It seems to me that the problem with this particular jobs bill is that it combines additional spending with a tax incentive that doesn’t address the problem employers are facing, which is that, at this point, simply hiring an additional worker doesn’t help much if that worker isn’t needed.

If I make widgets, and at this point I only need two workers to make the number of widgets I can reasonable expect to sell, the fact that the government will waive the 6.2 percent SS tax (through the end of the year) doesn’t change the fact that I don’t need that worker, and that my overall cost of labor per widget will still go up, and will needed to be added to the price of the widget if I hope to stay profitable.