A study by the Phoenix Center that was published in April received too little attention in the nation’s mainstream media, including The Washington Examiner. With the most recent data showing the economy is clearly stagnating, and with the federal budget talks on Capitol Hill similarly stumbling along, it’s time that the Phoenix study of the effect of federal regulation on private-sector job creation gets the notice it deserves. President Obama’s re-election prospects almost certainly will hinge on the state of the economy come Election Day. An estimated 14 million Americans are unemployed now, counting both those currently receiving unemployment checks and those whose benefits have expired and who have given up looking for jobs. Most experts agree that, even under the most optimistic scenarios, unemployment will remain at 8 percent or above between now and November 2012. So irrespective of ideological considerations — the Phoenix Center is a strong proponent of free markets — Obama would be well-advised to pay close attention to its findings.