Political Quotes

“I am a small business man. We own a small business, my wife and I. I know many small business owners across America are struggling to reopen and rebuild after COVID-19 shutdowns. They simply can't find workers to fill the job openings. Why? Because the Federal Government is disincentivizing people from working. Many people are making more money off unemployment insurance than they would if they were back at work, and that is having a crippling impact on Main Streets across America, including in my district. People in Washington need to hear these stories. Southern Illinois is home to Belleville Boot Company, a military boot manufacturer founded in 1904. A year ago, they employed nearly 240 workers in Belleville. But after each round of stimulus checks, as good as they may be, they had fewer and fewer workers showing up. Now, their workforce has dropped to 26 percent, and they can't find enough workers to fill the openings. In Alton, the Kreative Kids Learning Center has helped educate local children for 51 years. The owner, Keith, says that they currently have 21 employees but are desperate for more. He runs ads in the newspaper, online, and on social media, offering a good wage, yet he received zero applications--zero. He has even had to turn children away because he is so short of staff. In Carbondale, Illinois, Mary Lou's Grill has been a local staple since 1962, serving up the most famous biscuits and gravy in town.…”