Don't Demean the Jobless

[Martin Eden]

Found this today in the Business section of the Chicago Tribune:

Targeting jobless is out of line

On Aug. 26, Rep. Steve King, a Republican from Iowa, stood up before a group of conservative supporters in South Carolina and said there are "more than 100 million Americans that are simply not in the workforce." He went on to compare them to stubborn children who refuse to do their chores.
..............................

First off, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics — the government agency from which King claims he got these numbers — there are about 11.5 million unemployed Americans. The bureau also lists nearly 1 million as "discouraged workers," individuals who believe there are no jobs available for them.

So where is this 100 million slackers figure coming from? King is presumably folding in the 88 million Americans who are not in the workforce, a number which, according to the National Employment Law Project, includes: 40 million people who are retired; 13 million people who are disabled; along with students, stay-at-home parents and the sick.

"I certainly don't think the stay-at-home parents in Mr. King's district would appreciate being compared to children not doing their chores," said Judy Conti, federal advocacy coordinator for the self-described nonpartisan law project. "And suggesting that our economy would be better if grandparents came out of retirement is absurd."

[Half-Century Man]

1. To be fair to Rep. King...

...he could have read 11.5 million as 115 million. Recording of his speeches indicate he may not be cognitive enough to understand decimal point.

[GeorgeGist]

3. And 74 million children.

[Martin Eden]

4. Lazy, shiftless children!

I'm sure Peter King and his ilk would repeal child labor laws if they could.