Democrat Congressman Dismisses Low Black Unemployment under Trump
Even with Black unemployment at its lowest rate in nearly 50 years under the Trump administration’s watch, South Carolina Congressman James Clyburn dismissed these numbers.
Clyburn said these numbers are “not true” because Blacks “were fully employed during slavery.” So, “it all depends on how you measure” it, he asserted.
On Fox News’s Your World With Neil Cavuto, host Neil Cavuto chatted with Clyburn about the Trump economy. Clyburn asked whether the president’s policies are beneficial to Black Americans.
“Let’s leave the words aside,” stated Cavuto. “Whether you like his [Trump’s] style or not, or tweets or not, or comments or not, he’s delivered the goods for a lot of African-Americans has he not? With record-low unemployment levels for one group or another. Among Africa-Americans, you don’t think that’s something constructive?”
Clyburn, who voted to impeach Trump back in December, said, “Come on, Neil. No, no, it’s not true. I’m saying that the African-American unemployment is not the lowest it’s ever been unless you count slavery.”
“We were fully employed during slavery,” claimed Clyburn. “So it all depends on how you measure this up.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the national unemployment rate for African American workers, 16 years and older, was 5.4% in August 2019. Michael W. Chapman of CNS New said this was the lowest rate in recorded history.
The BLS data for African American begins in 1972, almost 50 years ago. According to a chart that Chapman posted, the unemployment rate numbers from July through December 2019 were in the 5’s range — 5.9, 5.4, 5.5, 5.5, 5.6 and 5.9. In January 2020, the rate was 6.0 percent.
Clearly Democrat elected officials are in denial about Trump’s economic success.
However, if the Trump administration wants to win black votes, it will need to push immigration restriction given how unskilled labor tends to displace black labor.
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