Comments on: “Creating Jobs”

By: JWH

JWH — Wed, 07 May 2008 17:06:45 +0000

Wayne, “party member” jobs? Which ones are those, exactly? Political appointees? I don’t think there’s been a whole lot of those during the past three months.

Any increase in government employment, as long as it’s a function that needs to be accomplished by the government, is not inherently a bad thing. Public school teachers, police officers, etc, fulfill an inherently government role. (Now I suppose one could have debate about public schools, but that’s a separate discussion altogether.)

Anyone who tries to read into these stats that somehow the government is increasing hiring for the express purpose of softening the coming recession is, in my opinion, reading between lines that aren’t there.

By: Wayne

Wayne — Tue, 06 May 2008 21:28:28 +0000

My wife just got a job as a pharmacist at a state-run hospital in the state we live in. I never really thought of her as one of “them,” as she was always asking me what I was doing and where I was going and taking my paycheck even before she got the state job. My point is, although there is a big difference in the reported numbers that probably will never be balanced out, the article should better differentiate between the government “party member” jobs and other jobs like those done by guys that pick up the garbage along the highway.

By: Jim Collins

Jim Collins — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:29:34 +0000

Percent of Americans 15-64 working for the government: 100%

If you don’t believe me, look at your paycheck.

By: Marc

Marc — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:03:18 +0000

Even more amazing when examine the numbers a little more deeply.

76,800 jobs in the first three months of 2008.

9,000 more April.

22,385,000 people now work for the government

Total population: 303,824,646

Percent of all Americans working for the government: 7.36%

Percent of Americans 15-64 working for the government: 10.97%

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t14.htm
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 06 May 2008 13:48:18 +0000

“The federal government increased its workforce by 13,800 in the first three months of 2008. Local governments added 47,000 and states 16,000.”

Most of these jobs were on the local and state level. Seems to me like it’s not a reaction to the slumping economy, rather late timing in taking advantage of the economic boom created by the inflated real estate market( i.e more property and home sales taxes). Which is also money that will not be in the budget next few year as homes lose value and sales stagnate.

By: Max D.

Max D. — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:26:09 +0000

Let me guess: They were all realtors and mortgage brokers.

By: Dave Krueger

Dave Krueger — Mon, 05 May 2008 23:28:09 +0000

#4 James D
Kind of follows the ‘May Day’ post nicely. I read into it that we ARE becoming a more socialist country no matter which of the 2 parties is in power.

Without fail, everything socialism touches turns to shit, but there is no end to those who think they have found an exception.

By: James D

James D — Mon, 05 May 2008 22:37:32 +0000

Kind of follows the ‘May Day’ post nicely. I read into it that we ARE becoming a more socialist country no matter which of the 2 parties is in power.

By: The Democratic Republican

The Democratic Republican — Mon, 05 May 2008 21:33:30 +0000

The best part of this news is that it necessarily means big government will become unsustainable. Change will come. As usual, people will have to suffer greatly before they open their minds to it.

By: etp

etp — Mon, 05 May 2008 20:13:54 +0000

Radley I’m confused…..was this a pro-government post?!

By: Dave Krueger

Dave Krueger — Mon, 05 May 2008 18:02:59 +0000

Make of that what you will.

That just means that government is a growth industry while commerce is in the shitter (probably due the fact that government is a growth industry).