21 Oct 2013 Obama’s Lack of Respect for the Common Working Man

As praise and a raise is bestowed upon the federal workforce in the wake of the government slowdown that only actually furloughed a small percentage of the total federal payroll, Project 21 member Derryck Green wonders why President Obama doesn’t seem to have similar concern for the plight of the average American worker and those who want to work but cannot under the economy Obama has wrought:

Since President Obama took office, nearly ten million people left the American workforce.  The labor force participation rate is at a 35-year low (63.2 percent as of last August), and over 90 million people are not in the labor force at all.

And yet, during and after the recent partial government shutdown, the President and his media accomplices (willingly and regularly disseminating information beneficial to the President’s agenda-driven narrative) appeared to have more sympathy for the temporarily-furloughed 800,000 non-essential government employees than the millions upon millions of Americans who could only wish for such a temporary inconvenience.

Instead, as the federal workforce resumes regular employment, other Americans remain permanently unemployed.

Obama even went so far as to thank the non-essential government employees under his employ for their service as if they are the backbone of the country’s economic engine — as opposed to the private sector.  In a very real sense, it seems Obama believes this to be true because it is central to his big government ideology.

Recall the “stimulus” bill early in the Obama presidency and how the President promised that repairing roads, building and renovating bridges and tending to infrastructure projects (all public sector, union represented jobs) would revitalize the American economy?  And they didn’t?

Upon the ending of the partial shutdown, Obama said: “I’ve got a simple message for all the dedicated and patriotic federal workers who’ve either worked without pay or have been forced off the job without pay these past few weeks, including most of my own staff:  Thank you.  Thanks for your service.  Welcome back.  What you do is important. It matters.”

It sure would be nice if, sometime during the last five years, Obama acknowledged the millions of Americans who can’t find a paying job in such a reverent manner.  It’s a shame he didn’t tell the millions of resilient and resourceful Americans that what they’re doing — or at least trying to do in his so-called recovery — matters (as opposed to telling others lucky enough to be working an innovating that they “didn’t build that”).

Why didn’t Obama thank those dedicated and patriotic Americans who still appeal to — and rely on — the American ethos of hard work and determination, and who refuse to be succumb to Obama-created economic apathy and government dependency?

It would’ve been nice if the President enacted policies to welcome back the ten million people who’ve left the workforce since he’s been in office, rather than doing what seems to be his level best to add to those ranks.

It should also not be overlooked that these federal employees were only temporarily furloughed.  They are still employed.  They will even be compensated for their inconvenience as a result of the agreements that reopened the small portion of the government that was actually closed.  In other words, 800,000 federal employees apparently just received an unplanned two-week paid vacation.

If that weren’t enough, they will also likely be receiving a pay raise under the terms of the settlement.

Good God, it must be nice to be a federal employee!

These goodies for the federal workforce come at the expense of a continually contracting private sector, where more and more Americans are being forced into part-time employment.  Many of these very same people are unable to find additional work to supplement their lack of income because of this less-than-stellar economic recovery plaguing the nation.

So while the constantly-shrinking numbers of private sector employees continue their struggle to keep their heads above water — which includes trying to pay for allegedly affordable health care premiums they are now stuck with — the President gives thanks and praise to federal employees.

This is what liberalism looks like.

And since conservative congressional leadership isn’t properly-equipped with enough intestinal fortitude, legitimate and practical strategies for success and a common sense plan to communicate to the American people as to precisely why liberal policies are so destructive, even more of President Obama’s big government ideology is likely to be implemented.

Speaker of the House John Boehner isn’t going to be the only one crying at this rate.