New report shows growth of the welfare state has fueled long-term declines in the labor force

FEE’s Brad Polumbo writes, “massive labor shortage continues to grip the nation and hold back our economic recovery. With countless pandemic and policy factors influencing the shortage, there’s a heated debate over what’s keeping so many workers out of the labor force. But a new study confirms that the growth of the welfare state is playing a massive role—and that this trend began long before the pandemic.

There’s a heated debate over what’s keeping so many workers out of the labor force. But a new study confirms that the growth of the welfare state is playing a massive role—and that this trend began long before the pandemic. My latest @feeonline:https://t.co/rELz70G68B

— Brad Polumbo ??⚽️ ?️‍? (@brad_polumbo) October 28, 2021

Published by experts on the Republican side of the Senate Joint Economic Committee, the analysis reports, “the U.S. has witnessed an unprecedented rise in disconnected prime-age workers over time.”

Read the entire column.