President Obama recently proposed spending another $200 billion to create jobs.

This is in addition to the $787 billion stimulus package, most of which hasn't yet been spent and the benefits of which are in serious dispute.

Creating jobs is important. However, government doesn't create jobs. Government's proper role is to foster a business climate that supports creation of jobs by the private sector. This proposal is wrong-headed.

First, our government doesn't have the money. The Obama administration is racking up unprecedented budget deficits, and this will be added to the borrowing.

The Bush administration wasn't exactly a paragon of fiscal rectitude either. Ultimately, the size of our national debt and the tax increases which will be required to service it are job destroyers, not job creators.

Secondly, the Obama administration is the most anti-business administration in memory.

Their health-care proposals will add burdensome regulations and cost to American businesses.

The cap-and-trade legislation working its way through Congress will add even more regulations and cost. They're imposing all sorts of new regulations on financial institutions in the wake of the banking crisis, which was caused in part by government actions in the first place.

The auto industry has been all but destroyed by government regulations and labor unions.

At every turn, the left-wing ideologues in this government, most of whom have not one day's business experience, implement policies that are anti-business. How does it make sense to pursue policies that are vehemently anti-business on one hand and then, on the other hand, spend billions trying to create jobs?

For all his supposed brilliance, this president simply doesn't get it.

John Rowerdink

Pinehurst