Private Employment Bearing the Brunt of the Burden

by Ashley Muchow The Mercatus Center released a longitudinal illustration of the changes in employment from 2001 to 2009. In 2009, private sector employment undoubtedly got the short end of the stick–losing nearly 6 million jobs, while government and federal employment numbers managed to increase. Now we all know the economy has been hit hard in recent years and...

by Ashley Muchow

The Mercatus Center released a longitudinal illustration of the changes in employment from 2001 to 2009. In 2009, private sector employment undoubtedly got the short end of the stick–losing nearly 6 million jobs, while government and federal employment numbers managed to increase.

Now we all know the economy has been hit hard in recent years and drops in employment are not breaking news. But why the drastic drop in private employment and little cuts in the way of federal and government numbers?

Washington could certainly tighten its belt. CBO numbers placed the current federal budget deficit at slightly less than $1.3 trillion this month. So where are the cuts to keep our government fiscally fit?

Alas, the opposite has proved itself true. Federal spending has reached levels not seen since WWII andprivate enterprise has not felt the love.