Glenn Youngkin, running for president, until Republicans lose one or both houses in the November state elections, wants you to believe that the improving economy in Virginia is somehow not the result of the federal government.
Because if that was the case, that would, of course, maybe make the ideological push for smaller government penny wise, and pound foolish.
Can’t do that.
“As inflation driven by reckless spending at the federal level continues to cost Virginians more, the continued resiliency of Virginia’s economy demonstrates that our focus on lowering the cost of living and delivering billions in tax relief for families, veterans and workers is moving the Commonwealth forward,” Youngkin said in a press release issued by the governor’s office on Friday.
That means, yep, you’re paying for him to play politics with data.
This should have gone out from his Spirit of Virginia PAC.
Anyway.
The press release was touting the net addition of 5,800 jobs in Virginia in September, which is no doubt great news, particularly for those net 5,800 people.
The release also highlighted that the Virginia economy has added a net 232,804 jobs since Youngkin took office in January 2022.
What the release didn’t tell you is that 21,001 of those net new jobs, 9 percent of the total, came in government.
So, government growth is a big part of the overall growth under Youngkin.
Which is no surprise – in addition to the 188,000 Virginians who are directly employed by the federal government, another 375,000 are employed by federal contractors.
The number employed by the federal government or federal contractors represents 13.9 percent of the state’s workforce.
Defense spending alone accounts for 9.7 percent of Virginia’s GDP.
So, yeah, “reckless spending.”
Last thing Virginia wants is that gravy train to end.
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Chris Graham
