real clear markets: We Need the Workers That the American Dream Is Attracting

By: John Motta, Chairman of the Coalition of Franchisee Associations
Op-ed available here.

It is no secret that the Washington establishment, both Republicans and Democrats, are increasingly frustrating to those of us who live and work outside of their DC bubble. As Chairman of the Coalition of Franchisee Associations, I have been travelling to Washington for years now, on my own dime, to talk and plead with our lawmakers regarding the critical labor shortage we have in this country. Yet after this last week of meetings, my level of frustration reached an all-time high as I believe our leaders have reached an all-time low.

In my lifetime, if anyone said that “jobs” was a major issue, it was because there was a lack of them available to people. Today, “jobs” is a major issue because we do not have enough people who work – and this problem is just as serious as any sky-high unemployment number we have faced in our country’s history. Much of today’s economic issues and problems, from supply chain, to inflation, to productivity and global competition, are a result of the lack of individuals who are willing and able to join the workforce. In fact, right now, there are more people leaving the workforce than entering it.   

For years, I have met with elected leaders and their staff in Washington and continue to press them on the issue of labor shortages. This last week, to my utter dismay, I was dismissively told by a congressional office, “Oh yes, we hear that all the time from all our constituents”.

If both Democrats and Republicans are hearing this from their constituents, those who work in the private sector each and every day and pay hard earned taxes, then why isn’t anything being done to mitigate this problem? If everyone agrees there is a problem, then together we should seek solutions.

To be clear, this is not a political issue nor is it a partisan issue, this is an issue that affects every American. Whether you go into a restaurant, a hotel, or you need an electrician or a plumber, you have seen the effects of the labor shortage. Yet, our elected leaders in Washington continue to focus on nonsensical soap opera drama while ignoring the major drivers of our labor and economic challenges.

Simply put, immigration is the only answer. Today, if every unemployed person in the United States filled a vacancy, there would still be 4 million job openings.

We have an aging population that is retiring from the workforce in record numbers and a plunge in birth rates. And the secret to our country’s growth and productivity has always been that our population continues to be economically enriched by those who leave whatever place they were born in, and choose to live in America. They say the most entrepreneurial thing a person can do is to leave where they live in pursuit of something better. I know this, because my parents were immigrants and first-generation Americans. I benefited from America and in the process also provided thousands of jobs and taxpayers in my lifetime. 

We need immigration reforms passed now to ensure our country maintains economic superiority in the world. It is critical that our economy grows and innovates, and immigration plays a key role, just as it has for decades in our history.

The private sector knows this and has started speaking out. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s LIBERTY Campaign – which calls for enhanced legal immigration to help fill America’s job vacancies, as well as increased border security – has been supported by over 440 business associations across the spectrum. It is through these types of efforts that we can only hope Congress will realize the severity of the challenges our economy is currently facing and take appropriate action.

Margaret Thatcher once said that Europe was created by history, and America was created by philosophy. The American Dream lives on in this country and we all benefit greatly from sound and just immigration reform, in fact our own livelihoods and personal economic security are dependent on it.

The American Dream is not dead. It lives on in each citizen born here or sworn in here. But right now the American Dream needs a champion in Washington. Maybe even a few of them. From both parties. The American Dream needs our leaders to not just listen, but act. The next great generation of Americans are ready to work, but only if we let them.

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