The use of economic sanctions is a fairly commonly-used tool of diplomacy.  The idea is fairly simple:  provide a direct economic disincentive towards a nation undertaking an action considered undesirable, such as unfair trading practices, support for terrorism, treaty violation, etc.  The methods can vary, but tend to involve enacting trade restrictions, tariffs, freezing of economic assets, and overall raising the cost of doing business.  The thought is that if an act is made more expensive then an incentive is provided to change behavior.

What, then, to make of a plan that seeks to impose financial penalties on American businesses?  Raising taxes on payrolls would seem to provide a disincentive for companies to increase payroll.  Raising taxes on capital investment would seem provide a disincentive for investing in capital improvements.  Raising the minimum wage provides an incentive to hire fewer low-skill workers.  Increasing tariffs on imported goods provides an incentive for other countries to raise tariffs on American goods and services, reducing their marketability abroad.  Raising the amount a company must provide in health insurance provides an incentive not to provide it at all (and an incentive for healthy people not to invest in insurance at all).  And so on.

But this is exactly Barack Obama's plan:  tax increases on businesses and payrolls, income, dividends, and investment.  Mandates for health care plans provided by employers, regardless of the needs and desires of employees, or else face even higher payroll taxes.  A "moratorium" on free trade agreements that open up markets to American goods and services worldwide, along with a "renegotiation" of current free trade agreements such as NAFTA.  A cap-and-trade system that would result in a "dramatic increase" in electric bills.  What would be considered "economic sanctions" if imposed on the United States by others is considered mainstream politics when imposed by American politicians on itself, and advocated as somehow being good for the American economy.