Chuck Schumer Ignores Economics 101, Drops Most Ridiculous Claim to Date
Ah, the American Dream. Work hard, make wise decisions and someday you’ll be able to accomplish your goals. But to work hard, first you need work — which is why good employment numbers are important to Americans.
Or maybe not. See, according to Senate Minority Leader (and please God, let him stay that way) Chuck Schumer, jobs don’t really matter to Americans.
Even though the economy added 250,000 jobs in October — which, according to the Washington Examiner, was 30 percent more than expected — that’s not what really matters to American families.
“The latest jobs numbers may look good but we must not forget they coexist with a huge deficit-ballooning GOP tax break that went mainly to the wealthy for which we will pay a price for down the road,” Schumer said in a statement.
“When the average family sees their health care costs go up because of Republican actions, these numbers will mean little.”
Latest jobs numbers may look good but don’t forget they coexist with a huge deficit-ballooning GOP tax break mainly for corporations for which we’ll pay a price down the road.
When families see their health care costs go up because of GOP actions, these numbers will mean little.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) November 2, 2018
Several things here.
First, I thought the economy was great. Hasn’t Barack Obama been telling us how awesome things are, all because of him? Wasn’t he the one who was bending the cost curve of health care? How can things be terrible and awesome at the same time?
As for the tax break, the reason the economy is so good is because of the Republican-passed tax cuts of 2017.
The Democrats don’t seem to get that economic growth has to come from somewhere, and if you take away money via taxes, there’s not as much room for growth.
Of course, if they’re that concerned about “a huge deficit-ballooning GOP tax break” we can always cut spending. There are plenty of bloated entitlements that we can do away with. That’d be another way to jump start the economy. But, no — the Democrats aren’t really concerned about the deficit. They aren’t concerned about spending. They’re concerned that the spending isn’t taking place on the things they want it to.
Oh, and yes, about those health care costs. When did they start ballooning? The Democrats’ were supposed to “bend the cost curve” — i.e., slow the rate at which health care costs grew — under Obamacare. Now, because the Republicans are doing away with things like the individual mandate, the curve is going to hell.
Well, here’s a news flash: That’s been happening for years. For all of the talk about cost controls and the like, take a look at premiums. Take a look at patient choice. Take a look at quality of coverage.
This is what Chuck Schumer is willing to plant his flag on? He’s willing to stand up for the individual mandate, a provision that was nothing more than a transfer of wealth from the young and healthy (and relatively poor) to older (and generally wealthier) Americans? He’s willing to stand behind the baseball bat he took to our health care system?
And beyond all that, let’s be clear: Jobs are what drives the economy. I can’t believe we have to go through this economics 101 stuff with Schumer and his ilk, but apparently we do.
People can’t afford health care without jobs. People can’t pay taxes into the system without jobs. We’d be paying a much greater price down the road if people didn’t have employment.
Of course, Schumer knows that, and he knows his dirge is nothing more than his way of trying to cover for the fact that the economy under Trump and the GOP is booming. Will that dirge work at the ballot box, though?
We’ll see on Tuesday.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
