Host Neal Asbury opened his nationally syndicated “Neal Asbury’s Made in America” show on Radio America (now on 48 stations) by remembering the late comedian Robin Williams, and recalling the fond memories of watching this gifted actor perform on screen and on TV.
Co-host Dr. Rich Roffman added that America has to do a better job of understanding the devastating effects of depression, and recognizing when someone needs help.
Neal and Dr. Roffman changed the focus of the show to the ongoing battle over raising the minimum wage and its unintended impact on keeping people in poverty.
Joining Made in America as a guest was Patrick Hedger, Policy Director at American Encore, who expressed his frustration over the number of academic studies that support raising the minimum wage, when in reality, raising the minimum wage destroys opportunities to improve the quality of life while devaluing the dollar.
Dr. Roffman noted that one effect of the increased minimum wage is that it forces companies to look for alternatives to their labor costs, which increasingly means turning to automation, such as robots that can do the job of humans for much less money.
“You’re already seeing this in supermarkets with self-check-outs, and at fast food restaurants where self-ordering is replacing counter people. If you’re in favor of raising the minimum wage then you better be ready for seeing a minimum price for basic commodities. Increasing the minimum wage increases what Americans need for a living wage,” suggested Hedger.
Dr. Roffman added that minimum wages devalue advanced education and training, creating an “educational imbalance” between higher and lower educated individuals.
“When the price of skilled labor goes up, inflation follows,” concluded Hedger.
Neal and Dr. Roffman turned to a discussion of a town in New Jersey that is voting to change the name of the performance center from The Kennedy Center to the Obama Center.
“There are no jobs in New Jersey and they are bestowing this honor to the person responsible for this? U.S. wages are down 23 percent since 2008 while bank profits are at an all-time high. Does Obama really deserve this honor?” questioned Neal.
Dr. Roffman added that the numbers would look worse if the administration didn’t regularly spin the employment statistics each month to make things look rosier.
“Is it any wonder that many people have buyer’s remorse over voting for Obama? Polls show (including CNN) that more than half of the people who voted for Obama would vote for Mitt Romney if they could do it all over again,” noted Dr. Roffman
Wayne Crews, Vice President for Policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, was the next guest on Made in America, who discussed the impact of $1 trillion in regulatory fees on small business.
“President Obama claims he has reduced the number of regulations. But he ignores the major regulatory changes he has approved that fall on the shoulders of small business—the most in decades. He has accomplished this without congressional approval, without transparency and without giving small business any regulatory flexibility,” said Crews, who added the net effect is that small businesses are risk averse, and that means not hiring.
“We need more business leaders on Capitol Hill to protect small business, by keeping the federal government out of the small business community,” advised Crews.
Neal added that while people clamored for the first black president, and want to see a woman president, he would like to see the first small business/entrepreneur president.
Returning to Made in America was Derrick Green, Project 21 National Speakers Bureau, who responded to Neal’s introductory remarks that 20 percent of blacks are unemployed, and that by granting amnesty to the millions of immigrants who entered the country illegally, they will further erode the job market for blacks with limited education and training.
“There are 7.1 million blacks with a high school diploma or less, who will be in direct competition with these illegal immigrants. This will further push blacks into poverty and reduce the opportunities for full-time employment. The very people who voted for Obama will be the most hurt by his immigration policies,” predicted Green, who noted that black unemployment has been above the national average for decades.
Dr. Roffman reminded listeners what occurred in Florida when 180,000 Cuban refugees poured into the state, taking jobs from local blacks. Riots ensued.
Neal and Dr. Roffman departed from their usual weekly conversation relating to cronyism, to again remember Robin Williams.
Dr. Roffman read a poem by American poet, Edwin Arlington Robinson, entitled Richard Cory, which details a successful man hiding a deep secret. An excerpt reads:
“So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.”
Dr. Roffman suggested that it captured the spirit of Robin Williams, who seemed to be a good person who enjoyed life, but in reality harbored deep feelings of depression that ultimately caused him to take his own life.
Each week Neal Asbury’ Made in America provides Neal’s insights into the week’s top news stories and their impact on the worlds of entrepreneurship, small business ownership and the overall economy. Neal’s analysis, together with co-host Dr. Richard Roffman, a veteran 30-year publisher with extensive domestic and international experience, takes a non-biased approach based on real life experience in business as an American manufacturer and exporter. Made in America airs nationally each Saturday from 7-8:00 PM on Radio America. Link to Made in America at http://www.nealasburysmadeinamerica.com.
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