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President Obama: We're in the middle of the longest streak of private sector job creation
in history. More than 14 million new jobs, the strongest 2 years of job growth since
the 1990s, an unemployment rate cut in half.
Michael: In his final State of the Union address, President Obama touted the fact that the unemployment
rate has been cut in half. The President is right to celebrate the unemployment rate.
Its fall represents the alleviation of hardship for millions of American workers. Unfortunately
the job market has much further to go before all Americans who can be working and who should
be working are in jobs that they're satisfied with.
And unfortunately, several of the policies the President has championed throughout the
course of his administration have made it harder to find a job, not easier. Let's take
two. One is the minimum wage. The President is wrong to insist on a higher minimum wage.
Raising the minimum wage makes it harder for people to work. Instead, the President should
be touting wage subsidies that pull people into the work force and that encourage work.
In addition, the Affordable Care Act should be repealed and replaced in a responsible
manner that makes it possible for Americans who want health insurance to get it, but that
doesn't erect barriers to employment. So what do you think of President Obama's legacy?
Let us know if there are any other topics you would like to see AEI scholars discuss
in 60 seconds. And be sure to check out other State of the Union responses from my AEI colleagues.