Our state's unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point in August to 8.3 percent.

While not unexpected given that August reports typically rise or stay flat due to seasonal employment coming to an end, it is troubling because it marks the fourth straight month of higher unemployment rates in Arkansas.

The President outlined his plan in a speech before Congress last week and has been traveling the country to sell it to the American people.  But many Americans have their doubts that this plan will work. I am among them. 

Clearly the President's first "Stimulus" did not work and, as we learn more about this plan, it seems to be an attempt to double-down on this approach.

Long-term job creation comes from the private sector, not by increasing government spending.  We cannot, tax, spend and borrow our way to prosperity.

To encourage investment in small business, the heart of our nation’s economy, we need to provide business owners and investors with the predictability they need to make sound investment decisions.  In order to accomplish this we need to rein in federal spending, reform our tax code, reduce regulatory burdens imposed by government agencies, increase exports by passing pending free trade agreements and create a new energy policy that allows us to use American resources and make us less dependent on foreign oil.

Let's put Americans back to work by taking this commonsense approach to job creation.

I’m pleased to hear that creating an environment that will enable our job creators to hire hardworking Americans is President Obama’s top priority. In his address to Congress last night, the President agreed that there are rules and regulations in place that are over burdensome to our businesses and said he “ordered a review of all government regulations.” 

Harsh and heavy-handed EPA regulations should be stopped. The Administration often blames others and says the EPA is required by law and the courts to issue burdensome, job-killing regulations. If they really believe that, they should ask their allies in Congress to help amend the law. A good example is the EPA’s efforts to regulate boilers. The Administration has issued very expensive and strict regulations to cover industrial and commercial boilers. The American and Forest Paper Association released a study this week shows the Boiler MACT rules could cost 20,500 jobs or 18 percent of the industry’s workforce. These regulations will destroy blue collar jobs and drive up the cost of business throughout our country.  

I have cosponsored S. 1392, the EPA Regulatory Relief Act, that would require EPA to take a more reasonable and careful approach that would protect air quality without destroying jobs and I am hopeful that eliminating harmful and unnecessary regulations will help create jobs. 

For the first time since 1945, the Labor Department’s job report was released with a total of zero net jobs gained for an entire month.  It was the weakest job report since September 2010, a month where the Labor Department reported a net loss of 29,000 jobs. 

When the economy needs to add roughly 250,000 jobs a month to lower our nation's unemployment rate, a choice between zero and a negative number is not progress. 

Our economy is not sluggish, it is motionless.  And everything the President is doing to address the situation is preventing a recovery from beginning.  In a climate of overregulation and potential tax increases, the private sector is apprehensive to make any moves for fear of what tomorrow will bring from Washington.  When business owners don’t know what their tax rates and energy, healthcare and compliance costs are going to be, then the last thing they are going to do is rush out and hire a bunch of people.  It is common-sense that seems clear to everyone except the President and those who share his view in Congress.

To encourage investment in small business, the heart of our nation’s economy, we need to provide business owners and investors with the predictability they need to make sound investment decisions.  In order to accomplish this we need to rein in federal spending, reform our tax code, reduce regulatory burdens imposed by government agencies, increase exports by passing pending free trade agreements and create a new energy policy that allows us to use American resources and make us less dependent on foreign oil.

But I am not holding out hope that the President will take this approach in his speech before Congress next week.  I’m guessing what we will hear is more of the same in terms of his push for another “Stimulus” bill. 

We tried that Mr. President and it clearly didn’t work.  It is time to admit that and work with us on our commonsense approach to getting our economy back on track.

Yesterday I visited with Fox16 anchor Donna Terrell and answered questions during the 5 o’clock newscast. In case you missed it we discussed the events in Libya, our tax structure, Washington’s spending problem and the debt negotiation deal. Thank you to Fox16 for inviting us to be part of your Thursday newscast. If you missed the interview you can watch it here.