Business Friendly, NOT – Thoughts From The Middle of Nowhere

Can anyone tell me why the state of Montana is so unfriendly to businesses? They do provide jobs and services throughout the state so why no matter which way we turn does the Legislature take such aims to hurt them? n n<a href="http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2007/billhtml/HB0213.htm">Here</a>, as reported by the <a href="http://montanamainstreetblog.typepad.com/montana_main_street_blog/2007/01/more_ways_to_su.html">Montana Main Street Blog</a>, we have a bill with the grandiose title "Healthy Workplace" bill which will allow employees to sue employers for a "hostile work environment" and allows up yo $25,000 for emotional distress. It would make the employers responsible for the acts of other employees in the work environment. Real business friendly, isn't it. Does it really need to be any easier for an employee to sue an employer in this state? No, it can all ready be done. n nThen <a href="http://montanamainstreetblog.typepad.com/montana_main_street_blog/2007/01/legislative_att.html">Montana Main Street Blog</a> has three more examples of attacks on business by the state Legislature. I was upset enough at this point then I read in the Gazette the newest assault. n n<a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/01/22/news/state/40-immigration.txt" >Lawmakers target illegal immigration</a> n n<blockquote>Frustrated with what they perceive as a lack of effort by the federal government, some state lawmakers are proposing tough new state laws this session to target illegal immigrants and businesses that hire them. n nLeading the fight is Sen. Jim Shockley, R-Victor, who has four bills this session dealing with illegal immigration. He acknowledged crafting bills to fight unlawful immigration at a state level is difficult. But he believes it's necessary, arguing that the federal government, constitutionally tasked with all immigration matters, has no real interest in enforcing existing laws.</blockquote> n nYes, here it is, let's make Montana business owners responsible for the national immigration problem in the US. That makes a lot of sense now doesn't it. How are we Montana business supposed to do anything about the problem? n n<blockquote>"Illegals would not come to work here if employers did not employ them," Shockley said.</blockquote> n nI hate to say it, but they Illegal immigrants wouldn't be coming here if there weren't jobs to be had. Employers want employees to do the jobs they envision. With no employees, the jobs don't get done. So lets get the facts straight here, it's not the employers who are driving illegal immigration, its the jobs that are driving it. n n<blockquote>It is the shortage of workers that is causing an influx of illegal immigrants, according to Webb Brown of the Montana Chamber of Commerce. n n"There is still a huge work force shortage right now and it's only going to get worse," Brown said. "It is at crisis point right now and it is headed even in the worse direction." n nBoth Shockley and Jopek think there are plenty of workers in Montana to fill jobs.</blockquote> n nHave Shockley and Jopeck looked at some of the unemployment statistics for the State of Montana? <a href="http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070120/BUSINESS/701200333">Here</a> we see that Montana's unemployment rate continues to be below 3% which has all ready drove up wages throughout the state as employers compete for the scarce resource of employees. <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/01/17/news/business/30-jobless.txt">Another story</a> indicates our states largest city has the third highest unemployment rate in the United States at 2.1%. This just shows the lack of workers in the state. I know I've had to up my wages paid to the hired hand significantly to get someone to fill the job on my place. The simple law of supply and demand at work. n nNow let's get down to the brass tacks here. I do not support illegal immigration or hiring illegal immigrants. Let me repeat that for all of you that are going to grouse at me about what I have said so far, I do not support illegal immigration or hiring illegal immigrants. Blaming businesses for hiring them is the wrong tack though. Illegal immigration is a federal issue and needs to be handled on the Federal level. Making Montana business owners responsible for the situation is simply stupid and wrong. Running a business is hard enough without worrying that every person you are hiring is an illegal immigrant with false documents that you might get thrown in jail for hiring. It makes no sense. n nWhat really gets me though is the simple lack of understanding shown by the Legislators about such simple business matters as employment and the unemployment rate. My own sister is right now in the process of looking for a job in the state of Montana. She admits that she can get a minimum wage job any time she wants but is looking for more than that. I just talked to her and she has quite a number of applications out for jobs that pay better than that. She told me she is very hopeful because with the lack of workers out there she will be able to get a good job very shortly because people need employees, the right job will be there. n nIf Legislators would try to make the business climate of Montana less hostile to business, I know it's to much to ask them to be business friendly, they would never do that, we might have more businesses in the state to hire workers which would bring more people to Montana which would help drive the economy of the State forward. I sometimes think that they want to keep Montana held back. Why I am not real sure. All that is happening is the rich and famous keep buying up land, locking out Montanans from it, and not using it to drive the progress if our state forward. A mistake in my opinion but where the Legislators obviously want us to go. n nNothing is given to man on earth – struggle is built into the nature of life, and conflict is possible – the hero is the man who lets no obstacle prevent him from pursuing the values he has chosen. Andrew Bernstein