An Open Letter for Representative Ron Kind

Written By: Jim Swanson  |  Posted: Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

As a member of your constituency, I received your recent pre-election card. It stated in large letters that your first three priorities are jobs, jobs, and jobs. It reminded me of the recent meeting of democratic governors with the president. They are nervous about the federal government suing the state of Arizona over their new immigration law. "Most people like the law, " they told him. "Fighting a state law is not popular. You need to be focused on jobs." So I wonder, are jobs really important or is that just the hot button topic right now? Let's assume jobs for the people of Wisconsin is really your priority. History clearly declares over and over that the best thing the government can do to provide jobs is not to add more bureaucracy, but to free the people to be innovative and make their own jobs. If the government got out of the job making business and repealed the laws that tax and regulate businesses to death, then the citizens could do what free enterprise does best. In other words, it is the government that is a major cause of the present unemployment and you are deceiving yourself and your constituency if you believe more laws will make more jobs. For the government to do less is our best and perhaps our only hope to turn around the economy.

James Swanson, M.Div., M.R.E., is the Director of the Eau Claire Bible Training School and is the author of Some Aspects of Sowing and Reaping. He and his wife Ruby have seven children, sixteen grandchildren and live in Eau Claire.