn't see people. He sees numbers. He doesn't care as long as his agenda is accomplished and America pays for its "sins" by becoming a third world country.....

“The Private Sector Is Doing Fine,” In Context

As the whole world knows by now, at a press conference last Friday, President Obama insisted that: “the private sector is doing fine.” Attempting to soften the impact of the statement, Jay Carney, the President’s press secretary, has urged that we take the comments “in context.”

Here’s the context:

522,000 American jobs have been lost since President Obama took office. This is the worst jobs “growth” on record for a sitting president.

23 million Americans are currently unemployed, underemployed, or have stopped looking for work. A far cry from the 6% Obama’s advisers predicted.

3 million homes have entered into foreclosure since President Obama’s inauguration. No wonder 72% of voters say he’s done nothing—or worse—to fix the housing crisis.

$4,300 in median annual household income has been lost by Americans since President Obama took office. He blamed this decline on President Bush.

46.4 million Americans are receiving food stamps, an increase of 45% from 31.9 million when President Obama took office. But the President still insists we’re still on the road to recovery.

146.4 million Americans qualify as low-income or in poverty. That’s 48 percent of the population.

39.7 weeks is the new average duration of unemployment, double 19.8 weeks when President Obama took office.

3.5% is the amount home prices have declined over the past twelve months. They’re now at their lowest in a decade.

Jay Carney is right to put his boss’s words in context: the numbers speak for themselves.

McCaskill, Portman Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Job-Creators, Prevent Earmarks

Release:

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) today joined together and introduced bipartisan legislation to simplify federal processes for America’s manufacturers, while continuing to guard against Congressional earmarks for pork-barrel projects.

“This bipartisan bill is an important step to strengthen a valuable tool for our job-creators, while ensuring that tool doesn’t turn into a backdoor for allowing earmarks to worm their way back into the legislative process,” said McCaskill, a longtime and outspoken opponent of Congressional earmarks. “We’ve already seen leaders in the U.S. House try to sneak around the earmark ban and nab taxpayer dollars for their own pet projects, so I’m going to stay vigilant while reducing unnecessary burdens for Missouri’s employers.”

“While it is important Washington does away with unnecessary tariffs that increase costs for Ohio businesses and consumers without benefiting any American producers, we need to do it under a better, more efficient system,” Portman said. “Under this measure, we create a transparent, merit-driven process that would allow businesses seeking tariff relief to go directly to the experts at the International Trade Commission. I believe these reforms are the only way we’re going to get important tariff relief through the Congress this year, and I hope Congress will move quickly to provide more certainty for job creators through this merit-based approach.”

In today’s high-tech and globalized economy, American companies need a host of specialized materials, such as certain fibers or chemicals, to build their products. Often, those materials are not produced in the United States, and can only be purchased from overseas. However, tariffs on those specialized materials produced overseas can make them expensive to import, putting American manufacturers at a disadvantage compared to their foreign competitors. In some cases, tariffs on materials make it cheaper to move production overseas altogether—hurting American job-growth.

In cases where a product is subject to a tariff and is unavailable for purchase from an American company, current rules allow companies needing that product to get tariff relief. Congress has regularly passed a “Miscellaneous Tariff Bill” comprised of hundreds of tariff reductions for such products. However, the process requires those companies to get members of Congress to introduce a bill on their behalf for each item on which they wish to suspend tariffs. Once those businesses have convinced a member of Congress to introduce such a tariff-relief bill, their request can be sent to the International Trade Commission (ITC) for review.

McCaskill and Portman have introduced the Temporary Duty Suspension Process Act to streamline the process for duty-suspensions by allowing companies to submit their proposals directly to the International Trade Commission and retaining final approval for Congress. These changes would bolster accountability by lessening the chance for backdoor earmarks—and would improve the process for job-creators, as they would no longer be forced to hire high-paid lobbyists to help get individual legislation introduced at the start of the process. This process change also ensures that bills introduced in Congress do not inadvertently hurt American competitors.

There would be three paths for an article to be considered for a temporary duty suspension or reduction: (1) initiated by the United States International Trade Commission (USITC); (2) via petition from an outside party; or (3) by a referral from a Member of Congress, although no preference could be shown. Through this process, the USITC would review particular articles for approval, allow public comments and objections, take comments from the Administration and Congress, and submit a draft bill containing its recommendations for duty suspensions or reductions to the appropriate Congressional Committees. The bill preserves the role of Congress in the overall duty suspension process by requiring the USITC draft bill to be processed under regular order.

The bill authorizes the new process to be used for three rounds (2012, 2015, and 2018). While it requires a comprehensive review by the ITC of all possible eligible items in 2015 and 2018, an exception is included for the 2012 round so that it can be completed under a truncated timeline.

A copy of McCaskill and Portman’s bipartisan bill is available online, HERE.

Ohio House Passes Collateral Sanctions Legislation to Remove Barriers to Employment

Release:

COLUMBUS—State Representative Ross McGregor (R-Springfield) today announced that the Ohio House of Representatives unanimously passed Senate Bill 337, collateral sanctions reform legislation that focuses on the elimination of barriers that ex-offenders often face when trying to obtain jobs after their release from prison.

Collateral sanctions are restrictions, disabilities, or penalties beyond the direct punishment imposed on individuals at the time of sentencing. SB 337 updates Ohio’s criminal statutes to ensure that those who might have a previous conviction or plea of guilty can obtain employment without facing an unnecessary barrier. The House had previously passed its own version of the legislation, which was jointly sponsored by Representative McGregor and Representative Tracy Maxwell Heard (D-Columbus).

“Senate Bill 337 offers ex-offenders a better chance of being contributing members of society and staying out of prison by ensuring they aren’t unnecessarily hindered in their job search,” Representative McGregor said. “The bill makes important and reasonable reforms that will help keep Ohio’s prison population down, and I’m proud that the House supported it.”

One in every six Ohioans is an ex-offender. Reducing collateral sanctions will likely reduce recidivism and has the potential to increase payroll tax revenues for local communities