Our President and his fellow statists in Congress have met this economic downturn with Keynesian, big government interventions. From a stimulus, which had to take or borrow money from one group of taxpayers and give it to another, to a health care law that this week bore the fruit of a public hearing for companies who have dared to calculate the cost differential between maintaining certain benefits or paying a fine (tax); the federal government is using its full power (defined and implied) to regulate, intimidate and control businesses. These events are not anomalies:  the extension of unemployment benefits, the take-over of student loans and the demonization of any would be competitor to government have all sent the message: If you dare to compete with the Federal Government you will be punished. These actions have, and continue to destroy investment, innovation and subsequently job creation. A recent LA Times piece detailed the recessions of Reagan and Obama. The key difference: The current (Obama’s) recession job losses are actually just below those of President Reagan’s. However, it is in the measure of job creation where Reagan’s record dwarfs Obama’s anemic results. 

All the talk of GDP growth and green jobs is just hot air. Without an environment where productivity through free enterprise is incentivized; you end up with consistent double digit unemployment and government picking the chosen few who are able to succeed.