A few business expansions may have been put on hold because of future tax uncertainty perhaps.....and increasing health-care costs.....and minimum wage hikes.....and increased unemployment insurance.....and the threat of other major intrusive regulations said to be coming down the pike....and reductions in demand for services and products due to all the private sector layoffs; but these evil employers created the whole thing by laying off these people to begin with, so the're getting what they deserve.
Our federal government certainly cannot be blamed for this, because it hasn't laid off anyone. sarcasm />