Have you noticed how the Democrats and activist media are conspicuously silent on jobless numbers? Well, the reason why is not hard to ascertain at this point. Numerous stories have emerged revealing that the left’s contention that unemployment benefits were not contributing to the unemployment rate is a blatant lie. In fact, the results of a recent survey have all but pounded the final nail into the coffin of the “unemployment benefits didn’t contribute to jobless numbers” narrative.

The poll, which was conducted by Morning Consult, found that about 1.8 million unemployed Americans have rejected jobs because the unemployment benefits are paying them more than a job would. The numbers essentially confirm what conservatives have been shouting since earlier this year about how the enhanced federal unemployment benefits are incentivizing people to stay home.

As a result of this foolhardy policy, American businesses – especially the smaller ones – have been experiencing drastic labor shortages, which has impacted their bottom line. In many areas, it’s rare to see a restaurant, store, or other types of small business without a “we’re hiring” sign in the window.

Axios pointed out:

Of those actively collecting unemployment benefits, 29% said they turned down job offers during the pandemic. In response to a follow-up question, 45% of that group said they turned down jobs specifically because of the generosity of the benefits.

The federal benefits are set to expire at the end of September. However, many states have already canceled the payments because of the unemployment rate. Late in June, it was revealed that these states saw a sharp decline in the joblessness rate. The Wall Street Journal reported:

The number of unemployment-benefit recipients is falling at a faster rate in Missouri and 21 other states canceling enhanced and extended payments this month, suggesting that ending the aid could push more people to take jobs.

Morning Consult chief economist John Leer warned that cutting unemployment benefits early could bring other problems. He argued that “getting people to move from relying on unemployment insurance to wage income doesn’t just automatically happen” and insisted that “there’s going to be some searching and matching frictions at work.”

Nevertheless, it is clear that the toll that the unemployment benefits are taking on the economy is not worth the risk. Small businesses have already been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown order. Even during the recovery, they are finding it difficult to run their operations effectively and the lack of staff is surely a significant contributor to the problem. Despite the left’s desire to keep as many Americans on the government dole as possible, it appears the return to normalcy is chugging along at an encouraging clip.