It is disappointing that so many Americans are out of work. This is exactly the reason that Americans4work was founded — to help Americans get back into jobs. This non-partisan organization recently hosted its first event at the National Press Club and its list of speakers was impressive. After listening to the speakers, it became clear that high levels of immigration is one of the root causes of the jobs crisis we are currently experiencing.
Tom Broadwater, a key figure in Americans4work, spoke at the event and highlighted the plight of Black Americans, veterans, and the disabled. Broadwater said Black Americans are 11% more likely not to be working, unemployment for post-9/11 veterans is up 6% over the past 12 months, and disabled Americans are nine times more likely not to have a job.
Broadwater also brought up a recent Wall Street Journal article that analyzed the job recovery since the ‘09 recession, and unlike all other recessions since the Great Depression, this was different because three years after it ended, unemployment levels have still not returned to their pre-recession levels. In prior recessions, jobs were restored within 25 months of the recession’s end.
The numbers don’t lie: the jobs depression isn’t over and Americans are not getting back to work. However, many of your colleagues are acting as if there is a labor shortage. I hope you will not support any immigration legislation that brings in any more foreign workers. Doing so would only make it more difficult for Americans to find work make the recession even worse.
Phone me if you would like to talk about this.
Greg Raven
