The Jobbed Bill 2009

Congressional Republicans recently published the following about how our current 7%+ (and rising) unemployment is distributed through the various sectors of the economy (thanks to Mark Hemingway of The Corner)::   Agriculture and related private wage and salary workers - 18.7% Construction - 18.2%     Leisure and hospitality - 11.5%   Manufacturing - 10.9%     Professional and business services - 10.4%     Nonagricultural private wage and salary workers (total) - 9.0%     Wholesale and retail trade - 8.7%     Transportation and utilities - 8.4%   Information - 7.4%     Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction - 7.0%   Self employed and unpaid family workers - 6.5%          Financial activities - 6.0%   Education and health services - 3.8%     Government workers - 3.0% So, given this, the vast bulk of employment relief in the Stimulus Bill goes to .... expanding government programs/jobs, where the rate of unemployment is as near zero as you can get?  "Of course," responds the Washington political class with a look of incredulity that we are even asking the question.   Here's wishing good luck to our friends working in the Agricultural and Construction sectors, who will continue to experience Great Depression levels of unemployment for years to come while Washington loudly celebrates its towering work in service of the people (using our money of course).   This is not a jobs bill, but a "we're being jobbed" bill.     via email