Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was summoned on Sunday by Fox News anchor Chris Wallace for grossly overestimating the number of jobs that would be created by President Biden’s $ 2 trillion infrastructure package.
Wallace noted that Buttigieg and other government officials are touting the false numbers during performances at last Sunday’s news shows.
But it turns out that the study you’re quoting, Moody’s Analytics, says the economy will add 16.3 million jobs without the infrastructure bill, and 2.7 million more with that. So it doesn’t create, as you said last Sunday, 19 million jobs, ”Wallace said on Fox News Sunday of the American Jobs Plan.
“Again, Secretary Buttigieg, why deceive people?” he asked.
‘You’re right, I should have been more precise. The 19 million jobs that will be created are more than the jobs that will be created if we don’t implement the plan. And it’s very important to make this point, as you just showed us, ”said Buttigieg, a former Democratic presidential candidate.
“That’s right, but 2 million – 2 million isn’t 19 million,” said Wallace.
He then urged Buttigieg to agree that he and National Economic Council director Brian Deese – both of whom used the 19 million number – exaggerated the impact of the infrastructure package on jobs.
‘But the bottom line is that it will add jobs. And this is a direct refutation from people saying otherwise, ”said Buttigieg.
So yes, you’re right, I should be very precise. The difference in jobs that that particular analysis suggests is 2.7 million more. That’s a great place. Why wouldn’t we want America to create 2.7 million more jobs? he added.