The Sconi

Republicans in Wisconsin joined a chorus of GOP officials blasting President Joe Biden for allegedly encouraging people laid off from work because of the COVID-19 pandemic to remain jobless because they receive federal aid checks.

U.S. House Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Kenosha County) urged Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, to end what he said were federal incentives that encourage people to remain at home and out of work.

“The worker shortage is a direct consequence of costly, inefficient policies from Washington,” Steil said. “While Pelosi and Biden’s policies have brought us to this point, Gov. Evers can act and end the federal incentive keeping Wisconsin workers at home.”

Biden toured Wisconsin on June 29 to try and sell his infrastructure plan, a roughly $2 trillion proposal, to upgrade the nation’s road, sewer, power and other public networks while shifting to a greener energy grid with less fossil fuels over the next eight years.

Biden signed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief law in March designed to help the public survive the job layoffs caused by the pandemic and to make rental and mortgage payments on their housing.

However, Republicans are contending the cash payments are encouraging indolence and sloth among the public.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WIS) said Biden needs to face the reality that employers in his state are finding it impossible to hire workers because the workers can stay home receiving federal aid, according to a FOX News report.

"Biden and his fellow Democrats refuse to acknowledge their socialist policies are creating greater dependency, hampering economic recovery, and further mortgaging our children’s future," Johnson said. "Everyone agrees we must invest in infrastructure."     

Steil added that he hoped Biden saw the “Help Wanted” signs posted all across Wisconsin during his visit.

A Bureau of Labor Statistics report posted Wisconsin’s current unemployment rate at 3.9%.