Two Different Philosophies, Two Different Outcomes for American Workers and Middle-Class Families
‘The headwinds that blew in the face of American entrepreneurs and small business owners for eight years have died down. Now, the wind is at their backs… For eight years, Democrats operated from the left-wing premise that businesses need to lose in order for workers to win…Fortunately, Republicans have taken a different approach -- one that doesn’t assume that Washington bureaucrats know best.’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the Republican pro-opportunity, pro-worker agenda:
“It seems that every day brings another piece of good news for middle-class workers and families -- and, like clockwork, another desperate attempt by my Democratic colleagues to convince everyone that this growing tide of new prosperity is somehow a bad thing.
“In the last few weeks alone, the percentage of Americans who are unemployed, underemployed, or who’ve given up finding a job has dropped to a 17-year low. Recently, new jobless claims reached their lowest level since 1969. And the total number Americans receiving unemployment benefits is as small as it’s been since 1973.
“Let me put that another way. Notwithstanding 45 years of population growth, there are fewer total Americans receiving unemployment benefits under President Trump and this Republican Congress than at any point under Presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, or Obama.
“Now, we all know economic indicators can be volatile. And Washington D.C. is far from the only force behind them. In fact, getting the federal government out of the way is often the solution.
“The headwinds that blew in the face of American entrepreneurs and small business owners for eight years have died down. Now, the wind is at their backs.
“In December 2017, after just one year of Republican policies, optimism among American manufacturers hit the highest level ever recorded. In large part, that’s because Washington had gotten out of their way. Back in 2013, more than 75 percent of manufacturers said an unfavorable business climate from taxes and regulations was a top concern. Now, fewer than 19 percent have that worry.
“This is a real-life experiment in two different governing philosophies. For eight years, Democrats operated from the left-wing premise that businesses need to lose in order for workers to win. So they raised taxes, passed mammoth new regulations like Dodd-Frank and Obamacare, and let runaway agencies like the EPA run roughshod over American businesses. That’s what got us such lackluster results, year after year.
“Fortunately, Republicans have taken a different approach -- one that doesn’t assume that Washington bureaucrats know best. We know that American workers can only thrive if thriving American businesses are creating jobs and raising wages. So we’ve worked to enact an inclusive opportunity agenda to bring greater prosperity to everyone. And that is exactly what’s beginning to happen.
“From Florida to Indiana, Fifth Third Bank is raising its minimum wage for employees. Kroger is planning to hire six hundred new associates across my home state of Kentucky. Nationwide data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that the amount employers spend on salaries and benefits grew more in 2017 than in any calendar year under President Obama.
“Two different philosophies, and just 16 months in, two very different outcomes for American workers and middle-class families.”
Related Issues: Economy, Taxes
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