Freedom Line Blog

From USA Today:

The $787 billion economic recovery package … is stimulating growth in the federal government as agencies hire thousands of workers and spend millions of dollars to oversee and implement the package, according to government records and spokesmen. … That’s helped fuel the continued growth of the federal government, which increased by more than 25,000 employees, or 1.3%, since December 2008…”

Have no fear:  John Berry, head of the federal government’s Office of Personnel Management, says the increase is small and temporary.  Believe that, then there’s a bridge in Brooklyn for sale with your name written all over it.

In related news, the Labor Department this morning reported that the number of newly laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits this week was 530,000.  While the number was less than economists expected, that brought the total number of jobs lost since December, 2008 to nearly 4 million, most coming from the private sector.  This, despite Congress’ passage of the $787 billion taxpayer-funded stimulus bill.