Not a proud milestone

[unixronin]

It is asserted here, supported by data from Contrary Investor (subscription only, it appears), that since what looks like about 2002 the US has had more people employed in government than in manufacturing and construction combined.  From the provided chart, the current margin is about two million.

This is not a good sign at all.

Comments

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Well, yeah, you have a point there. But this is a 90% increase in government payroll over a period in which the US population increased by slightly less than 50%. In other words, the percentage of the US population employed by the government is rising almost twice as fast as the population itself, from roughly one in every 17 American residents in 1969 to one in 13.5 today.

[rbos.livejournal.com]

I agree, that is worrying, but the numbers are nowhere near as panic-inducing when cast that way.

Lies, damn lies, and statistics.