 Republicans have argued for months that providing relief to small businesses and struggling families during an economic crisis is just a step too far, and that unemployment benefits are keeping workers from returning to work. The problem is there’s new evidence every day that confirms they’re consistently misleading the American public.
Weekly jobless claims hit another pandemic-era low and have trended downward since January as Americans are getting back to work.
Associated Press: “The number of Americans seeking unemployment aid fell last week to 444,000, a new pandemic low and a sign that the job market keeps strengthening as consumers spend freely again, viral infections drop and business restrictions ease.”
While Republicans put the blame on workers, businesses that have decided to pay fair wages are having no problem filling job openings.
MSNBC: “After raising employee wages to $15/hour, Klavon’s Ice Cream Parlor in Pittsburgh received ‘well over 1,000 applications’ for job openings. Co-owner Jacob Hanchar says customer service has improved and he hasn’t ‘noticed a difference on our bottom line.’”
New York Times’ David Leonhardt: “If anything, wages today are historically low. They have been growing slowly for decades for every income group other than the affluent…That so many are complaining about the situation is not a sign that something is wrong with the American economy. It is a sign that corporate executives have grown so accustomed to a low-wage economy that many believe anything else is unnatural.”
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