Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign on Friday blamed former President Donald Trump for the recent spike in unemployment under her and President Joe Biden’s administration.
“As president, Donald Trump has failed the American people, ripping millions of jobs from our economy and bringing us to the brink of recession,” said James Singer, a spokesman for Harris’ campaign. Said The statement continues:
Now Trump is promising even greater damage with his Project 2025 plan, which will decimate the middle class and raise taxes on working families while stripping away health care, raising prescription drug costs and cutting Social Security and Medicare — all while making his billionaire donors richer.
The unemployment rate jumped to 4.3% and payrolls added 114,000 jobs in July, well below the 180,000 that economists had expected.
John Carney, economics editor at Breitbart News, noted that a significant increase in the unemployment rate could signal that the economy may be heading toward a recession.
The unemployment rate of 4.3% is 50 basis points above the lowest three-month average over the past 12 months, a benchmark known as the “thumb rule” that historically signals the start of a recession.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said on Wednesday that while a recession typically occurs after the stimulus package is implemented, a recession is not guaranteed.
“This is not some kind of economic rule that says something has to happen,” Powell said.
Republicans argued the dismal jobs report was the result of the Biden-Harris administration’s policies.
“Sluggish job growth and rising unemployment are the result of the Biden-Harris administration’s economic policies.” Rep. Kevin Hahn (R-Okla.), Chairman of the Republican Study Committee (RSC), said in a statement: “The harsh reality is that the Biden-Harris Administration’s economy is failing American workers every day. Their policies simply aren’t working. Our economy needs a new direction.”
Caroline Leavitt, national spokeswoman for the Trump campaign, Said In a statement:
Kamala Harris has repeatedly and proudly celebrated her role as Joe Biden’s co-pilot in “Bidenomics.” She has given the Senate runoff votes on inflation-boosting spending and told us that these failed plans are working, despite evidence that working American families are suffering.
She added, “Basic necessities like food, gas and housing are becoming harder to come by and unemployment is rising, but Kamala doesn’t seem to care.”
Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter. Sean Moran 3.
