Poll: Obamacare, Taxation Keep Small Businesses From Hiring

By Stephanie Samuel, Christian Post Reporter Saturday, January 21, 2012

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a survey Thursday showing small businesses are concerned about the impact of Obamacare as opponents and the Barack Obama administration await the U.S. Supreme Court hearings over the controversial Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The survey shows that 78 percent of small businesses view taxation, regulation and legislation as obstacles to hiring. It also shows that 74 percent of businesses believe the health reform law impedes their ability to hire employees.

The poll underscores a 2011 Quinnipiac poll showing Americans favor the Supreme Court overturning Obama's health care law, 48 percent to 40 percent.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius dismissed such polls Thursday.

"After years of smears and information there are still far too many Americans who don't know the basic facts about the law and benefits that are available to them and their families now and will be in the future," Sebellius said.

Brad Close, vice president of Public Policy for the National Federation of Independent Business, explained on Fox News, "What they (businesses) know so far scares them [and] worries them very much."

Additionally, 26 states have expressed concerns about the bill's use of the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution to mandate all Americans to have insurance.

Their concerns will soon be heard by the Supreme Court.

The high court accepted the Department of Justice's brief to review the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals' 2-1 decision to strike down the Affordable Care Act.

The DOJ has expressed confidence that the federal legislation will be upheld.

"The Department has consistently and successfully defended this law in several courts of appeals, and only the 1th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled it unconstitutional," the DOJ said in a 2011 statement. "We believe the question is appropriate for review by the Supreme Court."

Liberty Counsel Chairman Mathew Staver filed a separate lawsuit against the health care reform law on behalf of the Christian conservative Liberty University. He told The Christian Post in a 2011 interview that the DOJ has really been backed into a corner, and he is confident that the law will be found unconstitutional.