Fox News' Bill O'Reilly distorted the record of private and public sector contributions to the economy under current and past administrations, arguing that voters in 2014 have to choose between a return to a “robust private business climate” or a “big government philosophy.”

On the March 12 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, host Bill O'Reilly opened the show with a Talking Points memo highlighting the importance of the economy as an electoral issue in 2014. O'Reilly took issue with efforts by Democrats and the president to make climate change a priority for American voters, calling on viewers to choose a more business friendly government going forward.

During the segment, the following graphic appeared on screen:

It is curious that O'Reilly never defines precisely what “robust private business climate” he wants to return to. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), private sector employment hit a bottom in February 2010. Since reaching that low, the economy has recovered to the tune of more than 8.6 million private sector jobs. The Obama administration has overseen a net creation of nearly 5 million private sector jobs since taking office in January 2009, despite inheriting the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

By contrast, over the tenure of the George W. Bush administration, private employment decreased by a total of about 600,000 jobs. You have to look all the way back to 1999 -- nearly 15 years ago -- during the Clinton administration to see private sector job creation as robust as current levels.

It is also unclear what O'Reilly means when warning viewers about the alleged current “big government philosophy.” The Obama administration has experienced unprecedented levels of public sector job loss since 2009. Meanwhile, past presidents -- including Ronald Reagan -- boosted public sector employment when faced with economic downturns. President George W. Bush added more than a million new government workers during his tenure.

O'Reilly has repeatedly denied that the private economy has improved under the Obama administration, and overall has a tenuous grasp on basic economics.