The blue-collar Trump boom

The economy has been red hot since President Donald J. Trump took office. That’s great news on its own. But even better is that not all booms are created equal—and the blue-collar Trump Economy is paying off for exactly the working Americans who need it most.

Last year, Council of Economic Advisers Chairman Kevin Hassett reported that blue-collar jobs grew at their fastest pace since 1984. And now, “after years of job losses, U.S. manufacturing employment has risen for 18 straight months among those holding production or nonsupervisory jobs, the longest stretch of gains since the mid-1990s,” The Wall Street Journal wrote this month.

More good news today: “Real wages for American families are soaring,” the White House Council of Economic Advisers reported this morning. Hourly earnings rose by 1.9 percent in the past 12 months—far exceeding even last year’s pace.

Complementing those rising wages is a significant drop in prices. American families are paying less at the pump as gasoline prices fell 9.1 percent during the past year. And in keeping with a major promise from President Trump, last month saw the biggest year-over-year decline in prescription drug costs since 1972.

February’s jobs report, released Friday, revealed that the unemployment rate fell to 3.8 percent last month, remaining near a 50-year low.

Behind these numbers is a renewal of hope among working-class families and blue-collar communities across the heartland. Nearly 70 percent of Americans told Gallup they expect their personal financial situation to be even better next year. Their employers are optimistic, too. On average, a stunning 91.8 percent of manufacturers feel positive about their companies’ future growth under President Trump, compared with an average of 68.6 percent during the last two years of the Obama Administration.

Americans credit President Trump as the economy continues to soar

The latest: February jobs report shows wage growth is the fastest since 2009

The First Lady takes “Be Best” across America

First Lady Melania Trump made a three-state swing last week, taking her “Be Best” message for child well-being to Oklahoma, Washington state, and Nevada.

The first stop was Dove School of Discovery in Tulsa, one of five public charter schools that aims to provide a character-development curriculum in every classroom from pre-K to the 12th grade. The First Lady participated in an activity with pre-K children that encouraged young students to think about ways they can show kindness in their lives.

On the topic of online safety, the First Lady visited Microsoft Headquarters in Redmond, Washington, seeing firsthand how Microsoft is taking the lead on promoting online safety for children and parents. “The technology being designed not only includes safety features but also accessibility for all – a very exciting and new opportunity for many with limited mobility,” Mrs. Trump said.

In Las Vegas, Nevada, the First Lady took her message of fighting opioid addiction into her second town hall with Eric Bolling. “This campaign will give a voice to those affected by the opioid crisis by allowing them to share their stories and Eric Bolling was one of the first to share his family’s story, inspiring hundreds more who have followed his lead,” the First Lady said.

See First Lady Melania Trump visit the Dove School of Discovery