Despite the progress we've made, many businesses are still skittish about hiring.  Some are still digging themselves out of the losses they incurred over the past year.  Many have figured out how to squeeze more productivity out of fewer workers.  And that cost-cutting has become embedded in their operations and in their culture.  That may result in good profits, but it's not translating into hiring and so that's the question that we have to ask ourselves today: How do we get businesses to start hiring again?

From the perspective of an employee of a small business, I can't tell you how cynical and dream-crushing your perspective is, Mr. President.

I don't see how you can claim, sir, that your administration has made any progress, economy-wise.   Here in Michigan, I've been told there were some stimulus jobs in the 83rd congressional district, however, there are only 15 districts in Michigan, and they number 1 through 15.

I don't like to talk about myself as much as you do, but I'd like to share some of my experience to let you know what types of things you all are doing "in Washington that are inhibiting" me.

I was hired 4 years ago to do a highly-skilled job that I had no idea how to do.  With the help of my fellow co-workers, I learned.  I learned fast.  It wasn't long before I could see some ways of doing things at work to make the job simpler, and more effective.  I became supervisor and was involved in the hiring process.  I helped hire people who had the same amount of knowledge of the job as I did when I got hired.  I am now helping them to become as successful as I have been.

I can't tell you how many jobs I've had before this that I literally stared at the clock, waiting to go home-where I never did anything either.   That's not living, that is only existing.

You see, when you learn something, a skill or a piece of knowledge, you feel good about yourself.  You say to yourself, "Wow, I did that.  Maybe there are more things I don't yet know I can do."

When you know you are able to do something that you never thought you could, you start to think that what you have been dreaming about doesn't just happen to lucky people, you start to think that those people who have reached their dreams worked at it, and learned as much as they could to achieve them.

Those people become entrepreneurs, small businessmen and businesswomen.

Every person has a dream of what they really want to do.  Some dreams become nothing because of the lack of work involved in making them come true.  In Michigan, I believe the back-breaking amount of work involved in holding one's dream is a direct result of the "inhibiting" effects of Michigan's current administration and your administration.

Sir, why would any small business person hire someone to do nothing?  After they worked so hard to take the chance to reach their dreams, why would they disrespect another human being in such a manner?  Who would say to an applicant, "Look, don't try to get ahead in life, sure I did it, but you can't."  Not me, never ever.

It takes hard work to reach your dreams, it takes a non-productive existence to suck them away.

For the small business owner out there, I have a few questions that I'd like to ask you to answer in the form of a comment.

Questions:
What do you think are the major contributors, specifically, to the past year's loss in sales and/or revenue?

Do you believe intrusive government is slowing your recovery?  If so, how?

Do you believe the current administration has made progress in the economy?

Are you cutting costs on your workers?  If so, how has that resulted in good profits?