Happy Halloween

Hello again.  I hope you enjoyed the MBA picnic this weekend.  It was a good time for those that came out.  Big Red was even playing corn-hole, and rather good at it too.

On a business note, we had another good month for home prices.  We had the third straight month of rising home prices in August, which is a good sign in our current economic state.  In other news the government said the recession may be over, but not job losses.

Job losses may continue to mount, and not related to the economy at all.  In another article I read in the Wall Street Journal this morning, employers are holding back and cutting back thanks to President Obama.  He has managed to drag out the fear for small businesses which account for the majority of jobs in this country.  The fear of being fined for not providing whatever care the government deems you should.

It makes no sense to hire someone if you will have to pay a fortune to keep them.  That is what business owners all over the country are thinking.  Why would I hire you if it may cost me an additional $10,000 or more before all the current legislation issues are over.  I don't give the government credit for any of the job creation since the start of the recession, but certainly Congress and the White House should have credit for keeping employment down.  Even if they are going to turn our country into a socialist nation, they need to do it and get it over with so companies will know what to do.