Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:09 — 13.1MB)
From the Chair
Months ago, as the world was suffering through the post-covid inflation that hurt the budgets of so many families, economists were warning of a national recession. They said controlling inflation inevitably meant higher unemployment, and a shrinking economy.
They were wrong.
Instead – thanks to Bidenomics, Governor Whitmer, and our majority in the state legislature – more people are working and have more resources for themselves and their families.
- Our state’s unemployment rate is the lowest in 23 years, and only the third time it’s been below 4 percent since the 1970s.
- The national unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been since Neil Armstrong walked on the moon 54 years ago.
- Inflation has dropped to 3%
- Wage growth is outpacing inflation
- And the economy continues to grow
What does this mean for Michigan families? As President Biden rightly notes:
“Our unemployment rate remains near record lows, inflation has fallen by two thirds, real wages are higher than they were before the pandemic, and we’ve seen more than half a trillion dollars in private sector investment commitments in clean energy and manufacturing.”
As inflation falls and our economy continues to improve, Republicans may need to rethink their attacks on the Biden economy because 13.2 million jobs have been created under President Biden – nearly 4 million more jobs than before the pandemic.
In the first six months of 2023 the Governor and our newly elected Democratic majority has approved a wide range of projects totaling a capital investment of over $452 million across the state. On top of that Governor Whitmer and Michigan Democrats have delivered for Michiganders:
- clean energy investments which create jobs, and help fight the climate crises that we are seeing on a daily basis
- Common-sense gun safety laws,
- increased funding for education, protections for reproductive freedom, expanded civil rights protections, and
- repealing the anti-worker ‘right to work’ law.
This historic progress is a constant reminder to continue to tell our story, knock doors, make phone calls, and talk to our community members to elect Democrats and keep the progress going. Let’s continue to uplift our message: Democrats are delivering for Michigan families.
We are joined by Rep. Julie Brixie to discuss talk two major accomplishments that grow out of twin tragedies on the MSU campus (a part of her district): gun safety laws, laws strengthening the rights of sexual assault victims.
Stories We’re Following This Week
- July is already the warmest month on record, scientists calculate – AP News
- 60% of the US population under extreme weather advisories | AP News
- Whitmer signs energy bills to advance Democrats’ climate goals – Detroit Free Press
- Federal infrastructure, clean energy spending is powering the economy and lifting GDP – The Washington Post
- Q2 GDP stronger than expected: – Fox News
- GDP Grew at 2.4% Rate in Q2 as US Economy Stayed on Track – The New York Times
- Biden signs an order designed to strengthen protections for sexual assault victims in the military – AP News
- Larry Nassar survivors sue Michigan State over released documents – Detroit Free Press
- 2023 Michigan State University shooting – Wikipedia
- Larry Nassar – Wikipedia
- What’s in the Budget to Upgrade Michigan’s Infrastructure? – Executive Office of the Governor
- Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer expands teacher union rights, critics say it sets back students – Bridge Michigan
- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs law to make Michigan 22nd state to ban conversion therapy – Bridge Michigan
- ‘I have been indicted,’ says suspect in Michigan vote machine tampering probe – Bridge Michigan
- Former Michigan GOP co-chair pleads not guilty to fake elector charges – Bridge Michigan
- Voters Largely Oppose Conservative Amendments to Defense Spending Bill – Data for Progress
- How Supreme Court Justices Make Millions From Book Deals – The New York Times
- How George Santos Used Political Connections to Fuel Get-Rich Schemes – The New York Times
- Republicans Reframe 2024 as a Race Versus Harris – Not Biden – The Messenger
- The GOP’s lengthy impeachment and censure lists – The Washington Post
- Alabama’s Proposed Congressional Map Is Still Biased Against Black Voters – FiveThirtyEight
- Trump wants to see Biden impeached, and other Republicans are quick to pile on – AP News
- DeSantis Faces Swell of Criticism Over Florida’s New Standards for Black History – The New York Times
- The Steep Cost of Ron DeSantis’s Vaccine Turnabout – The New York Times
- In a new post, John F. Kennedy’s grandson, Jack Schlossberg, slammed his cousin RFK Jr.’s candidacy as an ‘embarrassment’ – Instagram
- Why Republican state AGs are seeking out-of-state medical records – Maddow Blog