Power to the people?

       The new Republican mantra seems to be 'we are now the party of the working class'.   Of course, the pronouncements of Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz and a few other populist wannabes are not the stuff of policy by the party.   

     The recent rejection by several Republican governors of free federal money to continue expanded unemployment benefits to the unemployed in their states gives the lie to any newfound genuine populist policies by the GOP.  No less a mouthpiece than the Chamber of Commerce has condemned aid to the unemployed as hurting business.   Indeed, a majority of business owners, especially in low wage service industries depend on a large pool of desperate unemployed people willing to take starvation wage jobs in order to avoid homelessness.    To the extent some unemployed have rejected minimum wage jobs in favor of living wages is a tribute to Democratic policy.

    The relatively minor jobs gains reported in April are probably a one off.   As many economists have said, recovery from a pandemic which involved tens of millions of lost jobs is not a straight line exercise.  There will be ups and downs.   All schools are still not open full time.  Many day care centers have not reopened yet and the unemployment statistics for women tend to bear this out.

      The economy is trending better, but there is still much suffering in this country.   The need for more stimulus is evident, as is the necessity of more investment in human capital.   I'm pretty sure the party of power to the people is Democratic.