As I’ve noted many times before, the GOP is the party of the dollar store economy, because it benefits businessmen and the elderly, the party’s two most important constituencies. Low wages are a key component of the dollar store, because they keep profits up and prices down. As a result, the GOP’s efforts to brand itself as a party of working people depend solely on the culture wars; Republicans have no case on the structure of the economy.
The Great Resignation has put the dollar store under great pressure; wages and prices are on the rise. What can the GOP do about it? Numerous red states cut the enhanced unemployment benefits early, but that had no real impact on employment. What now?
Be patient and starve them out. They’re living on their dwindling savings at this point. All you have to do is wait and cut the already miserably low state unemployment benefits to the point where they have to go back to work at whatever wage employers are willing to pay. At that point, the dollar store will return with a vengeance, and all will be right in the world–at least, for you and your voters.