U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R–Wisconsin) has advice about job creation — something Johnson knows about but Obama does not:

People who enjoy their work perform far better than those who view their job as drudgery. A salesman that fully believes in the product or service he is selling, will sell more, and at a higher price.

These positive attitudes make a big difference to the individual “economy” of a business organization.

Positive attitudes are crucial in successfully driving a nation’s economy forward as well. Unfortunately, President Obama does not seem to understand that his hostile attitude toward business is undermining America’s entrepreneurial spirit, and as a result, economic growth and job creation.

Consumers and business owners/managers need to have confidence in what lies ahead before their economic activity becomes robust.  Even in the best of circumstances, planning for the future is inherently fraught with risk and uncertainty. …

Are taxes going to dramatically increase in 2013? Will we ever get our debt and deficits under control? What is the cost and burden of new rules and regulations on job creators? How expensive will energy be in the future?

Until we have leadership in Washington that begins to answer these questions and brings more certainty to our economy, it will continue to stall.

In Wisconsin, our governor and legislature acknowledged our budget problem. They provided real leadership by making hard decisions, taking tough votes and bringing greater certainty to our state economy.

In addition, Gov. Walker announced very publicly, that “Wisconsin is open for business.” The result? State and local budgets are being balanced, property taxes have declined, and Wisconsin climbed significantly in a recent survey comparing states’ business climate.

That is a dramatically different approach than the one taken by President Obama and members of his administration.

Instead of providing leadership, they are attacking business, punishing success, greatly increasing regulatory burdens, limiting the use of America’s energy resources, and growing government and our nation’s debt and deficits. How can anyone believe rhetoric and policies like this will work?

We need to lift the spirits of America’s entrepreneurs, business managers and consumers — not dispirit them. High marginal tax rates discourage risk-taking, investment and job creation at a time when the need to encourage these activities has never been higher. Increasing layers of regulation are a disincentive to business expansion when we need to incentivize every business to realize its full economic potential.

Demonizing businesses and individuals will have the exact opposite effect. Yet that appears to be the favorite political tool employed by this administration. …

[Obama’s] campaign will try to convince Americans that somehow Gov. Romney’s success in the private sector is a disqualifying factor in becoming president. That is absurd. We need more successful people from the private sector in Washington, not less. Knowledge of, and respect for, our free enterprise system should be a table stakes qualification for president of the United States.

President Obama, Thursday:

The private sector is doing fine. Where we’re seeing weaknesses in our economy have to do with state and local government. …

And so, you know, if Republicans want to be helpful, if they really want to move forward and put people back to work, what they should be thinking about is how do we help state and local governments and how do we help the construction industry? Because the recipes that they’re promoting are basically the kinds of policies that would add weakness to the — to the economy, would result in further layoffs, would not provide relief in the housing market, and would result, I think most economists estimate, in lower growth and fewer jobs, not more.

President Obama, Friday:

The president, in response to a question Friday afternoon in the Oval Office, backtracked somewhat on his comments his morning that “the private sector is doing fine.”

“It is absolutely clear that the economy is not doing fine. That’s why I had a press conference,” Obama said. …

“You know, and what I’m interested in hearing from Congress and Mr. Romney is what steps are they willing to take right now that are going to make an actual difference?” Obama asked. “And so far, all we’ve heard are additional tax cuts to the folks who are doing fine, as opposed to taking steps that would actually help deal with the weaknesses in the economy and promote the kind of economic growth that we would all like to see.”