Why Some States Are Creating Jobs

We’re all familiar with the book, The Grapes of Wrath, the depression tale of millions of desperate families during the 1930s that headed to California for promised jobs. I’m not suggesting we’re at this stage yet, but for millions of unemployed Americans, they are finding that the local job market has dried up and they may need to relocate to more prosperous areas. The good news is that there are plenty of jobs, if you know where to look. Jobs these days, like real estate, seem to be determined by location, location, location. The governors of some states seem to be able to accomplish what the federal government can’t — creating good-paying, private sector jobs, while reducing taxes, regulations and the influence of labor unions. A perfect example is Wisconsin... Read More

A 21st Century Grapes of Wrath

We’re all familiar with the book The Grapes of Wrath, the depression tale of millions of desperate families during the 1930s that headed to California for promised jobs. I’m not suggesting we’re at this stage yet, but for millions of unemployed Americans, they are finding that the local job market has dried up and they may need to relocate to more prosperous areas. The good news is that there are plenty of jobs, if you know where to look. Jobs these days, like real estate, seem to be determined by location, location, location. The governors of some states seem to be able to accomplish what the federal government can’t — creating good-paying, private sector jobs, while reducing taxes, regulations and the influence of labor unions. A perfect example is Wisconsin... Read More

Obama Strikes Out on Asian Trade Negotiations

A metaphor for President Obama’s recent trip to Asia was the widely aired game of soccer he had with a Japanese robot. In essence, Japan made Obama kick the impending Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) — which unites 12 economies around the Pacific Rim — down the road as trade talks stalled. How important is TPP to American trade? The Peterson Institute for International Economics projects that it could cause American exports to rise by $123.5 billion per year by 2025. With it would come millions of U.S. jobs. Once again, Obama set out to negotiate a trade agreement only to come back empty handed. He seemed to be disinterested and distracted. It says volumes about his lack of experience in foreign trade and tough negotiations. That never stops him from making huge pronouncements... Read More

Job Creation Stymied as Obama Strikes Out on Asian Trade Negotiations

A metaphor for President Obama’s recent trip to Asia was the widely aired game of soccer he had with a Japanese robot. In essence, Japan made Obama kick the impending Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) — which unites 12 economies around the Pacific Rim — down the road as trade talks stalled. How important is TPP to American trade? The Peterson Institute for International Economics projects that it could cause American exports to rise by $123.5 billion per year by 2025. With it would come millions of U.S. jobs. Once again, Obama set out to negotiate a trade agreement only to come back empty handed. He seemed to be disinterested and distracted. It says volumes about his lack of experience in foreign trade and tough negotiations. That never stops him from making huge pronouncements... Read More

Another Roadblock to Capital for Entrepreneurs

Access to capital is the lifeblood of a small business if it wants to grow and hire. Yet, increasingly the U.S. government puts roadblocks in front of entrepreneurs who, with a little financial help today, could be tomorrow’s Apple. For example, let’s take Dodd-Frank, which is forcing our community banks out of business. For more than a hundred years, community banks have been the economic drivers for small business, communities and the nation. But they have been replaced by megabanks that are getting bigger, fueled by the flawed perception that they are “too big to fail.” Our community banks have just 12 percent of all banking assets, compared with megabanks’ 70 percent. The real tragedy is when community banks fail, local businesses no longer have access... Read More

Exports Must Be Freed From Partisan Politics

I am a die-hard advocate for supporting U.S. exports, so it concerns me that exports have been taken hostage during the ongoing Congressional infighting. Exports are vital, considering that more than 38 million American jobs depend on trade. One in three manufacturing jobs depends on exports, and one in three acres on American farms is planted for hungry consumers overseas. U.S. exports set another record in 2012, growing 4.4 percent ($66 billion) and reaching $1.56 trillion, despite significant economic headwinds from abroad. So we should all be concerned about the latest Congressional battle revolving around granting President Obama fast track negotiating authority, or trade promotion authority (TPA), which gives the president the authority to negotiate international agreements... Read More

Look to States – not the White House or Congress – for Economic Innovation

If your perception of this country’s economic outlook is based on the depressing news coming out of Washington D.C., you’re missing the big picture. Innovation, job creation and statesmanship aren’t coming out of the White House — they’re coming out of states like Wisconsin and North Dakota, which are unencumbered by flawed federal policies and uninspired leadership. I recently chatted with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on my radio show “Made in America,” and I came away with renewed respect for his leadership. Editor’s Note: Get These 4 Stocks Before 399% Stock Market Rally! Walker’s “Blueprint for Prosperity” has turned a $3.6 billion deficit in Wisconsin into a $2 billion dollar surplus. The word “surplus” has disappeared from our federal government... Read More

Mergermarket – March 19, 2014

The Legacy Companies, a privately held manufacturer of home appliances, kitchen tools and food service equipment, is actively seeking acquisitions to add to its portfolio of brands, said Neal Asbury, founder and chief executive. Asbury, in Chicago for the annual International Home + Housewares Show, said the company is working on five acquisitions right now that are in various stages of completion. Three of the targets are in the US. Asbury declined to go into specifics on the five companies, citing confidentiality agreements. The Ft. Lauderdale, Florida-based company, which generates annual revenue of USD 180m, is looking for acquisitions related to its core housewares categories, Asbury explained, including both makers of home appliances and companies that manufacture kitchen accessories. Legacy... Read More

American Innovation Better Than Ever

Writing from Chicago at the annual Housewares Show, it reminds me how many American entrepreneurs are in this industry. From booth to booth, new entrepreneurs mingle with entrepreneurs who have been in this industry for decades. What they have in common is a vision and the inner drive to make their ideas a reality and risk everything to grab a piece of the American Dream. No nation can out-innovate the United States of America. Measured as patents per capita, the United States takes first place by a large margin, followed by Japan, Switzerland, Finland and Israel. The late Steve Jobs at Apple held 317 patents himself. So it’s not surprising that people attending the show represent nations throughout the world who are drawn to American innovation and product quality. They understand... Read More

Our Disappearing Labor Force

The year 2014 is turning out to be a reincarnation of 1978, when we had an out-of-touch Democratic president who failed to spur the economy and help create jobs. In fact, the labor force participation this year equals that of 1978, when only 62.8 percent of American civilians 16 or older had a job or actively looked for work, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is estimated that more than 11 million people have dropped out of the labor force under President Obama, either because they can’t find a job or lack the skills for employment. Essentially, people have just given up. Ironically, these people don’t figure into the unemployment rate. So despite the fact that October 2013 marked the 59th straight month of a 7-percent-plus unemployment rate in the United... Read More