Posted on 05/23/2017 4:31:07 AM PDT by IBD editorial writer
Growth: Economists are saying that a big problem the economy faces right now is a lack of available workers. If that's the case, then the welfare reforms in President Trump's budget would be a big part of the solution.
A front-page New York Times article Sunday says that "the main economic concern" these days "is no longer a lack of jobs, but a lack of workers." The Times reports that almost a third of the 388 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics have an unemployment rate below 4%.
As a result, the story goes on, there's little chance that the economy could grow significantly faster, despite Trump's promises.
But as we've pointed out in this space, the economy isn't anywhere near full employment, given that the labor participation rate today is 62.9%, which is down from 66% before the last recession started in December 2007.
(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...
If welfare is the cause of lower labor force participation, yes.
If it is unofficial jobs, stay-at-home moms, and wealthy early retirees, then it won’t really help.
Trim government ranks — kick bureaucrats out of their offices.
Trim welfare ranks — make the unproductive do the jobs that illegal immigrants used to do.
We can find the workers.
Budget cuts always help. It has nothing to do with the fallacious workforce numbers. Bringing in more low skilled, uneducated workers does nothing to improve our society.
Here’s a thought.. Forty hours is full time, idiot. Repeal every word. Pay them more than they would earn to sit at home and pop out babies. Or maybe we just need to import some more.
There are more than 90 MILLION working age people out of work collecting welfare and other benefits right now. They are no longer counted in the unemployment number because they gave up looking for work. So I think we have plenty of Americans ready to work.
Gird your loins because here it comes, “Heartless GOP politicians throw millions of poor t the curb...”
In some areas of this country, if an employer posts a notice for an open position that requires a high school education, some level of training, and pays a pretty good salary, it's pathetic how few people in the surrounding area are: (1) willing and able to do the job, and (2) can pass a criminal background check and/or drug test.
In 1975 the average wage was $5.00, adjusted for inflation = $22.66
In 2016 the average wage was $21.96.
Wages have decreased slightly....
I find it hard to believe that people on welfare by choice are candidates for even the most menial jobs out there, much less the kind of job that requires any education. So unless your idea of a worker is a panhandler or a mugger then I doubt cutting welfare will increase the supply of available labor.
But illegals coming over the border...
1-won't have a HS education
2-Some level of training
3-pass a criminal back ground check and/or drug test
Wait a minute, I thought robots were taking over all the jobs, and so we had to give everyone a guaranteed income!
Define "pretty good" and post some examples.
After adjusting for inflation, the average hourly wage has been flat for 50 years indicating zero labor shortages in the USA.
The idiot liberals can’t seem to understand that when you tax money away from someone you cost jobs.
They think you GIVE someone a job when you take evil money away from some one and give him a government job, but they never ever consider lost production.
I could give $50K in taxes to the government, and they can hire someone to push paper around. I am out $50K with nothing to show for it.
OR I could KEEP my $50k and hire someone to build me widgets. At the end I still have my $50K, because I have the widgets he built for me, that I can sell- maybe even for a profit (and make $60k)
Plus he has $50K to buy stuff too, so there is increase in wealth, due to WORK.
Pretty much just an oxygen thief.
Her attitude alone makes her useless for even the most menial of jobs.
Our welfare system is the reason there are jobs “Americans just won’t do”. Even 40+ years ago the government was paying people more to sit on the porch than they could make at a low skilled job. That wasn’t enough, then along came public housing. Then food stamps ‘stigmatized’ recipiants, so now its a shiny EBT card. Anything to keep the loyal Dem base on the plantation.
Illegals coming over the border also don’t have $200,000 in college debt for useless degrees draped around their necks.
Better yet, STOP paying women to stay at home and pop out babies. MAKE them HAVE to find jobs. STOP making becoming a welfare mom be an attractive (or even viable) alternative to work.
The company is projecting decent growth for this year, but it could be 25% higher if they could fill all of their production positions.
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