Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Sunday during an interview with Fox News host Chris Wallace walked back his claim that President Joe Biden’s infrastructure package would create 19 million jobs.
“All of you in the Biden administration have been selling this plan as a huge jobs creator. … But it turns out the study you’re citing from, Moody’s Analytics, says the economy will add 16.3 million jobs without the infrastructure bill, and 2.7 million more with it. So it doesn’t, as you said last Sunday, create 19 million jobs,” Wallace said on “Fox News Sunday” about the “American Jobs Plan.”
“Again, Secretary Buttigieg, why mislead folks?” 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 do the plan. And it’s very important to make this point, as you’ve just showed us,” Buttigieg, a former Democratic presidential candidate, said.
“Right, but 2 million — 2 million is not 19 million,” Wallace said.
“Moody’s is saying that we will create 2.7 million more jobs than if we don’t do it and that’s very important because there are people on this network and others saying with a straight face that this would somehow reduce the number of jobs. In fact, at least according to that Moody’s analysis, 2.7 million additional jobs if we pass this package, just further proof that its good for this economy and taken as a whole it’s going to add jobs compared to doing nothing.”
“The bottom line is, it’s going to add jobs. And this is a direct refutation of people who are saying otherwise,” Buttigieg said.
“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 is a great place to be. Why wouldn’t we want America to create 2.7 million more jobs?” he added.
The Moody’s report estimates that the economy would create about 19 million jobs between the fourth quarter of 2020 and the fourth quarter of 2030 with Biden’s plan. Several administration officials, including the president himself, have referenced the 19 million jobs number in sales pitches.
“Independent analysis shows that if we pass this plan, the economy will create 19 million jobs — good jobs, blue-collar jobs, jobs that pay well,” Biden said during a speech on March’s jobs numbers. “That’s long-term jobs for pipefitters, healthcare workers, those who work in the steel factories and the cutting-edge labs as well.”
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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