To redistribute wealth, someone must first produce it.

“As you might expect, gains in the welfare-industrial complex are concentrated in the blue states. In fact, if it weren’t for such jobs, some blue states like New York, Michigan and Illinois would actually be losing employment. “

John Hinderaker:

THE WELFARE-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

The Biden administration brags about the number of jobs being created, but given our rather slack economy it is reasonable to wonder what kind of jobs they are. At the Wall Street Journal, Allysia Finley has a sobering answer:

Drill into the nation’s 3.7% unemployment rate, and you’ll find a growing welfare-industrial complex beneath the seemingly strong labor market. Government, social assistance and healthcare account for 56% of the 2.8 million net new jobs over the past year, and for nearly all gains in blue states such as New York and Illinois.

Which means that it is the red states that are carrying the load, producing jobs that actually create wealth:

President Biden won’t admit it, but he has Republican states to thank for the increase in productive jobs in private industry. The administration’s bet is that government spending on welfare and entitlements can continue to power the U.S. labor market even as job growth in manufacturing, tech, retail and other industries flags. But social make-work projects don’t improve American living standards.