As we roll around to another election season, I predict we will see candidates at a national and state level falling over themselves trying to be the “champion of the middle class.” In fact, the middle class has become the cause célèbre for those who govern us in recent years. After all, it makes a good sound bite. Too bad, for many it is simply lip service.
What is the one thing that is most important to Americans? A good, steady job; one that pays well.
An August 2012 Pew Research study found that 86 percent of Americans believe having a secure job is a necessary part of the middle class lifestyle. Don’t believe it? Then, try this one out at home tonight: “Honey, I lost my job today, but don’t worry the new Forest Service regulations will protect all of the trees I used to cut at the sawmill.” Or, “Don’t worry, the state government has $17 billion in savings.” If I went home with a story like that I would get a swift boot in the backside and be directed to the career ads to find a job so I can feed my family.
The problem is, as ludicrous as they may seem, these “don’t worries” are the very things that those who govern us are telling us today. The very politicians who say they want to protect the middle class are passing laws or supporting regulations or processes that make it impossible to develop resources. In doing so, they are destroying the jobs that will build the American middle class.
In his last state of the union speech, President Obama said he was interested in “practical proposals to speed up growth, strengthen the middle class, and build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class.” He even vowed to “slash bureaucracy and streamline the permitting process for key projects.” Unfortunately, actions and words seem to tell a different story.
Look no further than the Keystone pipeline or the EPA’s stated intention to expand its powers under section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act so that it can veto projects at any time, including before one is proposed and long after it goes into service. Think about the implications of a regulatory policy like this. How willing would you be to invest in anything when the very permits that allowed you to proceed can be revoked on a whim by regulatory fiat.
How can anyone support a job killing regulatory policy like this and say you are a champion of the middle class? This is hardly a foundation for building good-paying jobs and the middle class.
While it is easy to point at the President, the problem knows no political or jurisdictional boundaries. Democrat or Republican, federal government or state government, the problem reflects a growing number in government that view responsible resource development as the enemy.
Although you may not like to hear it, this group is winning. All you need to do is look at the number of Americans that don’t have jobs or are under employed. Over the past few years, we have seen a significant decline in the number of Americans participating in the labor force. In 2006, about 66 percent of Americans participated in the workforce. Fast forward to April, the participation rate dropped to 62.8 percent.
That doesn’t have to be. Many Americans want good jobs and many companies want to invest good money in projects that will responsibly develop America’s abundant natural resources. Government should be encouraging, not hindering this.
Friends, this is the real war on the middle class. If we want to build our middle class, we need to create steady, good paying jobs. This is not done by a government program, but a fundamental philosophy that says responsible resource development is good and necessary. Yes, we should have robust regulatory processes, but they must also be sensible.
As candidates knock on your door, request contributions and attempt to curry your vote this summer, the power is in our hands. When they say they are for jobs, ask them specific questions about what they mean and what they have done to solve the problems. If the walk and talk don’t match, tell them you will support the candidate who does.
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