Monday, September 28, 2020

It's Time to Let America Work Again By Andrew Puzder

 

It's Time to Let America Work Again
By Andrew F. Puzder

Trump Nominee for Secretary of Labor, Andrew F. Puzder's new Broadside, It's Time to Let America Work Again, tells us that as we begin the process of reopening our economy, it is critical that we get back to work. The economic shutdown was intended to slow the spread of a lethal virus, not to permanently sacrifice our freedoms - and certainly not to expand government power and "fundamentally transform" America.

During the shutdown, we’ve learned what that transformed America would look like, and it is ugly. With millions of people out of work and dependent on government - lacking the dignity of a job, the security of a paycheck, or the opportunity for a better future - depression and despair are creating an "epidemic within the pandemic" of suicides and drug and alcohol addiction.

In It's Time to Let America Work Again, you'll learn:

·    If the government keeps its heavy hand on the economy, we may never fully recover.

·    Don’t forget, unlike the Great Recession, the current economic crisis is not due to speculation or excessive risk taking by businesses, investors, or our financial institutions - but rather a government-driven economic shutdown. The aid it receives is not a bailout. Rather, it is compensation for the government completely taking away its ability to operate.

·    President Trump and Congress's response does not demonstrate the need for big government beyond the crisis.

·    The recipe to restore the best labor market in history is simple: regulatory relief, certainty, and tax policies that allow individuals and businesses to keep most of what they earn.

While there are risks, if we follow safety protocols and protect the vulnerable, we can safely reignite our economy as we undo the lockdown, eliminate policies that discourage work and enact policies that encourage hiring and growth. It’s time to reject the transformation to permanent government dependence and return instead to individual freedom and prosperity.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Andrew F. Puzder is a Senior Fellow at the Pepperdine School of Public Policy. He is the former CEO of CKE Restaurants, Inc. and was President Trump first nominee for Secretary of Labor.