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I think raising taxes on us Americans right now is a terrible idea, with many people out of work or those that have managed to find jobs that are lower paying jobs we cannot afford more taxes.

There were parts of the President’s speech I liked and made me think he is getting it, then he overshadowed that with Tax & Spend statements. It has been proved, time after time that lowering taxes creates growth and low unemployment. Why can't he understand??

I thought that the speech to a joint session after all the hype was underwhelming. There were very few details to the plan and I thought it was disingenuous to demand that Congress “Pass this bill.” I think we did that before with health care and we all know what we got from the rushing of the bill. More spending, more regulations and more taxes just discourages anyone from making long-term commitments that creates jobs.

I am fortunate to have a job. I actually live in two cities because I was a victim of downsizing. My apartment is in Cincinnati and my home is outside of Columbus. My family doesn’t like it but they have learned to cope. I think those of us who are still employed are willing to help, however, I agree we need to stop spending if we don’t have the money. Raising the budget is not the answer. We have to reduce unnecessary spending.

As the former Chair of the Butler Health Plan, a consortium providing health insurance to 5,000 public school employees, I am reporting we had to cover an addition 500 dependents without premium increases because of ObamaCare. A cost that will be thrust upon the local tax payers. As superintendent of the Butler County Educational Service Center, we have had to extend unemployment benefits beyond the normal range. We pass that charge onto our clients, the 10 local school districts, who pass that along to the taxpayers.

The President's speech last week inspires orators and communication school professors but will bring no new jobs. Jobs will come from streamlined and reduced regulation of oil and natural gas drilling, electricity production and agricultural enterprises. Unleash the American economy and let American ingenuity and effort save this country.

I am a small businessman in Columbus, Ohio. Regarding last week’s speech, I felt there were no new ideas and more spending as usual. As a small businessman, I do support providing tax credits to spur hiring. In fact, I would like to hire 3 new people but I am having difficulty in finding qualified people. Tax increases only feeds an ever growing government. The new healthcare law has affected my business adversely. All these years we were able to shop around every year so we can keep the cost increase to a reasonable level but since last year we were unable to do so, as we would have to satisfy new regulations.

To use the “trickle down” economics theory, that’s exactly what’s happening in my small business, but not in a good way because there’s nothing to trickle down. My typical customers are small to mid size businesses. These businesses have been adversely affected by higher taxes and more regulations, and most of them are not beneficiaries of the lopsided tax code. Therefore, they don’t have money to spend on a consultant whose job it is to find them cost savings in a structured, logical way. Instead, they lay off workers and tighten down spending to realize savings as quickly as possible regardless of the consequences. Add that to the uncertainty surrounding the new health care law and out of control spending over the last few years, and you see many businesses that have become paralyzed.

I am a senior manager for the country’s leading heavy lifting and rigging company responsible for production for the Northern half of the US. From the very start of the Obama occupation of our White House my business has deteriorated to the point that I have laid off one half of my crew. We are 85 % dependent on power plants and related construction and a bit of off shore work which also has been oppressed by the Chicago machine.