There is a familiar campaign slogan that talked about making America great again. Now, Americans can look to a specific time when the American economy was great: that was when we had a Republican president in the White House working in a bipartisan manner to create an inclusive economy for all.
President Biden continues to push his “Build Back Better” plan as if it is the vaccine to the economic pandemic he has created. His policies are having a devastating impact on the bank accounts of millions of Americans.
Even though Democrats control the White House and both chambers of Congress, there is a silver lining for Americans who live in a state with Republican leadership. The red-state recovery is real, and those states continue to bring jobs back faster than their Democrat counterparts across the country.
Recent data released by the U.S. Department of Labor backs the fact that Republican Governors and legislatures are making a much-needed difference when it comes to helping more Americans find meaningful work.
My grandfather always talked about the value and importance of hard work, providing for your family, and having a job. He literally worked by the sweat of his brow, and on countless occasions I was there with him. The dignity that comes from work is immeasurable, so when you have millions of Americans out of work during this Biden-created jobs crisis, it goes against who we are as Americans: hardworking people.
Republican-led states are providing the roadmap for recovery. Just take the example of jobs recovered.
Out of the top 20 states with the most jobs recovered since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, 17 are led by Republican governors, and that includes states with large minority populations like Arizona, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi and Alabama. Furthermore, 16 of the top 20 states for lowest unemployment rate are led by Republican governors In other words, leadership matters.
In North Carolina, the low labor force participation rate is a major factor that Democrat leaders are failing to address. North Carolina State University economist Mike Walden pointed out: “In North Carolina, that means we’re about 100,000 people who would be either working or looking for work if we had that labor force participation rate we had pre-pandemic…That’s, I think, the issue right now. Why aren’t more people out there wanting jobs.”
This economy has to work for everyone. When it doesn’t, we all suffer. Rising inflation, high gas prices, the supply chain crisis – these disasters do not show a nation on the road to recovery with Democrats in control.
In a recent poll of North Carolina voters, 56% disapprove of the job Joe Biden is doing as president and 46% disapprove of the job Roy Cooper is doing as governor.
This poll continued to spell out bad news for Democrats in the state because nearly 63% of voters felt the economy was getting worse, with over 55% saying President Joe Biden was responsible. It should come as no surprise that the same poll has nearly 57% of respondents disapproving of Biden’s handling of the economy and jobs.
Donald Bryson of the John Locke Foundation sponsored the poll and he said: “the cracks in Cooper’s armor are issue-specific, and he is five points underwater on his handling of the economy. That has to be top of mind for many people who go to the grocery store and see empty shelves and face vaccine mandates at work.”
When it comes to leadership on the issue of the economy, Republicans are proving themselves to be up to the task at both the national and state level. Under President Trump the country saw tremendous economic gains and the Black community saw historic low unemployment.
Sometimes to get the change we want – in this case, the change we need – we need to think about who we vote for. When it comes to the economy and job creation, the GOP has the track record of leadership the nation needs right now both in Washington, D.C. and in blue states.
If we follow the facts, the data, and the economic experts, it is clear: the Biden-Harris administration and Democrats are squandering the economic recovery and have no realistic plan to address the needs of working parents, single mothers, job creators, and minorities in America. Raising taxes, imposing more burdensome regulations, wasting tax payer money, and pushing unconstitutional mandates are not the way to help our economy, but that is all we hear from Democrats.
Paris Dennard is the National Spokesperson and Director of Black Media Affairs for the Republican National Committee (RNC). Follow him on Twitter: @PARISDENNARD.