Staff Reports
President Biden, in a bid to bolster his legacy, is set to sign a proclamation establishing a national monument to Frances Perkins, who famously served as Labor Secretary during the FDR era—almost as if he is hoping that building monuments will somehow mask his less-than-stellar administration. Perkins, the first woman ever to hold a Cabinet position, is being heralded as a pioneer of the New Deal. But what’s often glossed over is how the New Deal laid the groundwork for big government dependence, which conservatives have long criticized.
The proclamation will be signed in Newcastle, Maine, the land of Perkins’ roots, where she apparently found inspiration for her labor policies. One can only imagine what Perkins would think today, watching the Biden administration push for more government oversight and less personal responsibility. The irony is palpable: a woman who once aimed to improve working conditions is now celebrated in the midst of policy decisions that are more about creating dependency than opportunity.
Frances Perkins was America’s first woman Cabinet Secretary and the longest-serving Secretary of Labor. Today, a new national park honoring her life and service has been established in Newcastle, Maine.https://t.co/BiqsJASXDo pic.twitter.com/dGscDVGdDQ
— National Park Service (@NatlParkService) December 16, 2024
Signing alongside Biden will be the usual cast of characters, including Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, along with a cadre of labor and women’s rights leaders. It’s almost like a political victory lap for a Cabinet that has spent more time discussing “equity” than actually promoting merit-based achievement in the workforce. None of these heavyweights seem bothered that their efforts might lead to jobs being replaced by robots instead of well-paid workers.
Biden’s timing isn’t just coincidental; with mere weeks left in a presidency that has been marked by skyrocketing inflation and divisive policies, he appears desperate to align himself with historical figures who stood for something—like Perkins. The deteriorating job market and ballooning government spending might make one wonder whether Perkins herself would have been proud of how her legacy has been repurposed to fit today’s agenda.
As Haaland also waxed poetic about her recent tours of landmarks commemorating women’s history, it’s worth noting that these visits feel like little more than campaigns to reshape a narrative rather than focus on real issues at hand. While it’s always admirable to honor women who’ve paved the way, perhaps a little acknowledgment that not everyone fits neatly into a template of government overreach would be a refreshing change. Instead, the Biden administration seems bent on doubling down on the very policies that Perkins helped implement—policies that many believe have stifled economic opportunity for decades.
