“Experts” predicted 1 million jobs would be created in April. The actual number fell far short, at 266,000. Republicans warned that overly generous COVID-19 relief benefits create a disincentive to work.
The day before this disappointing jobs report, Bloomberg wrote: “In earnings calls and business surveys, executives often blame stimulus checks and generous unemployment benefits for hampering hiring efforts. …
“Friday’s employment report, which is projected to show the economy added 1 million jobs in April, should offer new insight into this mismatch and whether it’s deterring growth.”
When the numbers came in, Biden administration officials lacked no shortage of excuses. Some potential workers, they argued, feared going back to work because of COVID-19; many schools had still yet to resume in-school learning, particularly burdensome for single parents; we’re still early in the bounce back from the COVID-19-stricken economy; one month’s worth of numbers does not a story tell; and employers just need to raise wages.
Labor Secretary Marty Walsh urged perspective: “Well, you know, under normal circumstances, and certainly we’re not living in normal circumstances, the 266,000 job gain a month is a good number. Unfortunately, we’re still in the midst of a pandemic.”
President Joe Biden rejected the elephant-in-the-room possible explanation for the disappointingly low April job numbers — that the generous provisions in the COVID-19 relief packages, coupled with state and local aid, create a disincentive for people to go back to work. Biden dismissed “loose talk that Americans just don’t want to work. … The data shows that more workers are looking for jobs, and many can’t find them.”
But Bloomberg wrote, “Anyone who previously made less than $32,000 per year is better off financially in the near term receiving unemployment benefits, according to economists at Bank of America.” Blog writers for the libertarian Cato Institute wrote: “Combined with state unemployment benefits, around 37 percent of workers can currently make more unemployed than in work. A low-income worker in Massachusetts previously earning $535 per week faced a pre-pandemic replacement rate of unemployment insurance benefits to earnings of 48 percent ($257). Now, the same worker would obtain benefits worth 104 percent of their pre-recession earnings ($557).”
But not to worry because, writes The Washington Post, a Labor Department spokesperson says his office “has not seen evidence” that the COVID-19 relief benefits incentivize people not to work.
Since when does the Biden administration require “data” or “evidence”? Where is the evidence that a $15 minimum wage will do more good than harm, given that the overwhelming consensus among economists is that minimum wage loss hurt the unskilled? Where is the evidence that a $2.4 trillion “infrastructure investment” plan will do more good than harm, given the necessary massive tax increases? Where is the evidence that universal pre-K for the poor will improve results K-12, given the “fade out” effect that shows no long-term benefit?
There is, however, a great deal of evidence that burdening the economy with more taxes and regulations hurt growth. Eight years into the New Deal plan designed to rescue the economy from the Great Depression, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s secretary of the Treasury, Henry Morgenthau, wrote: “We have tried spending money. We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work. … I want to see this country prosperous. I want to see people get a job. I want to see people get enough to eat. We have never made good on our promises. … I say after eight years of this Administration we have just as much unemployment as when we started … and an enormous debt to boot!”
But as long as politicians, in the name of compassion, take money from one party to give to another; borrow money to be paid later with interest; and print money which ultimately triggers inflation, who needs evidence?
Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk show host. His latest book, “The New Trump Standard,” is available in paperback from Amazon.com and for Nook, Kindle, iBooks and GooglePlay. To find out more about Larry Elder, or become an “Elderado,” visit www.LarryElder.com. Follow Larry on Twitter @LarryElder. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
Evidence in anything to a Liberal is equivalent to a death sentence. They have to operate in darkness under a cloak of secrecy because of who and what they are.
AND anyone who DOES come up with evidence, gets SHUT THE HELL DOWN…
More working poor are discovering what career Welfarists concluded – that 24/7 LEISURE is preferable to busting your butt for a slightly higher income (after mutilation by taxes to support the leisure folk including fat cat government employees). Why work stupid when you can laze around smart?
Of course there’s no self-respect when you won’t support yourself but Dem clients replace that with narcissistic entitlement voting for more taxes on workers. Do you see gratitude or arrogance among the parasite class?
That’s why for a LONG TIME< i've felt that if the ONLY WAY YOU live/survive, is CAUSE OF Govt largesse, meaning welfare, YOU SHOULD BE considered a ward of the state.. AND THUS not have the ability to vote.. PERIOD.
You asked the question, ” Do you see gratitude or arrogance among the Parasite class? Thes, ” PARASITES ” are, or have ” Slavery in their past relatives history, and all those living in America now who hate ” The White Race, Well The White Race should be made to pay them anyway, the Minorities feel, makem pay… Those Greedy WHITE MEN, HOW DARE THEM BE SUCCEED IN THEIR LIFE WHEN SO MANY MINORITIES DON’ EVEN TRY!
Arrogance and a sense of entitlement..
Larry Elder, Great commentary. The communists in our Government want to make everyone dependent on the Government. what will happen is the economy will collapse, the middle class will be poor, the rich elitists will still have their money. Communism and Venezuela personified for the United States.
They want to bring back slavery.. WE ARE slaves to the Govt!
As The for!at Vice President remarked before a group of “Afro- Americans,,” They’re Going to but I’m-all back in Chains. ..,, Oh, I’m sorry ,I forgot for a moment what President Roosevelt had said was his union of ” Hyphenated Americans…
What I meant to say in my comments above was, As the former Vice President said before a group of Afro- Americans, ” They’re going to putit yu-all, back in Chains…Oh I’M Sorry, but I had forgotten what President Roosevelt in past history had said what he thought about ” Hyphenated Americans. This was what my above comment was supposed to be…
I often wonder, why after saying that, he did NOTHING TO ELIMINATE THE USE OF hyphenated americans from popular and governmental lexicon..
You commented , why Democrat President Roosevelt, didn’t do ” Something to eliminate. The use of ” Hyphenated Americans… ” because ( Human Nature hasn’t ever changed all that much for some humans, they prefer living off the labors of others than to work themselves and these humans vote for which political party gives them the most, promises, anyway…one of the Roosevelt’wifes,Elenor Roosevelt’s wife was supposed to have said, ” You get the White vote, I will get the black, and we can stay in the White House as long as we like . “
Sounds reasonable..