{"id":2589871,"date":"2026-04-12T15:24:02","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T19:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/op-ed-the-economy-isnt-perfect-but-crisis-talk-is-overstated-and-politically-motivated\/"},"modified":"2026-04-12T15:27:56","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T19:27:56","slug":"op-ed-the-economy-isnt-perfect-but-crisis-talk-is-overstated-and-politically-motivated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/op-ed-the-economy-isnt-perfect-but-crisis-talk-is-overstated-and-politically-motivated\/","title":{"rendered":"Op-Ed: The Economy Isn&#8217;t Perfect, But Crisis Talk Is Overstated and Politically Motivated"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fop-ed-the-economy-isnt-perfect-but-crisis-talk-is-overstated-and-politically-motivated%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2589871&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>This opinion piece argues that recent doom-and-gloom portrayals of teh U.S. economy are overstated and rooted in a faulty reading of indicators. It emphasizes that a correct assessment of economic health is crucial for policy decisions.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; The author notes reports and polls suggesting the economy is in worse shape than 2021-2024, but points to strong GDP growth and falling inflation in recent quarters as evidence to the contrary, while acknowledging some slower growth and steady inflation in late 2024.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; The piece stresses that policy decisions hinge on an accurate diagnosis of the economy; misdiagnosis can justify policies that cause more harm than good.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; It concedes the economy isn\u2019t perfect and isn\u2019t yet were it should be,but argues the current doom narrative is politically motivated and not supported by the broader data.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Unemployment is described as a lagging indicator, not a reliable predictor of future conditions. The <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >article cites job gains<\/a> and a roughly 4.0-4.3% unemployment rate as compatible with ongoing economic improvement, countering fears of a coming collapse.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Inflation has fallen substantially from its 2022 peak, with CPI around 2.4% and core inflation near 2.5%, though still above the Federal Reserve\u2019s 2% goal. Wages and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-the-u-s-federal-government-fuels-child-smuggling-and-trafficking\/\" title=\"How The U.S. Federal Government Fuels Child Smuggling And Trafficking\">private-sector employment<\/a> have risen, and GDP growth remained positive, with forecasts suggesting continued strength into 2026.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; The piece warns against renewed calls for heavy monetary and fiscal stimulus,arguing that such policies would reproduce inflation and stagnation seen earlier,and it frames the path forward as a choice between more government intervention versus <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/economic-freedom-index-shows-the-united-states-posting-worst-performance-ever\/\" title=\"\u2018... Freedom Index\u2019 Shows The United States Posting Worst Performance Ever\">greater economic freedom<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; In closing, the author asserts that the future of the economy depends on recognizing the limitations of unemployment as a sole gauge and making policy decisions based on a balanced understanding of trends, not media-driven doom. The article notes its OP-ED status and links for submission.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Recent press reports and opinion poll results declare the U.S. economy is in worse shape than it was in 2021 through 2024. This impression prevails despite very high gross domestic product growth and falling inflation in the second and third quarters of last year, in the wake of slower growth and steady inflation numbers in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n<p>An accurate gauge of the overall health of the economy is critically important considering the federal government&rsquo;s assumption of authority and control over the nation&rsquo;s economic well-being. A false diagnosis will lend credence to bad policy choices.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, the U.S. economy is not yet where it should be, though the doom talk today is overstated and politically motivated.<\/p>\n<p>What is most damaging about the mismatch between today&rsquo;s economic myth and reality is the false conclusions about economic policy its advocates send.<\/p>\n<p>The midterm elections are the obvious context for the doomsaying about the economy. The wrong diagnosis could have long-term policy implications. The important question is what the current state of the economy indicates about economic principles and what policy course the United States should pursue in the future.<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"anyclipvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\tdocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function() { \t\t\t\t\tfunction loadAnyclip() { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst container=document.getElementById(\"anyclipvideo\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!container) return;  \t\t\t\t\t\tconst script=document.createElement(\"script\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.src=\"https:\/\/player.anyclip.com\/anyclip-widget\/lre-widget\/prod\/v1\/src\/lre.js\"; \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.setAttribute(\"pubname\", \"westernjournalcom\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.setAttribute(\"widgetname\", \"001w000001jULVcAAO_M12924\");  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ append inside the container so player shows in correct spot \t\t\t\t\t\tcontainer.appendChild(script); \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\tfunction findPreviousParagraph(selector, x) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst targetElement=document.querySelector(selector); \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!targetElement) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Target element not found.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Get all <\/p>\n<p> elements in order as they appear in the document \t\t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphs=Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(\"p\"));  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the index of the last <\/p>\n<p> before the target element \t\t\t\t\t\tlet targetIndex=paragraphs.findIndex(p=> p.compareDocumentPosition(targetElement) & Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_PRECEDING);  \t\t\t\t\t\tif (targetIndex===-1 || targetIndex <x) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Not enough paragraphs before the target element.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\treturn paragraphs[targetIndex - x]; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Set up IntersectionObserver \t\t\t\t\tfunction observeElement(element) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!element) return;  \t\t\t\t\t\tconst observer=new IntersectionObserver( \t\t\t\t\t\t\t(entries)=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tentries.forEach(entry=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tif (entry.isIntersecting) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log(\"Paragraph is now visible:\", entry.target.textContent.trim()); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tloadAnyclip(); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.disconnect(); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t}, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t{ threshold: 0.5 } \/\/ Adjust threshold as needed \t\t\t\t\t\t);  \t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.observe(element); \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the 1st paragraph before #anyclipvideo and observe it \t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphToObserve=findPreviousParagraph(\"#anyclipvideo\", 2); \t\t\t\t\tobserveElement(paragraphToObserve); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>The two broad alternatives are more government intervention and economic management, or greater economic freedom. Let&rsquo;s look at the numbers with that in mind.<\/p>\n<p>Inflation has come down far from its mid-2022 peak of 9.1 percent (as measured by the Consumer Price Index, or CPI) to 2.4 percent. January&rsquo;s headline inflation rate was the lowest since May of last year. Inflation of core consumer prices, which excludes volatile food and fuel costs, was 2.5 percent over the past 12 months, the lowest since March 2021. Reported inflation remains above the Fed&rsquo;s goal of 2 percent per year.<\/p>\n<p>Through January, the unemployment rate was middle-of-the-road, neither alarmingly high nor encouragingly low, though continuing a reversal of the pre-lockdown trend that has now lasted three years.<\/p>\n<p>Critics are characterizing this normal but very slowly rising unemployment rate as a bad sign. &ldquo;The U.S. labor market is facing another year of sluggish hiring and a further increase in the unemployment rate, a leading economist has warned,&rdquo; Newsweek reported in January.<\/p>\n<p>The widely predicted increase in unemployment has been scaring the public, as it should if it is true. Those prophecies proved wrong in January, however, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/unemployment-increases-more-than-expected-as-more-people-look-for-work\/\" title=\"Unemployment Increases More Than Expected As More People Look For Work\">total nonfarm employment rose<\/a> by 130,000 and the unemployment rate &ldquo;changed little,&rdquo; at 4.3 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Federal government employment decreased by 34,000, which means a transfer of workers to the productive private sector. That is a very good trend.<\/p>\n<p>Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller called the job report &ldquo;a surprise to the upside&rdquo; which &ldquo;suggests that the labor market may be turning a corner.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Employment continued to rise in February, economist Robert Genetski reported in his newsletter: &ldquo;ADP&rsquo;s job data show employment continues to improve. The four weeks ending February 13 reported total employment increased by 51,000 jobs. This is up from an increase of 22,000 ADP jobs for the month of January.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Unemployment remains nearly a percentage point above the recent low of 3.4 percent in early 2023, which was the lowest in 55 years. It rose to 4.1 percent in December 2024, about where it is now.<\/p>\n<p>The important question is whether the current unemployment rate indicates weakness in the U.S. economy. The short and correct answer is that it does not.<\/p>\n<p>Unemployment is a lagging indicator of economic conditions. It tends to be the last thing to rise when the government and central bank inflict economic damage, and it is usually among the last things to return to normal after those agents of misfortune relent on the policies that caused the trouble. The unemployment rate is a bad predictor of where the economy is headed.<\/p>\n<p>The economic trends and reversals of the past five years make sense when we view unemployment as a lagging indicator of economic health. The federal deficit expansion in 2021 and 2022 created sharp inflation almost instantly. Higher business costs caused by inflation and the harsh tightening of regulation from 2021 to 2024 began pushing up the unemployment rate in 2023, BLS data show.<\/p>\n<p>Unemployment has yet to move down much since then. Meanwhile, inflation has receded, private sector employment is rising, and GDP has been growing. Inflation-adjusted wages for U.S. private sector workers rose by almost $1,400 in 2025, after having fallen by $3,000 in the prior four years, which was compounded by the 21.5 percent rise in prices during that period. The last two numbers concisely identify the cause of the affordability crisis.<\/p>\n<p>Now the &ldquo;average American&rsquo;s weekly paycheck buys ~2% more than it did 1 year ago when Trump was inaugurated, after falling ~4% during the Biden years,&rdquo; wrote Heritage Foundation economist E.J. Antoni.<\/p>\n<p>Hence, the stagnation of the unemployment rate does not contradict the fact that the U.S. economy has improved in the past year. CNN Business Executive Editor David Goldman reported that the economy is doing well overall: &ldquo;The US economy grew 2.2% in 2025, very much in line with the last three years of robust economic growth. The economy slowed down more than expected at the end of the year, but the longest-ever government shutdown stymied growth that should be made back this quarter.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The Atlanta Fed now estimates first quarter 2026 economic growth will be a solid 3 percent. The U.S. economy is not yet as healthy as it should be, and affordability remains a problem for most Americans. Misguided government policies from 2021 to 2024 did an enormous amount of damage. Thus, a full recovery will take some time.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, public pressure for monetary and fiscal stimulus (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dutch-farmers-revolt-against-globalist-food-control-that-leaves-people-poorer-and-hungrier\/\" title=\"Dutch Farmers Revolt Against Globalist Food Control That Leaves People Poorer And Hungrier\">greater government spending<\/a> with higher tax rates and more debt) has intensified. Those measures would bring on the same consequences as the 2021-2022 stimulus created: inflation and stagnation.<\/p>\n<p>So, which is it &mdash; doom and gloom, or the approach of a glorious summer? Much depends on whether you recognize that the reported unemployment rate is not always a trustworthy economic indicator. The future of the nation&rsquo;s economy depends on that choice.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><i><b>The views expressed in this opinion article are those of their author and are not necessarily either d or endorsed by the owners of this website. If you are interested in contributing an Op-Ed to The Western Journal, you can learn about our submission guidelines and process <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/submitop-ed\/\">here<\/a>.<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recent press and poll findings claim the U.S. economy is in worse shape than it was during 2021-2024. That view stands in contrast with the fact that GDP grew strongly and inflation fell in the second and third quarters of last year, even though growth slowed and inflation stayed steady in the fourth quarter. Getting an accurate read on the economy\u2019s health is crucial because the federal government now has a lot of say over economic outcomes, and a faulty diagnosis can justify bad policy. The piece acknowledges the economy isn\u2019t perfect, but argues that doom-and-gloom narratives are exaggerated and often politically motivated. The real danger of misreading the economy is that it leads to policy choices that may hinder long-term growth. The author also notes that the timing of the midterm elections amplifies the political bite of economic pessimism. The central question is what the current state of the economy implies about economic principles and the best policy path for the United States going forward.<\/p>\n<p>The article frames two broad policy directions: more government intervention and management of the economy, or greater economic freedom. It then weighs the data with that lens. Inflation has fallen markedly from its 2022 peak of 9.1% to about 2.4% in January, with core inflation at 2.5% over the last year-the lowest since early 2021-though headline inflation remains above the Federal Reserve\u2019s 2% goal. The unemployment rate in January was neither alarmingly high nor especially low but continued to rise slowly from pre-pandemic trends. Some critics had warned of a worsening labor market, but January\u2019s report showed 130,000 new nonfarm jobs and a nearly steady unemployment rate of about 4.3%, while federal employment fell by tens of thousands, suggesting a shift from government to private-sector work. A Federal Reserve official called the job report a surprise \u201cto the upside,\u201d hinting the labor market might be turning a corner. For February, private-sector job data suggested ongoing improvement, with job gains continuing.<\/p>\n<p>Unemployment remains roughly a percentage point above its 2023-early-2023 low, but the author stresses that unemployment is a lagging indicator and is not a reliable predictor of the economy\u2019s direction. Past trends show unemployment tends to rise after economic damage from policy changes and to fall only after the forces that caused the downturn have abated. Inflation has come down while private-sector employment has risen and GDP has grown, and real wages rose notably in 2025 after several years of decline, helping to relieve some affordability pressures. Yet the overall affordability problem persists, with some observers arguing for more stimulus in the form of higher spending and taxes and greater debt-policies that, the piece argues, would rekindle the inflation and stagnation seen in 2021-2022.<\/p>\n<p>Looking ahead, there are contrasting forecasts: some observers, including outlets like CNN, say the economy performed well in 2025 and should continue to improve, while others point to ongoing policy risks. The Atlanta Fed\u2019s estimate for early-2026 growth is around 3%. The author concedes the economy is not yet as healthy as it could be and that past misguided policies from 2021-2024 did lasting damage. The piece warns that renewed calls for monetary and fiscal stimulus could reproduce the same bad outcomes. The central question, it argues, is whether one accepts that the unemployment rate is not a trustworthy sole indicator of economic health and, on that basis, what policies will best support true, sustainable improvement. The author\u2019s opinions are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the hosting site. The piece also notes submission guidelines for op-eds.<\/p>\n<p>In short, the article contends that while the economy is not perfect, doom about the current state is overstated and potentially misleading for policy. The real task is choosing a path that recognizes the limitations of unemployment as a signal and promotes policies that sustain genuine economic progress rather than chasing short-term political narratives<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2589872,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Ben-Working-Feature-Image-2026-04-10T231323.533.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[7428,54026,9168,15322,5894],"class_list":["post-2589871","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-analysis","tag-crisis-2","tag-economy","tag-op-ed","tag-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Ben-Working-Feature-Image-2026-04-10T231323.533.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2589871","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2589871"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2589871\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2589875,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2589871\/revisions\/2589875"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2589872"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2589871"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2589871"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2589871"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}