Government Does Not Create Jobs

By Douglas V. Gibbs

A while back one of the commenters on Political Pistachio, Tom the Neurotic Liberal, criticized me because I wrote that jobs reconstituted by the Space Program in Florida is a good thing.

Tom stated that I was "contradicting" my "own propaganda." His remark was predicated on his belief that I think each and every government job is a bad thing, and on my statement that the federal government does not create jobs.

My position is not exactly what he thinks, but Tom is not that bright and so I'll give him a pass. The basis of my thoughts on this rests on the allowances provided by the U.S. Constitution. Tom's assumptions regarding that document are based on case law, and the erroneous talking points he has been fed by the statists, so he is not capable of understanding my angle.

The statement I made that the resurrection of jobs associated with NASA in Florida is a good thing is not a contradiction, and in fact supports my position regarding the Constitution.

The federal government cannot create jobs. Government positions do not produce anything, nor do they create wealth. Government jobs simply transfers money from the taxpayers who are the producers of society to government employees who produce nothing. Don't get me wrong. Some of the government employee positions are necessary, and are indeed important. These good government positions tend to exist in accordance with the authorities granted by the Constitution. Some government jobs don't. I don't fault the people. They just want a job. But ultimately, if the position is unconstitutional, it should not exist.

Many of the constitutionally authorized jobs the government has a hand in establishing requires participation by the private sector, as well. These jobs, unlike most jobs associated with the federal government, produce something.

In the case of the NASA jobs in Florida, the private business involved is Boeing. As for the constitutionality, it is commonly accepted that the space program is necessary for the common defense of this nation, which is a very important constitutional duty of the federal government. Therefore, the creation of these jobs is a good thing. Note, though, that the government did not create these jobs. The government simply opened up the opportunity of the creation of these jobs through Boeing.

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