Did former President Barack Obama actually take the time to explore the American jobs he lost? Or is his new Netflix docuseries, “Working,” just another attempt to stay relevant? Find out how Obama’s hypocritical take on jobs ignores the damage his presidency inflicted on U.S. manufacturing.
Under President Barack Obama’s watch, hundreds of thousands of U.S. manufacturing jobs were lost. Now, the former president has unveiled his latest Netflix docuseries called “Working,” which explores American jobs and the changing nature of work for millions of Americans. In his series, Obama can be seen visiting families in their homes and places of work, as they express their concerns about employment and their economic futures. But with a net loss of 200,000 manufacturing jobs under his presidency, many are questioning the credibility of Obama’s new project. Especially with his infamous comment during the 2016 presidential race, where he asked then presidential candidate Donald Trump, “What magic wand do you have?” in regards to bringing back manufacturing jobs. With Working set to debut on May 17, it begs the question – how hypocritical is Obama’s take on American jobs?
The teaser for the new Netflix documentary, “Working,” features Obama driving a car, giving inspiring speeches, and generally looking like he’s really concerned about American jobs. Yet, some might argue that Obama’s concern with American jobs is unfounded, considering the damage his presidency did to U.S manufacturing. Under President Obama, the country suffered a net loss of 200,000 manufacturing jobs, with many factories being outsourced overseas.
One of Obama’s most notorious comments on the loss of manufacturing jobs was directed at then-presidential candidate Donald Trump during the 2016 race. In response to Trump’s promise to bring jobs back, Obama mocked him by asking “What magic wand do you have?” This question became infamous among Trump supporters, who took it as another example of elitist disdain for the jobless.
Yet it’s painfully ironic that Obama is now focusing on documentary content about American jobs. During his presidency, Obama facilitated the importing of cheap foreign labor to supplant Americans by handing out work permits to illegal aliens as well as college-educated foreigners. As a result, many Americans lost their jobs to foreign workers, who were willing to work for less.
In the teaser for his new series, Obama can be seen visiting families in their homes and workplaces, as they express their concerns about employment and their economic futures. However, many are calling this focus on American jobs hypocritical, considering the damage his presidency did to U.S. manufacturing. Obama attempted to stop the bleeding of manufacturing jobs with the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program and the Take Back Your Future plan.
Obama’s policies on outsourcing, taxation, and regulation strangled the American manufacturing industry. Trump’s policies have reversed this trend, resulting in the creation of over half a million new manufacturing jobs.
It’s no secret that Obama’s new Netflix deal is a way for him to remain relevant in the public eye. Since leaving the White House, Obama has maintained an active presence in media and entertainment circles. He even won an Emmy for his appearance on Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. His newfound focus on documentaries may be an attempt at creating a lasting legacy, particularly after the controversies and scandals that marked his presidency.
Despite Obama’s attempt at creating compelling and inspiring documentary content, some are questioning the credibility of his new series. “Working” may be viewed as just another example of his hypocrisy, especially in light of the damage his policies did to U.S. manufacturing.
The new Netflix series, “Working,” is yet another example of Obama’s hypocritical approach to American jobs. While he now claims to be concerned with working families, his policies as president decimated the U.S manufacturing economy. Obama’s policies leaned towards outsourcing, taxation, and regulation that strangled the American manufacturing industry.
Despite his best attempts to appear concerned with American jobs, Obama’s legacy will always be marked by his decimation of the manufacturing sector, which led to the loss of thousands of jobs. “Working” may be just another attempt by Obama to remain relevant, but the American people will not forget the damage he caused to their economy.
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