Biden abortion insanity: Its good for the economy

Abortion is good for the economy because it increases labor participation rate. Right.

With states and voters now free to decide abortion policies, it’s understandable that pro-choice politicians would be rolling out arguments for the broadest possible availability of the procedure. But what’s harder to understand is the recent phenomenon of Biden administration officials arguing not just that abortion access is a right but also that it’s a benefit to the U.S. economy.

Political advisers may already be wisely urging the White House not to address such a consequential personal decision with appeals to macroeconomics. But if Team Biden is determined to make it a math argument, there has hardly been a worse moment to make such a case.

The basic administration argument is that labor-force participation will be higher if people have more ability to end unwanted pregnancies. Given all of the pandemic-related Biden policies that have discouraged labor-force participation, one may question the depth of White House concern on this issue. But the administration’s argument is plausible for the immediate future. It’s also very shortsighted.

If one were to list the greatest economic challenges facing the United States, surely among the top items would be a massively indebted federal government with more than $30 trillion of acknowledged debt— and many trillions more in unfunded retirement entitlement promises—supported by a country that has been creating fewer future workers.