Will Obama Micro-manage the Workplace? and Hurt the Poorest of the Poor?

The reasons I've grown less likely to feel comfortable with an Obama presidency are the same reasons I call myself politically conservative. Last week, I read Obama's economic policies and feel they will greatly and unnecessarily increase costs to businesses.

This is the Obama web site introduction to his economic policies:

"Barack Obama has offered a detailed plan to get America's economy back on track, by creating new jobs and easing the burden on hardworking Americans by offering middle-class tax cuts three times the size of McCain's."

Minimum wage raise to $ 9.50 an hour by 2011. Obama-Biden say the minimum wage will help fight poverty. You'd have to raise it to $ 15 an hour in order to "fight" poverty, especially in urban areas. I believe it will discourage businesses from hiring more teenagers and entry level workers. I also believe it will be a policy that could increase inflation and the cost of goods and services for consumers.

Sick leave: when I read the site on October 30, Obama's site called for requiring businesses to provide 7 days of sick leave per year. There was no minimum number of employees for this provision.

Higher Capital Gains Tax on Investors: in a Sept 2007 interview with U.S. News and World Report, Barack Obama said he would consider raising the capital gains tax to 28%. Where would the money go and how would the government be accountable in appropriately spending the taxes?

Last week on the election trail, Obama said McCain's and Palin's swipe at his socialist policy was a mark of their selfishness. He said, "when did selfishness become a virtue?"

The question is, how is building private wealth in an ethical manner, and in a manner that shows concern for others, a selfish pursuit? Especially when many wealthy people have risked their own capital in building successful businesses.

I feel his policies are certainly ones that will allow the federal government to do an historic amount of micro-managing of people's businesses instead of providing a framework in which to do business. Last year, I worked on a project for a mid-size supplier of products to mattress manufacturers. The Consumer Protection Agency enacted a law which added layers of regulations to mattress manufacturers and made it easy for the federal government to hold surprise visits, or nearly surprise visits, and check records. There is a cost to heavy and unnecessary regulation.

I also believe the focus on providing so much comfort for the middle class, and increasing the size of the government to do so, will reduce the resources to care for those who truly cannot care for themselves such as those who have serious physical and mental disabilities.

The thrust of the Obama campaign seems like it's giving to people who can and should be able to care for their own needs without relying heavily on the federal government.