Unemployment is a very sensitive issue in all the countries across the world and the United States of America is no exception. Governments have a duty to create employments to their citizens by directly investing into the economy or indirectly by creating a conducive environment for private investment. Unemployment is a very sensitive issue in any economy and directly affects the citizens socially and economically. It is because of this that many politicians across always try to promise its citizens that when elected into political office they will address the issue. Others go to the extend of quoting to the electorate the number of jobs they will create once they are elected. Whether politicians promise creation as a way of enabling themselves get in power and forget all their promises whenever they get to power can leave anybody especially those who vote them in office guessing.
Just like in all past elections in the United States of America, presidential candidates have created policies to address unemployment in the country. They have gone a head and explained to the electorate presenting their ideas convincingly in order to win the most often elusive vote to give them a four year contract as tenants of the house on the hill.
During the 2008 presidential election, the charismatic President Obama beat his rival, Senator John McCain in a hotly contested by promising to create over two million jobs directly if elected. That was a very ambitious target and the voters gave him the benefit of doubt by electing him as the 44th president and the first black president of the most powerful country in the world. This made him to the most powerful man in the world by virtue of the office he holds.
The following is the current unemployment situation in the United States of America. Latest statistics from the united bureau of labor produced on 5th October, 2012 put have it that unemployment rate in the world’s biggest economy fell from eight per cent to seven point eight percent by September 2012. Most of these new jobs were created in the transport, warehousing and health sectors. The government department of labor also reported that very few, almost no new jobs were created in other sectors of economy like mining and agriculture. The rate of decrease in unemployment was highest in the first eight months of 2012. This statics are arrived at by counting the number of people losing jobs as well as those who are completing non permanent jobs. The figures given by the government stand at 468,000-6.500 000 people. In addition, the government reported that 114000 is the current total number of non farm payroll. The government also reported that about thirteen thousand jobs were created in the finance sector during the same year. Sectors of economy where no new jobs were created include information, construction, logging, whole sale trade, mining, retail trade, business service, leisure, professional and government (United Bureau of labor).
As expected, the government and the opposition gave contradicting statements as a reaction to these reports. The opposition, led by republican presidential candidate Governor Mitt Romney rejected this positive reports alleging that the government was desperate and was possible of exaggerating the figures to get public support (Romney :net).
The democratic government of president barrack Obama on the other hand was happy and reiterated that the figures are a demonstration that the government was indeed committed to improving the lives of citizen by creating opportunities for them to earn a decent living. The government defended itself by saying that it had experienced difficulties in creating the initially targeted opportunities in its first term because it inherited a poor economy. They further said that things were bound to be good in future because the government had laid a foundation for economic prosperity and should be given a second term to fulfill its promise (Obama: net).
Asked how the government plans to look into the highly politicized issue of unemployment, the president argues that he knew that citizens were experiencing difficulties as a result of the poor state of economy. He said that he was going to reduce the level of taxation on citizens but raise revenue by taxing businesses. These according to president Obama will be a relief to citizens make them earn more and then invest in the economy at the same time (Obama : net).
Presidential candidate on a republican ticket governor Mitt Romney on the other hand argued that will reduce taxes levied to small and medium scale businesses but raise extra government revenue by taxing more on citizen. According to him, this would help businesses to make more income and invest back into the economy to create more job opportunities for citizens (Romney: net).
In my opinion, the republican presidential candidate governor Mitt Romney has a more practical strategy of reducing unemployment in the country by reducing taxes on small and medium scale businesses which will encourage investment into the economy thereby creating more jobs for citizens. President Obama’s strategy to increase taxes for businesses would discourage investment into the economy. Others would even close there doors and this would make worse the situation.
References
The United States Of America, The Department Of United Bureau Of Labor, Unemployment Report Released On 5th October, 2012.
Obama, Barack. “Government Commitment to Creating New Jobs.” 16 th Aug. 2012, 15:06 pm. Tweet.
Romney, Mitt.”All Debates Are The Engine Of This Campaign.” 14th Aug. 2012, 12:06 pm. Tweet.
Romney,Mitt. “US 2012, Presidential Debate.” 3rd Oct. 2012, 11:02 Pm. U Tube.
