WASHINGTON, D.C.—As Democratic leaders descend on New Orleans for the leftist Netroots Nation conference, right in House Majority Whip Steve Scalise’s (R-La.) backyard, the economy for workers and families is booming thanks to Republican policies.
The contrast between the Republicans’ laser-focus on creating jobs, allowing workers to keep more of their hard-earned paychecks, and the safety of our communities, and the message of big-government socialism and open borders folks will hear at Netroots Nation from coastal elites like Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) could not be more stark.
Republicans kept their promises to cut taxes and create jobs and the results have been paying off for middle-class families across the country. The result of rolling back big-government regulations and signing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into law speak for themselves:
- GDP jumped 4.1 percent last month, despite Democrat predictions of “Armageddon.”
- 1.44 million jobs are expected be created by 2025, with 19,324 in Louisiana alone.
- Jobless claims dropped to the lowest level since 1969. Unemployment remains at the lowest level since 2000, with more jobs available than people looking.
- Real disposable incomes increased the most since 2015.
- Wage and benefit growth are at record levels.
- Small business optimism levels are at record highs, along with retail sales.
- 90% of Americans are seeing tax cuts, and more than 4 million people have seen raises, bonuses, and better benefits from over 600 companies.
- Utility companies nationwide have lowered rates for consumers thanks to the savings they see from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
While Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) called the policies that created this windfall for workers “reckless, unjust, and just plain cruel,” Americans everywhere are seeing more money in their paychecks and new opportunity to achieve the American Dream. In Louisiana, a Slidell restaurant owner said the tax cuts have led to more people eating out and visiting her restaurant. Another Louisiana family was able to use the increased dollars to finally make needed home repairs due to termite damage. Real families are seeing real results.
The Democrat tax plan would reverse this growth with tax hikes and as Warren has suggested, maybe even to a rate as high as 90 percent. Republicans would like to see the economic growth continue and are working on a new round of legislation that would make tax cuts for American families permanent.
The economy isn’t the only place the parties differ. When it comes to enforcing the law, some on the Left would rather not. Harris thinks it’s outrageous that a felon, who is in this country illegally, would be deported. Meanwhile, Republicans are working with President Trump and his cabinet members to better enforce our laws, remove these felons from our country, and strengthen border security so we can stop drugs and crime from pouring over our borders into our communities.
Congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has even called to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Congressional Democrats are following her lead. While Whip Scalise and his colleagues voted in favor of a House resolution supporting ICE agents and the powerful work they do to protect our citizens, 133 Democrats voted “present” and 34 voted against it. Last year, ICE agents saved more than 900 children from sexual assault or human trafficking. America is a country of law and order and law enforcement officers risk their lives every day to keep our communities safe.
While these Democrats visit the Big Easy to tout their radical agenda that is out of touch with the everyday concerns of Americans families, Republicans are continuing to work with President Trump to to address the issues that affect workers and families by implementing policies to grow the economy, create new jobs, and prioritize national security.