Letter: Republicans like unemployment

Congressional Republicans keep chanting "Where are the jobs?!” while doing their best to prevent more jobs from being created, assuming that a high unemployment rate will benefit them in 2012.

They have no concern for the damage done to the economy, not to mention the lives of the unemployed, which also includes laid-off government employees. Jobs were created under Clinton without tax reductions for the richest, while jobs were lost under Bush despite generous tax advantages for the rich. Can we expect the private sector to create jobs, even considering the trillions they are sitting on? No. The private sector has no incentive to hire people unless absolutely necessary. Their emphasis is on cutting costs, automation and making do with as limited of a workforce as possible in addition to merging, consolidating and closing down unprofitable units.

If business is down, the private sector is quick to lay people off. Instead, job creation has to be driven by government-funded projects such as improving infrastructure, building and improving roads, bridges, airports, harbors, schools and libraries and supporting research, innovation and product development. That will stimulate the economy and create jobs, which explains why the Republicans are so much against it.

Jorg Aadahl

San Mateo