CBO: Extending Unemployment Benefits Would Cost $100K Per Job Created

Today, the Congressional Budget Office released a report informing readers that extending unemployment benefits for a year, an outlay which would cost the federal government $30 billion, would, because of its allegedly stimulative impact, generate 300,000 jobs.

Even if true, neither the CBO, nor the Associated Press in covering the report, noted that this result works out to a cost $100,000 per job. Bravely assuming that each new job created pays $40,000 per year, that's a $60,000 loss in value received compared to money spent. The government's tax take at all levels on that amount of earnings is likely about $10,000 or so. All of this is apparently considered pretty smart by the AP's Sam Hananel and a quoted leading Democrat:

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REPORT: EXTENDING JOBLESS BENEFITS CREATES JOBS

Extending the current level of long-term unemployment benefits for another year would add 300,000 jobs to the economy, according to a report from the Congressional Budget Office.

The analysis released Wednesday from the nonpartisan office estimates that keeping jobless benefits would cost the government $30 billion. But it would also lead to more spending by the unemployed, boosting demand for goods and services and creating new jobs.

Federal long-term unemployment benefits are set to expire on Dec. 29 for more than 2 million workers unless Congress approves an extension. Democrats have called for reauthorization of extended benefits, but Republicans generally oppose more jobless aid without additional spending cuts to offset the cost.

"This report is more evidence that extending help to those who are seeking work is a better investment for our economy than extending tax breaks for those resting comfortably atop the economic ladder," said Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Since the government has been "stimulating" the economy to the tune of about $5 trillion in deficits during the past four years, Doggett's and the CBO's twisted "logic" would predict that the economy should have created 50 million jobs by now. Note that this hasn't happened.

Nevertheless, big government fans continue to trot out this dreck, and its press lapdogs relay it unskeptically. What a sick colossal joke.

Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.