Joe Biden, the confused commander-in-chief, is headed back to the battleground state of Michigan on Friday where he is set to sign another questionable order. This new mandate will force federal agencies to ostensibly promote new labor standards in their project decisions, including supposedly optional union acknowledgements and employee advantages. Yet, it raises eyebrows whether these ‘benefits’ will indeed be fruitful or another Biden blunder waiting to mar the labor market.
In addition to the patronizing push for unionization, this directive would prod federal agencies to prefer projects that offer child and dependent care perks. It would also favor those providing health insurance, paid leave, and retirement benefits. The catch, however, lies in the deceptive prefix – ‘voluntary’. The Biden administration uses such terminology to mask the coercive undertones of their policies, effectively forcing organizations to toe their line to secure federal backing.
On the surface, the order appears to empower labor. However, it seems more likely to be yet another standalone piece promoting Biden’s misguided pro-labor stance: a dogged pursuit to fulfill an ill-conceived promise. Biden continues to fan the flames of his pro-union bias in how federal project selections are made, effectively enforcing ‘pro-labor standards’ without due consideration of their potentially harmful economic impact.
Employing the lure of application evaluation criteria related to these supposed labor standards, the directive encourages a race to the bottom. It reflects the Biden administration’s ongoing attempts to prioritize manufacturing grants with new labor standards. The devastating effects such ventures may have on businesses already grappling with red tape and burdensome regulations are being conveniently brushed under the carpet.
Hyping his latest maneuver, the White House declared this program ‘the strongest package of priorities’ to support the ‘free and fair choice to join a union.’ However, it’s worth questioning who this ‘choice’ truly serves. Are these actions in the best interest of the workers, or are they merely a bid to strengthen union power under the guise of labor rights?
As Biden prepares for his trip to Michigan, which doesn’t seem so thrilled to have him back, this will be his first visit since his intriguing decision to abandon his own reelection attempt. Instead, he threw his support for Kamala Harris, an ex-senator from California with her own set of controversies. One wonders if this decision was made due to his waning popularity or a strategic retreat disguised as magnanimity.
A recent statewide poll conducted in Michigan showcased the wavering faith in Harris. Commissioned by The Detroit News and WDIV-TV (Channel 4), the poll surveyed 600 probable voters, showing the former President Trump just edges out Harris at 44.7%-43.5%. The hint of Biden’s eroded confidence amongst Michigan voters, ironically the state he is soon to visit, can’t be missed.
The poll strike at the heart of Biden-Harris regime’s challenge: their inability to deliver on jobs and the economy. A staggering 19.5% of the poll’s respondents marked these as the most significant upcoming election issue making it the topmost concern. Biden’s effort to shroud his economic letdowns with labor-friendly directives falls into sharp relief here.
Not surprisingly, inflation and the cost of living, furrowed by the Biden-Harris administration’s missteps, were pinpointed by 12% of the participants as paramount troubles. Collectively, jobs, economy, inflation, and the high cost of living, all intrinsically linked, were named by almost a third of the respondents as their main problem. That’s a concerning increase from 27% in July, evidencing an escalating public distrust in the current administration.
Meanwhile, amid Biden’s call for Michigan, the federal Labor Department reported a rather misleading figure of 142,000 new jobs being added in the U.S. last month. This portrayed the scenario as an improvement from 89,000 in July, conveniently secluding the fact that the overall employment and economic recovery is pitifully slower than what it should be.
Regarding the nation’s unemployment rate, another rosy picture was painted by stating it dropped from 4.3% to 4.2%. Although it seems like good news, this marginal dip is failing to account for the millions still jobless, which begs the question – is this administration sharing the full picture, or are they hell-bent on obnubilating their lack of effective leadership?
Victoria LaCivita, the spokesperson for Trump’s campaign in Michigan, didn’t hold back her criticism. She attested that Biden’s Michigan visit serves as ‘another sickening reminder to every Michigander that a Kamala presidency would be another four years of historic inflation, high prices and lost jobs to electric vehicles’. This statement starkly bringing to light the fears lurking in the minds of American voters concerning potential continuity of economic downturn.
Biden’s last encounter with Michigan, apart from this seemingly ill-planned visit, was a campaign rally in Detroit on July 12. It seems that both then, and now, Biden is testing the waters in Michigan in hopes of generating some dwindling support for his faltering reign, which can be best characterized by a host of failed policies disguised as progressive measures.
As the Biden-Harris administration continues to push its agenda, it becomes increasingly clear that this doublespeak of promoting ‘benefits’ may not necessarily translate into actual gains for workers. Instead, it’s a perfect recipe for economic stagnation: lofty promises, empty rhetoric, and a lurking suspicion that the American worker might be the one picking up the bill.