So I keep hearing this call for Mitt Romney to prove Bain Capital actually created a net new job… His boast that between Staples, Sports Authority and a couple others alone, Bain put well over a hundred thousand folks to work apparently doesn’t cut it… And it won’t till someone factors in precisely what did get cut (in jobs #s terms) by Bain during Romney’s tenure…
Please tell me you’re not buying this… Seriously… Do you think Bain’s mission statement included anything having to do with creating new jobs? Of course not… Nor should it have… I imagine Bain’s mantra went something like; “we exist to bring value to our shareholders by discovering and developing the great institutions of tomorrow”…
The questions should be; was Bain a successful enterprise under Romney? Did it grow its own workforce? Did it grow its own revenue efficiently (output per employee)? Did it handle its projects legally, equitably and ethically?
Surely we’re not looking for someone with a history of job creation/protection (for its own sake)… If we were, any old politician (like Romney*) or union chief would do… We need someone with a history of business creation (like Romney*) and who understands the [very minute] role of government in the process… Jobs are a consequence of economic freedom, not an objective…
*Yes, Romney’s platform presents some contradiction…