A Growing and Vibrant Economy
‘So while our Democratic friends keep railing against tax reform and regulatory reform. Keep insisting we should compile more money and power here in Washington. Republicans know better. We know that a real recovery is when Americans -- of all ages, all abilities, and in all parts of the country -- have more opportunities to earn their own success. And we’re proud that our policies are helping make that happen.’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the benefits Americans continue to see from the Republican pro-opportunity, pro-worker agenda:
“Lately, there’s been no shortage of outstanding economic headlines. ‘Small business confidence hits another record high.’ ‘U.S. workers get biggest pay increase in nearly a decade.’ ‘Open jobs outnumber U.S. unemployed for third straight month.’ But it’s also important to look beyond the headlines and ask whether all Americans are benefitting from this new prosperity. For years, under the last administration, much of the so-called ‘recovery’ only touched some communities and some industries. Many vulnerable Americans fell farther and farther behind.
“Today, things are different. A growing and vibrant economy has room for everyone. The unemployment rate for young Americans aged 16-24 is now as low as it’s been since July 1966. Labor force participation among this same group is at its highest level in nearly a decade. The unemployment rate for workers with less than a high school diploma is now at its lowest level in recorded history. And as work opportunities have opened back up, the number of Americans seeking Social Security disability benefits has plummeted.
“As one scholar told the New York Times: ‘When the economy gets better, employers are more willing to look to other labor pools and be more accommodating...people with disabilities also have a sense there may be something out there that fits with their needs.’ Remember, for much of the Obama economy, opportunity creation was so insufficient that many vulnerable Americans were effectively put on the sidelines. The job market was too crowded. Openings were too few.
“But this thriving economy, helped along by Republican policies, is a different story. There are more and more opportunities for everyone. This reminds us that it is capitalism and free enterprise, not new government programs, that best equip Americans to provide for their families and pursue happiness. Free enterprise is what’s led an aviation tech maker in Colorado to lean on a high-school-aged technician, whose skills are, quote: ‘highly integral’ to the company. Free enterprise is what’s led a semitrailer manufacturer in Wisconsin to hire inmates as they reenter the community after paying their debt and help them rebuild upright lives.
“It’s an old line, often attributed to President Reagan: ‘The best social program is a job.’ So while our Democratic friends keep railing against tax reform and regulatory reform. Keep insisting we should compile more money and power here in Washington. Republicans know better. We know that a real recovery is when Americans -- of all ages, all abilities, and in all parts of the country -- have more opportunities to earn their own success. And we’re proud that our policies are helping make that happen.”
Related Issues: Economy, Jobs
Next Previous
