No reason to celebrate

Regarding “As we fight the virus, don’t forget about jobs,” (A19, Sept. 7): In his vain attempt to defend his boss, Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia heralds the return of millions of jobs post-COVID-19 lockdown. There is no reason to celebrate an economy that lurched from 3.5 percent unemployment to 8.4 percent in six months. Millions of Americans are out of work, and many of the lost jobs will never return. Scalia is also silent as to the ruinous deficits that are keeping the rest of the economy afloat. America will borrow more than $3 trillion this year, and that borrowed money is the only thing propping up the stock market. In the last few days the S&P 500 Index, the Dow and the NASDAQ reminded us of what will happen when we run out of other peoples’ money. Finally, after seven months of COVID-19, Trump has still not developed a containment strategy, and he continues to mock people who wear masks. Experts tell us the death toll will double by Christmas, and we cannot possibly turn this economy around if people are living in fear and isolation. Our president is faking it, and Scalia is trying to distract us with saccharine talk of America’s can-do spirit. The next few weeks will expose Trump’s disastrous decision to spin his way, rather than manage his way, through this crisis, and he and his many apologists, like Scalia, will be shown the door.

Mike Collier, senior adviser to the Joe Biden campaign