See below for a statement by President Joe Biden on this morning’s employment report, which found that “Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 216,000 in December, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.7 percent.” As President Biden says, this report “confirms that 2023 was a great year for American workers,” with ” 2.7 million new jobs in 2023—a year when the unemployment rate was consistently below 4 percent—more jobs than during any year of the prior Administration.” Meanwhile, as if all that isn’t good enough:
“The strong job creation continued even as inflation fell to the pre-pandemic level of 2 percent over the last six months, and key prices have fallen over the last year—for a gallon of gas, a gallon of milk, toys, appliances, car rentals, and airline fares. American workers’ wages and wealth are higher now than before the pandemic began, adjusting for inflation.”
Even MORE impressively, these superb economic conditions (and yes, obviously, nothing’s ever perfect, but relatively speaking, it’s hard to find another point in U.S. history when the economy was as good for so many people) have come about: a) after a devastating economic downturn caused by the global COVID pandemic and the near-shutdown of our economy; b) the post-COVID “supply chain” issues we saw, stretching into 2021 and even 2022; c) Republican obstructionism/sabotage/bad mouthjing of the economy; d) the tiny majorities President Biden had in the US House and Senate in 2021-2022. Hell, if this were happening with a Republican president, the media would be 24/7 about how “happy days are here again,” “it’s morning in America,” “the president is going to win a landslide reelection,” etc. But it’s a Democrat in the White House, so…???
Statement from President Joe Biden on the December Jobs Report
This morning’s report confirms that 2023 was a great year for American workers. The economy created 2.7 million new jobs in 2023—a year when the unemployment rate was consistently below 4 percent—more jobs than during any year of the prior Administration.
The strong job creation continued even as inflation fell to the pre-pandemic level of 2 percent over the last six months, and key prices have fallen over the last year—for a gallon of gas, a gallon of milk, toys, appliances, car rentals, and airline fares. American workers’ wages and wealth are higher now than before the pandemic began, adjusting for inflation.
I won’t stop fighting for American workers and American families. I know that some prices are still too high for too many Americans, and I am doing everything in my power to lower everyday costs for hard-working Americans—from bringing down the price of insulin, prescription drugs, and energy, to addressing hidden junk fees companies use to rip you off, to calling on large corporations to pass on savings to consumers as their costs moderate. And I will continue opposing efforts by Congressional Republicans to shower massive giveaways on the wealthy and big corporations, cut Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, and block us from lowering costs for American families.
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