Everything That's Wrong with the Obama Administration in One Chart
Job growth in the US is anemic. Unemployment is a stubborn 9%.
(In Texas, though, the jobs outlook is much, much better.)
But there are jobs out there. Mostly in federal regulatory agencies. From Mike Mandel's excellent blog:
over the past year, employment at federal regulatory agencies has grown by more than 5%. By comparison, private sector jobs only rose by about 1.5% over the same period. That suggests regulatory intensity is still rising, even as the recovery lags.
And here's the chart that says it all:
The lowest line is private sector job growth. The line just above it is general job growth in the federal government. But that fat red line at the top is job growth at federal regulatory agencies.
That's a perfect illustration of Barack Obama's world outlook. The economy is faltering. Growth is slowing. Jobs are scarce. But it will all be supervised. Oh yes. We will make certain -- even if it bankrupts us -- that the federal regulatory machine is well-funded and staffed.
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Jun '10
Re: Everything That's Wrong with the Obama Administration in One Chart
We obviously need some chart regulation to go along with the other "perfectly normal amounts" of regulation.
May '11
Re: Everything That's Wrong with the Obama Administration in One Chart
Adjust this chart for population or size of workforce and watch the private sector jobs go down.
Jul '10
Re: Everything That's Wrong with the Obama Administration in One Chart
"That suggests regulatory intensity is still rising, even as the recovery lags."
"That suggests regulatory intensity is still rising, causing the recovery lags."
Dec '10
Re: Everything That's Wrong with the Obama Administration in One Chart
I heard again this morning a radio commercial for Barracuda Network's message archiver that, according to the commercial, makes data retention compliance a snap. I wondered to myself how much businesses spend on compliance with regulation and what they would otherwise spend that money on if free to do so. As Kevin Williamson points out in this article (my favorite ever), regulatory compliance becomes another area of competition among businesses. Those with the clout to influence regulators and regulations in their favor and against their competitors are at a distinct advantage in the market. However, that also means that influence peddling becomes more than just a hobby in Washington.
Edited on Jun 10, 2011 at 8:42amSep '10
Re: Everything That's Wrong with the Obama Administration in One Chart
"Greece without the Souvlaki."
Feb '11
Re: Everything That's Wrong with the Obama Administration in One Chart
Yowzers!
Some people in government actually perform *operational* jobs that contribute to the economy: air traffic controllers, medical researchers, etc. But as the chart makes clear, these aren't the jobs that are growing in numbers.
Obama is all about control.
Feb '11
Re: Everything That's Wrong with the Obama Administration in One Chart
KingPrawn...compliance. I continually hear about various business initiatives in various companies--new products, marketing campaigns, etc--which are being seriously delayed because of "compliance" concerns, especially Sarb-Ox compliance. Sometimes the concerns are being exaggerated by internal bureaucrats (typically in IT, Legal, and Finance) to justify their own high-inertia behavior; sometimes they are legitimate. But I don't think there is any question that "compliance" issues are increasingly turning American business, and American society as a whole, into an exercise in swimming in glue.
Aug '10
Re: Everything That's Wrong with the Obama Administration in One Chart
There is one key -- desperately needed -- group that Obama is neglecting. He needs to create even more regulatory agencies to regulate the regulatory agencies, and regulatory agencies to regulate the regulatory agencies regulating regulatory agencies.
...and they all need paramilitary teams.
Only then can government "work."
Aug '10
Re: Everything That's Wrong with the Obama Administration in One Chart
Obama wants the return of propaganda posters like this one.