I've just watched Stephanopoulis interviewing Michael Steele. Steele is claiming that projects funded by the government won't create jobs, because only business creates jobs. That because government funded construction jobs are "short term," they are not "real jobs."
This is just as wacko as claiming that government employees don't have jobs.
UPDATE with Excerpt after the jump
The Republican party is at its old tricks - redefining and distorting language to define things to its benefit. So if you can claim nothing but a guaranteed long term job (and how many of us hired in the private sector have that guarantee?) is a "job" than sure, there are very few "real jobs" created by the stimulus package. Which of course, is designed to do projects over the next few years - in the short term - until the economy recovers.
And of course, any guarantee of long term jobs by the government would met with shrieks and howls from the right of "government expansion."
So the right is defining things so that they can win either way. Stephanopoulus sounded amazed, and questioned it, but didn't keep pursuing the meme. I'll be waiting to see if any other pundit calls them on this nonsense.
Update: SoBeDem got in ahead of me, focusing on the crazy comments Micheal Steele made about Pell grants not being helpful. Read it.
UPDATE:
Selected parts of the transcript of interview (the site won't let me cut and past, so the excerpt is short. For those who didn't see it, you can read the whole thing.
After various blather about Bush inheriting a recession and creating 6 million jobs,
Steele: But you’ve got to look at the entire package. You’ve got to look at what’s going to create sustainable jobs. What the administration is talking about is making work. It is creating work.
Stephanopoulis: But that’s a job.
Steele: No, it’s not a job. A job is something that – that a business owner creates. It’s going to be long term. What he’s creating...
Stephanopoulis: So a job doesn’t count if it’s a government job?
(CROSSTALK)
Steele: Hold on. No, let me –- let me -- let me finish. That is a contract. It ends at a certain point, George. You know that. These road projects that we’re talking about have an end point.