Gary Franks: Labor participation rate better reflects economy

Is the media trying to make President Joe Biden "look good" instead of reporting the news as news, along with analysis?

For example, are we being misled about the condition of our economy? Does anyone not understand the following: If you are not working, you are unemployed?

Biden's claim that the unemployment numbers are some of the best has been an enigma for me. The fact that the vast majority of Americans seem not to be "feeling" all this good news per the direction of the country in polling is not surprising, however.

The labor force participation rate indicates the percentage of all people of working age who are employed or are actively seeking work. In conjunction with the unemployment numbers, it can offer some perspective into the state of the economy. This is a standard definition of labor force participation used by experts.

The truth is we have altered what the truth is. Back in the 1950s we had a labor force participation rate of over 85% for males. Today that figure has dropped to 62%. So much for the 3.6% unemployment rate reported this month.

The truth, but truly not the truth. And we are not including any of the remaining group — 38% of our eligible workforce population — when accounting for our unemployment rate (granted retirees and disabled people are part of this number). But still, how does this make any sense?

It must be noted that labor participation rates for our weakest economic links — Black people and Hispanics — are even lower, with no genuine plans to lift them up.

Today public assistance costs $1.2 trillion annually. Medicaid, healthcare for the poor, is $750 billion of those dollars. This contributes to our $32 trillion national debt. Remarkably, the public assistance total is over $300 billion more than our national defense budget. This unsustainable debt, and policies adding to it, are totally ignored by the media. And obviously they are not even whispered by the folks in the Biden administration.

When asked, the administration usually gives its patented response: "The labor force participation rate was about that bad for other presidents of late too (Trump)." OK. Maybe? But that does not make it any better.

To boast about the "low" unemployment rate today under Biden's watch disrespects tens of millions of Americans who we do not count in our evaluation of the unemployment rate. They do count, however, per the cost of public assistance.

The even bigger question is why do we see such a dramatic change? And what can we do to reverse this trend?

Without more people working, it can be troublesome to society. The situation can also affect people's mental health. Are millions of Americans too discouraged to seek employment? Does it have something to do with the increasing cases of mass shootings or our climbing crime rate? We simply do not know definitively.

I am also hoping that the media will not continue to overly influence the upcoming elections in other ways. Too frequently they push false or misleading narratives to help Biden improve on his job approval numbers.

The liberal media talks incessantly about former President Donald Trump, giving him more "oxygen" than all the GOP candidates running for president combined. Then they falsely act surprised to see that Trump is the favorite for the GOP nomination. The liberal media realizes that Trump is Biden's best opponent — the only one Biden can beat.

Meanwhile, the Democrats are frozen in time with the oldest man to ever hold the presidency. The media repeats Biden's boasts, some at times amazing in their simplicity.

Point one — Biden's silence when Wagner mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin led his soldiers in a mutiny march against Moscow. The liberal media called Biden's silence "a brilliant tactical move." Yes, left-wing media voices were praising him for doing "nothing."

Point two — a Biden official remarked that "America had nothing to do with Prigozhin's march into Russia." Question: Who ever said we did? We cannot protect our drones from Russian fighter planes. And we do little to nothing when incidents do occur.

Point three — Biden has high-stakes meetings with NATO leaders.

If we cannot get along with the E.U. and NATO when a European country is fighting Russia, we would never be able to get along with Europe and NATO. This could not be easier.

On the other hand, thanks to the media we are kept in the dark about the alleged contributions made by NATO and other European countries in helping Ukraine fight Russia compared to our massive contributions. As Ukraine's largest military supporter, we deserve to know.

In conclusion, we must not be misled or be allowed to believe things simply because the liberal media wants us to believe a certain narrative that would promote Biden. Facts. Just give us the facts.

Let us remember the basics: Working is "employment;" not working is "unemployment." To leave out the indigent in the calculation of our unemployment rate does not seem appropriate.

We do not need the liberal media, which reports what the politicians are saying after they hear it from the economists, to tell us differently.

And, over a professional baseball career getting hits at a .380 pace would put you in the Hall of Fame. However, in our economy, the 38% folks are for the most part, the forgotten Americans, at least until it is time for public assistance.

Gary Franks served three terms as U.S. representative for Connecticut's 5th District.