Guest Blogger: Rep. Schock (R-IL):Free Trade Will Boost Jobs

Rep. Aaron Schock / December 03, 2009

Today, President Obama is hosting a jobs summit at the White House with union bosses and corporate CEOs to discuss ways to accelerate job creation in the US. Noticeably absent are any representatives from the Chamber of Commerce or the National Federation of Independent Businesses, who represent most of the employers throughout the country.

While not receiving invitations from the President might not stop everyone from attending events at the White House, the absence of the Chamber and NFIB reveal this summit for what it really is: just another PR stunt. If the President was serious about creating jobs, he’d immediately submit the three pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.

For months, House Republicans have been asking “Where are the jobs?” as the Democrats ignore the rising unemployment rate and instead pass a cap and tax bill that, according to independent estimates, will cost us between 2.3 and 2.7 million jobs each year for twenty years and a health care bill that President Obama’s own economic advisor estimated would cost as many as 5.5 million jobs.

This is the height of foolishness. As of October 30th, the Administration says $214.5 billion of the “so-called” stimulus has been spent thus far and this spending has “saved or created 640,000 jobs.” In other words, according to the numbers provided by the White House, these jobs have come at a cost to the American taxpayer over $335,000 PER JOB. (more…)