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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: KonKilo who wrote (102966)	2/3/2009 4:03:24 PM
From: TimF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 542247

I believe the point was created a "net job", even though that phrase was not used. The argument being that government jobs are created by the government, but it means that some other job won't get created somewhere else. There is some truth behind that argument, but its not so perfectly true that I would find the argument "not in the history of mankind has the government every created a job" to be reasonable. In fact considering the indirect effects of government spending I'd say its obviously wrong since vital public goods get funded by government spending. Even if the majority of government spending (at least the majority of federal spending) goes to areas that aren't vital public goods, the portion that does, indirectly helps the economy and thus creates net jobs. If you don't spend on vital public goods (for example keeping the peace and basic security) then the economy won't do nearly as well.

To: KonKilo who wrote (102966)	2/3/2009 5:28:22 PM
From: Sam	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 542247

That statement--"Not in the history of mankind has the government ever created a job"--is complete BS. Let's see--the airline sector was helped enormously at its inception by government contracts and travel. DoD research, needs and contracts have spawned many improvements and even whole sectors--including, to take an obvious example, the Internet as well as many other technological innovations over the years and a large part of the Interstate Highway system (not that it was such a great choice to emphasize roads over railroad track as much as we did, but nevermind that). Government sponsored research through, e.g., NIH, has been responsible for much of the basic research that pharmaceutical and medical device companies absolutely depend on, and have commercialized. The GI Bill which financed millions of college educations for people who never would have been able to afford them otherwise, and who have made great contributions--including job creation--since then.