CBO: "There are 2 million *more* Americans working because of the Stimulus
WSJ online:
This is...well, "amazing" is one possible word. But a more accurate one is "bullshit." Let's see why:
All reports indicate that roughly two million fewer Americans are employed now than two years ago. But now--and by amazingly happy coincidence for Democrats, just nine weeks before the November election--the CBO suddenly reports that Obama and company have *increased the number of employed Americans by 1.4 to 3.3 million in the second quarter.*
Now, I can see how an agency wanting to kiss the ass of the Democrats who run the entire federal government might say something like, "The CBO estimates that the Democrats' stimulus act resulted in 3.3 million more American being employed now *than would have been employed without the Act." Or something equally amorphous and impossible to verify like that.
But what they actually said was "have increased the number of Americans employed." **
To the ordinary reader (i.e. not a gubmint bureaucrat) that word "increased" would seem to mean there are *more* Americans employed today than two years ago. But of course, not only is this demonstrably, clearly false, it ain't even close.
There was a time when the CBO could be counted on to actually critically examine policies carried out by a president's administration. There was a time when they were bulldogs, gadflies, tireless uncoverers of waste, fraud and abuse.
This of course was when the president was a Republican. But with congress controlled by the same party that owns the oval office, the CBO has suddenly become a cheerleader for any Democrat policy or program, no matter how outrageously wasteful, ill-conceived or badly managed.
If you actually take the time to *read* the CBO report (warning, pdf) I think you'll come away shaking your head--it's all amazingly bullshitty gobble-speak. But such is the state of the so-called "watchdogs" in gubmint nowadays.
(** If you're thinking the WSJ reporter might have simply mis-quoted the CBO, he didn't.)
The Congressional Budget Office reports that the Obama administration's economic-stimulus plan has increased the number of employed Americans by between 1.4 million to 3.3 million during the second quarter.Say what?
This is...well, "amazing" is one possible word. But a more accurate one is "bullshit." Let's see why:
All reports indicate that roughly two million fewer Americans are employed now than two years ago. But now--and by amazingly happy coincidence for Democrats, just nine weeks before the November election--the CBO suddenly reports that Obama and company have *increased the number of employed Americans by 1.4 to 3.3 million in the second quarter.*
Now, I can see how an agency wanting to kiss the ass of the Democrats who run the entire federal government might say something like, "The CBO estimates that the Democrats' stimulus act resulted in 3.3 million more American being employed now *than would have been employed without the Act." Or something equally amorphous and impossible to verify like that.
But what they actually said was "have increased the number of Americans employed." **
To the ordinary reader (i.e. not a gubmint bureaucrat) that word "increased" would seem to mean there are *more* Americans employed today than two years ago. But of course, not only is this demonstrably, clearly false, it ain't even close.
There was a time when the CBO could be counted on to actually critically examine policies carried out by a president's administration. There was a time when they were bulldogs, gadflies, tireless uncoverers of waste, fraud and abuse.
This of course was when the president was a Republican. But with congress controlled by the same party that owns the oval office, the CBO has suddenly become a cheerleader for any Democrat policy or program, no matter how outrageously wasteful, ill-conceived or badly managed.
If you actually take the time to *read* the CBO report (warning, pdf) I think you'll come away shaking your head--it's all amazingly bullshitty gobble-speak. But such is the state of the so-called "watchdogs" in gubmint nowadays.
(** If you're thinking the WSJ reporter might have simply mis-quoted the CBO, he didn't.)
posted by SF at
7:03 PM
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