Steve Daines: Getting America Back to Work

As America’s unemployment rate stays stuck at the 9% level, one of my highest priorities is working toward policies that get Americans back to work. This country has a long history which proves that Government stimulus programs may create jobs for the short term but that high paying jobs that last over the long term are generated by startups, as well as small, medium and large businesses as they expand and grow their businesses. The jobs generated by businesses are the ones that get people off of the unemployment lines, allow them to provide for their families, and away from needing government assistance.

My beliefs regarding getting Americans back to work are based on my firsthand experience with both large companies and small businesses. I joined Proctor & Gamble after graduating from Montana State University and saw how a Fortune 500 company can make a difference in people’s lives when they are growing and hiring new employees. After 13 years at Proctor & Gamble I joined RightNow Technologies in Bozeman Montana. When I started in the year 2000, RightNow Technologies had 100 employees. Eleven years later RightNow Technologies has grown to over 1000 people with high paying careers. The company is the single largest commercial employer in Bozeman.

What I see happening now is that businesses need two things; less government involvement and access to resources such as available credit to maximize their opportunities for growth. The politicians in Washington, who are looking to tax anything they can to cover their deficit spending habits are sending out mixed signals on this subject. This is a situation that needs to change in order to create the best possible environment for businesses and their hiring of new employees.