Two surveys this week, one from the business research firm Sage North America and one from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), offer yet more proof that the Obama Administration’s stimulus and the Senate Democrats’ refusal to pass 22 bipartisan House-passed jobs bills have resulted in an economic climate in which small businesses are unwilling to hire. 

The Sage survey shows that almost half (48 percent) of these small businesses would like to hire more employees, but respondents say they can’t due to uncertainty in the economy, a lack of revenue and the high cost of health care.

The NFIB survey found that only nine percent of small businesses plan on increasing employment over the next three months, while 12 percent plan on decreasing employment in that same time period.  NFIB owners also reported an overall reduction in employment for the fifth month in a row.  Explaining small business owners’ reluctance to hire, NFIB’s chief economist pointed to the current state of affairs in Washington: “Fiscal policy is in disarray and all that is proposed is higher spending and more regulations and higher taxes to support it.  Not the type of incentives that help stimulate economic growth.”  

If President Obama and Congressional Democrats truly want to help get the almost 14 million unemployed Americans working again, they need to work with Republicans to implement real solutions that make our economy stronger.  The 22 jobs bills that have already passed the House would be an excellent place to start.