aside from the low regulatory environment, low taxes and bailouts, contracts, tax loop holes, changes in overtime rules favorable to business, grants, low interest rates and record profit making...what policy do these guys want to see to release the almost 2 trillion they are sitting on?
As an owner of two businesses, I'm following the typical approach of focusing on cost in both. I severely limit discretionary spending, like advertising, because no one's spending so it doesn't work. I buy few meals where I used to more freely. My staff work longer hours when we're busy to limit needing to bring in variable workers.
I've cut employee benefits because costs are increasing and they are not sustainable. My alternate choice is cutting back on staff. They know that and I'm getting no complaint at all. In fact an insurance agent came in and criticized me for cutting benefits and my staff were mad at him. Actually that one surprised me. They see business after business going under and endless layoffs. We're doing OK, they get it.
I did have a layoff last year when the economy was really bad, but not reducing staff now. However, I'm in the process of laying off two low productive workers and replacing them with better workers because they are available. Everyone knows they are poor performers and with the increased work again I'm getting support because their poor performance makes everyone work longer.
We've maintained profitability and because everything I've done is rational and I've explained it I continue to be profitable and have a positive work environment. But it's hard and we're swimming upstream in this horrible economy.
To just hire or spend on growing the business would just be idiotic. The returns are not there. I can't believe you'd even ask a question like that. What good would increased spending do when there is zero economic growth? All you can do is take business from your competitors and across the board that's a zero sum game. All spending would do is decrease profits.