"Job Creators" is the new Republican term for capitalists as opposed to labor*! Such fun.
I read through Rep. John A. Boehner's recent speech on such topics, and I learned that we now have one important class of people: The Job Creators:
Private-sector job creators of all sizes have been pummeled by decisions made in Washington.And so on. It reads as if the only people in the whole country have it bad are those fabulous (as in a fable) job creators. If only the government let them free ("let my people go"), we would no longer have a recession!
They’ve been slammed by uncertainty from the constant threat of new taxes, out-of-control spending, and unnecessary regulation from a government that is always micromanaging, meddling, and manipulating.
They’ve been hurt by a government that offers short-term gimmicks rather than fundamental reforms that will encourage long-term economic growth.
They’ve been hampered by a government that offers confusion to entrepreneurs and job creators when there needs to be clarity.
They’ve been undercut by a government that favors crony capitalism and businesses deemed ‘too big to fail,’ over the small banks and small businesses that make our economy go.
They’ve been antagonized by a government that favors bureaucrats over market-based solutions.
They’ve been demoralized by a government that causes despair when we need it to provide reassurance and inspire confidence.
...
Job creators in America are essentially on strike.
I would have thought that the lack of buyers is the real problem. People are not buying much because the unemployment rate is up, wages are not rising and those who have jobs are afraid of losing them so they keep working and working until there is no time left for shopping. The money they make is saved in case it is later needed to tide the family over a bout of unemployment. And because people are not buying much, firms are not hiring many new workers.
But it looks like I'm wrong. If only there were no "unnecessary" regulations, low taxes and complete certainty about the future, the risk-takers would be so happy that they would right away hire lots of the rest of us.
I do hope that you noticed that inherent paradox of demanding certainty for the risk-takers, those who are paid for taking risks.
The most interesting part of this speech to me is the way it uses emotional and nifty framing. Take, for instance, this sentence:
They’ve been slammed by uncertainty from the constant threat of new taxes, out-of-control spending, and unnecessary regulation from a government that is always micromanaging, meddling, and manipulating.Note the two lists in that, each containing three items. Note the repetition of the ems. Note the use of emotional terms: "slammed," "out-of-control" and "threat." Note how the three terms beginning with "m" all really mean the same thing but increase their power through repetition on several levels.
Republicans are very good at that sort of framing. You have to stop reading and spend time deconstructing the messages they send. When you do that, you might notice -- just as an example -- that Republicans are, in fact, all FOR "micromanaging, meddling, and manipulating" when it comes to the reproductive lives of women.
Freedom from government for some, no freedom from government for others.
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*My intention is not to slam (!) entrepreneurs here but Boehner's views on what motivates them and what they most desire.