the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, last weeks stunningly disappointing April jobs report points to the idiocy of the Biden/Pelosi policies . The fact is if you tax something, you get less of it. If you subsidize something you get more of it.
Three months ago a study by Mulligan and Moore for the Committee to Unleash Prosperity predicted the “Covid Stimulus Bill” would reduce employment by six million workers. The bill passed nonetheless with all Democrat votes providing $300 a week bonus unemployment benefits, expanded food stamps, Medicaid, rental assistance, no rent payments required (because of an eviction moratorium), free $1,400 checks per person, etc. – which added up to annualized payments of up to $100,000 for a married couple both unemployed.
The low paying restaurant, retail and service industry jobs go unfilled. Most employees were laid off early in the pandemic. Many are looking for more reliable employment in other industries.
When your children are home or in hybrid learning environments how do you leave for work? School can close down for two weeks on a moment’s notice – who covers? In my family we all became remote workers and the paychecks continued, the transition was easy.
The jobs that go unfilled are the face to face positions that do not pay well. Who knew that a supermarket cashier was an essential employee. The restaurant jobs are higher risk because workers must deal with unmasked customers.
Now look at state and local government workers. Ridgewood is just beginning to open up. Working from home soMehow made very slow response To questions acceptable. The DMV is even more of a nightmare than usual. They all get to stay home and shut down offices at any sign of adversity. Don’t blame the low wage workers for unemployment. They face the worst without safety nets.
Projections were that the April jobs report would show the addition of ONE MILLION (1,000,000) new jobs
The ACTUAL report showed 266,000 new jobs
The UNEMPLOYMENT RATE also ROSE for the first time since April 2020
Biden stated that he is “not disappointed” and that “This month’s job numbers show we are still on the right track” .
The press cheered and made excuses for this dismal failure .