Last weekend, the president and his administration were touting health care changes and innovation as the way to cure the economy. The question is: How?

A small business with about 120 part-time employees and an annual payroll of $1.1 million pays taxes equal to 15.3 percent of that payroll, raising the cost to $1.27 million. An income of $1.45 million leaves a net of $180,000 to pay state and federal income taxes, workers compensation, liability, and property insurance.

Washington wants another 2.5 percent to 8 percent off the top for health care, plus a rollback on previous tax breaks. The latest figures from 2007 indicate that 95 percent of income taxpayers (134 million) put in 39 percent of the tax collected. The top 5 percent put in 61 percent, with the top 1 percent (1.4 million) paying 40.4 percent. Raising taxes on individuals and businesses will give Washington more money, but will it spur economic innovation? Or will these proposals impede expansion, innovation, and growth? Will our small businesses risk their livelihoods in this atmosphere?

These are questions to ask before jumping on the Washington bandwagons. Too many 1,000-plus page bills have been rushed through Congress without examination or careful consideration. Require your representatives to read each proposal and consider how each line affects the American people before approving them.