Republican congressional leaders are blasting President Joe Biden after the May jobs report fell about 100,000 jobs short of estimates.
The Labor Department's employment report on Friday showed 559,000 nonfarm jobs created last month, with wages rising, though millions of jobless Americans remained at home.
Economists polled by Reuters had predicted even stronger job growth of 650,000 jobs created in May. They say the factors keeping people from working may include a lack of childcare and generous unemployment checks, according to the wire service.
Still, Biden touted the data, noting unemployment is down and wages are up.
"This is historic progress," Biden said in a speech. "None of this success is an accident. It isn't luck."
But House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was critical of the president’s economic policies.
He tweeted: "As we emerge from the virus, our economy should be booming, but today's lackluster jobs report shows President Biden's policies have stalled our recovery. Washington needs to stop paying people NOT to work. Bidenomics is bad for America."
And House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., criticized the president, as well.
Scalise tweeted: "Another bad jobs report—100,000 fewer jobs added than experts estimated. This is what happens when you pay people not to work. What did Democrats expect?"
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who is the chair of the House Republican Conference, posted on Twitter:
"'U.S. added 559,000 jobs in May, vs 671,000 estimate'
Yet again, President Biden’s jobs report misses the mark - further proof that the Democrats' socialist economic agenda DOES NOT WORK."
She followed that up by tweeting:
"Arguably the most diappointing part of President Biden's job report: labor force participation DOWN even as the eceonomy reopens
Biden/Pelosi should have listened to Republicans - ask any small business, the Dems' federal unemployment is NOT incentivizing Americans to work"
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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