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Former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao on the Obama Administration waiving work requirements for welfare and the outlook for the job market.
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National correspondent.
Joining us now with her reaction to what is becoming more frequent extension of our by this president.
There's Elaine -- the former secretary of labor under president George W.
Bush now a distinguished fellow at The Heritage Foundation Fox News contributor.
-- first your reaction to just stripping out of the work requirements from welfare report.
I think it's stunning it's -- stunning abuse of spot executive powers and they -- disregard.
For our three branches government.
I'm -- the intent of the welfare reform law that was passed 1996 is quite clear.
And the work component what's very important part of that it was good for the recipients.
Soon to be experts opinions.
Because basically all of all our research the department -- -- we -- That -- the work was the major component.
And all of the assistance programs revolves around the work.
Spoke -- -- at people had a much better chance of getting off of the -- starting new lives and getting better jobs.
This president is being criticized for creating.
Dependency across this nation.
And this just plays into the hands of his critics because -- is spit it gives every appearance of that he is putting dependency of Bob.
Respect for work or and opportunity for those who -- -- -- work it really kind of perpetuates -- cycle of poverty.
Because if children are growing up in a home where they don't see a mother or father go to work every morning on time.
And where they understand what work is all about.
This sex these young people -- failure when they are of age and cannot into the workforce because they've never see him role model before.
And there is more than sufficient stress for those folks are for millions of Americans as many as 25 million.
Americans who were either out of work -- underemployed or her discouraged workers.
Is you know better than anyone.
June marking the 41 month in which the unemployment rate in this country's been above 8% it's devastating what.
What in the world is this administration going to do what can any administration do and should they be deal.
You know what's been happening is a lack of job creation our population growth every month requires the creation of about 225.
251000.
Net new jobs and -- woefully along that.
I would say that this past -- reporters action much better and August of 2011 in which there was no job tree.
So what's really happening now is that yes -- president may have inherited a bad economy but he made it worse with backed policies.
With anti business -- policies.
That do not.
Encourage job creation you know we are now on a worldwide economy.
And it's not as -- we can act in isolation.
And so we need to be sure that our policies.
Are letting the private sector.
-- create the jobs.
That would ordinarily be created under normal circumstances and that is not happening it's being held back the economy's being held back.
Held back and into what degree do you blame this president directly because it's often said presidents are given far too much credit for good times.
And far too much blame for bad time.
We have twelve point seven million American -- out of work.
And many of them are many of the workers that are traditionally in the workforce are now no longer in the workforce.
The labor participation rate is very low 63 point 8%.
-- during the period 2001 to 2008.
The labor participation rate was about 67%.
Average unemployment rate despite point 2%.
During testing period so clearly.
It's jarring -- just hear the numbers because that's only.
An era that ended four years ago.
Public policy has an impact.
Not only legislatively.
But also through the regulatory.
Avalanche that is now flooding businesses and discouraging them from creating jobs.
And so true do election after -- Thank you very much when -- it.
