You know all those green jobs liberal politicians keep prattling on about? Turns out the government is spending billions on them without actually knowing what they are. The words just sound so damn nice.
Byron York describes the dubious definitions:
Buried deep inside a federal newsletter on March 16 was something called a “notice of solicitation of comments” from the Bureau of Labor Statistics at the Department of Labor.
“BLS is responsible for developing and implementing the collection of new data on green jobs,” said the note in the Federal Register, which is widely read by government bureaucrats and almost never seen by the general public. But the notice said there is “no widely accepted standard definition of ‘green jobs.'” To help find that definition, the Labor Department asked that readers send in suggestions.
Got that? They’re spending billions on these jobs, but need your help to tell them what they’re spending the money on.
The notice came only after the department scoured studies from government, academia, and business in search of a definition. “The common thread through the studies and discussions is that green jobs are jobs related to preserving or restoring the environment,” the notice said. Duh! Beyond that, a precise definition has eluded Labor Department officials.
A member of Senator Charles Grassley’s staff noticed that notice. He went to the Department of Labor Web site and found a laundry list of puffed up green job announcements:
• U.S. Department of Labor Announces $100 Million in Green Jobs Training through Recovery Act
• U.S. Department of Labor Announces $150 Million in “Pathways Out of Poverty” Training Grants for Green Jobs
• U.S. Department of Labor Announces Nearly $190 Million in State Energy Sector Partnership and Training Grants for Green Jobs
The bottom line?
Every time you hear the words “green job”, be aware that you are the victim of a screw job.
Source: Washington Examiner
