Government can help create jobs by letting businesses keep more of their money

It was incredible to hear the same concerns coming from business owners around Portsmouth today that I've been hearing around the rest of the First District. I'm encouraged that my consistent message of reform continues to be well received, and I'm confident that the conservative changes I have in mind for Washington will make things better for companies and the working families they support.

"My big concerns are coming down to be taxes and having mandates placed on me—not only from Concord, but from Washington," said one Portsmouth businessman. "It seems like we're constantly being berated by our representatives who we send down to Washington, such as what we've been getting hit with by Carol Shea-Porter. And they're just not hearing what the needs are of individuals, but businesses as well."



First of all, let me just make it clear that I think businesses create jobs, not the government. And when I go to small business owners and ask them what they need to create jobs, they are telling me that they want less regulation, tax reform to put more cash in their pockets, and more affordable, private health insurance. They don't want a government-run program that's filled with more mandates, and they don't want a Cap & Trade bill that will tax them more for the energy they need to keep their businesses running.

As for health insurance, smaller companies should be able to pool their employees together to get the same discounted rates as larger businesses and they should be able to buy insurance from any company anywhere in the country. Such reforms would put real cash back into small businesses' bank accounts, which will lead directly to more jobs.

As for Cap & Trade, it's simply not the government's role to use taxes on energy to redistribute wealth, especially when power costs are already an issue for businesses. Government can use incentives to encourage environmentally friendly business practices, but it should leave it to business owners to make the right decisions for their companies and their employees.

— Frank Guinta