Quote from tomdavis:
If governments could produce a "net positive jobs impact" through legislation, we would always be at full employment. Unless net new wealth is created, one person's gain is another's loss.
For example, smog tests in California create jobs in one industry and take away from another. If I have to pay $50 for a smog test, that's fifty dollars less I have to spend elsewhere, let's say the local coffee shop. If everyone in my neighborhood has to pay $50 for a smog inspection and spends spends fifty dollars less at the local coffee shop, the coffee shop suffers and lays off employees.
Smog inspections may be benficial if they produce better air quality, but smog inspections will not produce net new jobs, just a transfer from one sector to another or a reduction in wealth as people tap their savings (transfer of wealth) to pay the new cost.
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