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I hope you saw my latest weekly column.



ROGER WICKER: Democrat Policies Keep Workers at Home
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At the height of the recent pandemic, millions of Americans were forced out of
work because of public health mandates and the closure of workplaces. Today,
those mandates are gone, but our workforce has not fully recovered. Because of
chronic staff shortages, it has become normal to wait longer for service at a
restaurant, a grocery checkout line, or a retail store. Even as our working-age
population has grown by millions since the pandemic began, our workforce has
shrunk by nearly 600,000 people. Millions of able-bodied Americans are simply
staying home because government has effectively encouraged them to do so.

Employers are certainly doing everything they can to find workers. In the past
year, employers have increased pay by over five percent, and many are offering
bonuses and perks to attract employees. Despite their efforts, there are still
11 million unfilled jobs across our nation – almost two for every unemployed
person looking for work. It is especially troubling that half of our missing
workers are of prime working age, between 25 and 54. Indeed, the biggest drop
in employment among non-seniors has been among people aged 20-24, who should be
gaining valuable work experience. This reality is a sad result of Democrat
policies that have made it possible to live without a paycheck.

Biden Increases Dependence on Government

President Biden often speaks passionately about the value of work. Recently he
said, “A job is about a lot more than a paycheck; it’s about dignity.” I
wholeheartedly agree. It is therefore ironic that his own policies are actually
discouraging work and separating Americans from the dignity it provides.

When President Biden took office, Congress had already provided ample economic
relief to the American people through bipartisan COVID legislation. Immediately
upon taking office, however, Mr. Biden pushed through a massive stimulus bill,
which extended enhanced unemployment benefits for another six months. This rash
and unnecessary move guaranteed a slow workforce recovery – although
Mississippi managed to avoid the worst impacts by opting out of the enhanced
benefits. This legislation also removed long-established work requirements for
welfare, taking away a key impetus that has helped many Americans find work and
become self-sufficient.

President Biden’s more recent actions have also discouraged work. His new tax
increase on job creators – which passed without a single Republican vote – will
tax away money that could otherwise be used to hire more workers or provide
higher wages and benefits. This new tax law also directs the IRS to hire 87,000
new agents, which will take workers and resources away from industries where
they could contribute to the economy. Most recently, the President’s decision
to transfer roughly half a trillion dollars in student debt onto the backs of
American taxpayers could have further negative impacts on the workforce. It is
also deeply unfair, as only 13 percent of Americans hold student debt yet every
taxpayer will be picking up the tab for this massive student loan bailout.

America Must Always Reward Work

Our nation was built on generations of hard work and sacrifice. We are the
most prosperous country on earth because we believe in rewarding personal
initiative rather than dependence on government. Unfortunately, Republicans
have been alone in defending this basic idea in Washington. As our economy
continues to suffer the consequences of one-party rule, Republicans remain
committed to advancing policies that will encourage Americans to rejoin the
workforce and unleash a true economic recovery.



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Thank you for your support,

Senator Roger Wicker






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