When recently asked by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer if he would accept the cabinet position of labor secretary under a possible Biden administration, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) responded, “If I had a portfolio that allowed me to stand up and fight for working families, would I do it? Yes, I would.”
Sanders added, “What’s true is I want to do everything I can to protect the working families of this country who are under tremendous duress right now. Whether that’s in the Senate, whether that’s in the Biden administration, who knows. Well, let’s see how that unfolds.”
If Sanders were to become secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor, a lot would unfold. And it would not be good for business owners or workers.
First, Sanders is a socialist who would use every ounce of his power as labor secretary to limit business’s ability to make the best possible decisions for their business. Like all socialists, Sanders thinks the government always knows best, which is why socialism has historically been a complete disaster whenever it has been tried.
Second, Sanders is a huge fan of unions. If confirmed as labor secretary, he would likely empower unions, especially public unions, like never before. Of course, all workers should have the right to unionize, but business owners should also have the right not to hire union workers, if they choose. Further, public sector unions have been particularly harmful in recent decades, because they have coerced lawmakers into changing the laws to benefit them at the expense of everyone else. Just look at the mess that is public education to see why public sector unions should not be allowed to hold taxpayers hostage.
Third, Sanders is possibly the world’s foremost fan of the $15 national minimum wage, which has been proven over and over again to cause businesses to lay off workers and/or cut back on hours. Businesses should set wages, not government bureaucrats, because businesses know what they can afford and what they can’t. Forcing businesses to raise wages when market economics don’t dictate increased wages only ends up hurting workers and consumers, who often have to pay higher prices to offset wage increases.
Fourth, Sanders is the champion of increasing regulations, the exact opposite approach that helped the Trump administration create an economy that featured one of the lowest unemployment rates in history. The last thing American businesses and workers need in the midst of a pandemic is more red tape and government meddling.
Fifth, Sanders has been in the public sector nearly his entire life. He has almost no clue how the private sector operates or what it takes to run a business–nor does he seem to care. Why in the world would we put someone in charge of the Labor Department who is wholly ignorant of the trials and tribulations that business owners face on a daily basis?
Sanders should stick to his day job, peddling socialist policies that have almost no chance of becoming law.
Chris Talgo ([email protected]) is the editorial director and a research fellow at The Heartland Institute, as well as a researcher and contributing editor at StoppingSocialism.com.
