Labor Day Is a Reminder That Hard Work Defines America
Labor Day is often seen by conservatives as a holiday belonging to progressives and leftists. This is a mistake – while Labor Day may have its origins in socialist movements, this holiday is a celebration of hard work and self-reliance. Labor Day weekend is thus a time to recognize that work is a fundamental part of forging a meaningful life and that a strong work ethic is indispensable to the American Dream.
As someone who has run two businesses, I’ve seen that our vibrant and robust economy depends on the efforts of hardworking individuals – men and women who improve their lives through their work and contribute to their communities as well. While the Left and Hollywood seem obsessed with bashing capitalism, American capitalism has created amazing wealth and prosperity for millions. Jobs created by our capitalist system are the reason so many people across America can put food on the table, pay off their mortgages, ensure their children have better lives than they did, and pursue happiness as they see fit. That’s why the best thing government can do for businesses is put the conditions in place that ensure free and fair competition, and then get out of the way.
Indeed, when I lost my mind and ran for Congress, protecting individuals and businesses from big government was one of my chief motivations. Overregulation from the Obama Administration was crushing farmers, manufacturers, and the energy industry in my home state of Kansas, and it was clear that a market driven by people who had real skin in the game would deliver greater prosperity than one controlled by the entrenched bureaucracy in Washington, D.C. By embracing a similar mindset in the Trump Administration, we were able to unleash the incredible work ethic of the American people and deliver the strongest economy in decades. As just one example, by cutting burdensome Obama-era energy regulations, we empowered hard workers, risk-takers, and true innovators in the oil and natural gas industries, ultimately achieving energy independence for America – something that helped all Americans prosper.
As Secretary of State, I saw firsthand that America’s economic might very much affected our ability to help friends and punish enemies. In February 2020, I traveled and met with Victor Lukashenko in Belarus. His country had found itself in a bit of an oil spat with its patron, Putin. American energy independence allowed me to stand at a press conference and tell Foreign Minister Makei, "We're the biggest energy producer in the world, and all you have to do is call us.” When our leaders have the ability to say that, it makes it so much easier to pursue and achieve good outcomes for the American people.
Unfortunately, the Biden Administration today has taken a different approach. Rather than trust the free market to deliver prosperity to the American people, it has instead chosen to flood it with trillions of dollars in government subsidies, then credit the resulting growth in GDP to the success of ‘Bidenomics.’ But this ‘growth’ is fool’s gold: its mammoth subsidies have only fueled select industries – like green energy – which have done little, if anything, to help the American people. No matter how much short-term ‘growth’ results from these subsidies, the real outcome of Bidenomics has been higher taxes, higher energy prices, and little incentive for businesses large and small to work hard, take risks, and innovate.
As conservatives, we should champion a different approach – one that aligns with America’s history and our Founding. When I think of America’s unique work ethic, I can’t help but think of my Grandma Grace and Grandpa Earl. They married each other at 6:30am because Grandpa Earl didn’t want to be late for work. Grandma Grace couldn’t afford to wait either: During her life, she served as PTA president four times, led multiple Girl Scout troops, was a precinct committeewoman, and made most of the clothes worn by their ten children. Each was dedicated to serving their community and providing for the family they had built together. This kind of work ethic forged the American Dream, one marked by self-sacrifice and self-reliance. This is why Labor Day – a celebration of hard work and the fruits of hard work – is a uniquely American holiday, and as conservatives, we should celebrate it.