A Full Year of GOP Recovery Efforts

Steve Benen writes:

A year after massive Republican gains in the 2010 midterms, what do lawmakers have to show for themselves? Five resignations, zero jobs bills, two near-shutdowns (with a third looming), a debt-ceiling fiasco, no major legislative accomplishments, and the first-ever downgrade of U.S. debt, attributed almost entirely to the antics of Boehner’s Republican caucus.

That's very true. I think the larger point in all of this is related to jobs, however.

It's worth mentioning again the job scenario currently unfolding is exactly what Republicans have been saying for years is the cure for the economy. Shrink public sector employment and we'll see a jobs rebound in the private sector that will put this country on a path away from Obama's socialism and onto Freedom; at least that's how the story goes.

Last month the scenario continued. 104,000 private sector jobs were created and 40,000 public sector jobs were lost. That gave us a net gain of 80,000 jobs. Not enough to heal a very sick economy. The point, though, is this has been the case month after month. Private sector jobs are added only to be held back by a loss in public sector employment. According to Republican logic, we are on our way to Morning in America again.

The reality, though, is far different. Would anyone agree the path we are on is a path of recovery? Probably not. The weirdest part of all this is no one is forcing Republicans to admit the economy is doing exactly what they want it to. Republicans aren't even admitting we are currently on the path they want. Almost every day they tell America we need to cut public sector employment and let the private sector flourish. And that's exactly what's happening. Well except for the flourish part.

*Update:

I think I have to add an important oversight.  When we talk about public sector employment the first thing that pops into our minds is a nice, cushioned federal job.  The bloated federal civil servant is the stereotype.  But that's not even close to being an accurate assumption of public sector employment.

When we say public sector we are talking about school teachers, police officers, fire fighters, highway construction workers, prison guards, etc., and etc.  Yes some of those are federal jobs but the vast majority are local.  For instance, the jobs bill Republicans filibustered two weeks ago would have kept 280,000 teachers, policemen and firefighters employed-- all at the local level!

By starving out federal employment, Republicans say we'll turn this country around and restore the economy to pre-recession levels.  Well, for a year now we've been doing exactly that and the situation is stagnant.  We've been doing exactly what they say we should be doing except no one is admitting it.