Quick Fact: Beck falsely claims no jobs are being “saved or created”

Written by Christine Schwen

Published

On the December 2 edition of his Fox News show, Glenn Beck falsely claimed that “jobs are not being saved or created” and that the Obama administration is “creating the make-believe 'saved or created' category” for jobs. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently estimated that the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009, which was heavily promoted by President Obama, created 1.6 million jobs, and the Bush administration repeatedly stated that its economic initiatives had “saved or created” jobs.

Beck: "[J]obs are not being saved or created"

From the December 2 edition of Fox News' Glenn Beck:

BECK: And the bogus claim of putting people back to work? Please. We have lost 4 million jobs since this man took office. I'm not saying that it's his fault; I'm just saying let's deal with reality. That's why they're creating the make-believe “saved or created” category. I'm expecting to see flying reindeer soon.

If you or someone you know hasn't been affected by joblessness yet, it will soon become apparent that the jobs are not being saved or created -- I mean, unless they're in one of the other 57 states.

Fact: CBO estimated the stimulus created 1.6 million jobs

CBO estimated GDP increase of 1.2 percent to 3.2 percent, additional 600,000 to 1.6 million people employed due to Recovery Act. In a November report, the CBO stated:

CBO estimates that in the third quarter of calendar year 2009, an additional 600,000 to 1.6 million people were employed in the United States, and real (inflation-adjusted) gross domestic product (GDP) was 1.2 percent to 3.2 percent higher, than would have been the case in the absence of ARRA (see Table 1). Those ranges are intended to reflect the uncertainty of such estimates and to encompass most economists' views on the effects of fiscal stimulus. [CBO's Estimated Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on Employment and Economic Output as of September 2009, November 2009]

Fact: Several Bush administration officials touted initiatives in terms of jobs “saved or created”

Bush Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman: "[R]ural development programs have saved or created more than 500,000 jobs." On June 24, 2004, then-Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman stated: “We have estimated that our rural development programs have saved or created more than 500,000 jobs just since the Bush Administration took office in January of 2001.” [Accessed via the Nexis database]

Veneman's replacement Mike Johanns: "[E]conomic development in rural areas ... will help save or create more than 1,800 jobs." According to a March 24, 2005, Agriculture Department news release, Mike Johanns -- who replaced Veneman as Agriculture secretary -- stated: “These funds are part of the Bush Administration's ongoing efforts to spur economic development in rural areas and will help save or create more than 1,800 jobs.”

Agriculture Undersecretary Thomas C. Dorr “announced the award of $19.75 million to create or retain jobs.” According to a May 7, 2007, Agriculture Department news release, then-Agriculture Undersecretary Thomas C. Dorr stated:

Agriculture Under Secretary Thomas C. Dorr today announced the award of $19.75 million to create or retain jobs at rural businesses.

“These funds will help support local economic development agencies, finance infrastructure improvements, establish low-interest revolving loan funds, and help jurisdictions implement regional business and community development plans,” Dorr said. “The funding announced today is expected to save or create more than 2,300 jobs in 20 states.”