Stimulating Re-Election

I've already detailed the errors in the Administration's tally of jobs created or saved by the stimulus package. And noted that almost 80 percent of positions claimed created were in the public sector, furthering the left's mission of expanding the big government welfare state.

So, what type of government job was most stimulated? Answer: unionized teachers. Indeed, more than 2/3rds of the 595,000 jobs "created or saved" came via grants, contracts and loans from the Department of Education:


source: Veronique de Rugy in Big Government via Recovery.gov data

We knew that government unions are core Obama fans; that nearly all teacher union campaign contributions go to Democrats; that teachers overwhelmingly slurped over Obama; and that teacher unions are a "travesty." After the election, the Administration rewarded teachers by killing the D.C. voucher experiment -- despite the program's popularity and success. Now, the Administration's doled out another gift; as de Rugy says, "what the administration meant by shovel ready projects was funding for your next door teacher."

Today, teachers account for almost 1/3rd of union membership, and mostly vote Democrat. Obama knows that. So, his re-election strategy is--stimulate more teachers. Suggesting the stimulus package may be working as the Administration intended: It's as close as the second law of thermodynamics permits to a political perpetual motion machine.

(via reader Marc)