Fox's Crowley Is “Complete[ly]” Wrong About Balance Of Private, Public Employment Under Obama

Fox News contributor Monica Crowley said that “under this administration, you have had a complete overturning of the balance where the private sector has been the vast majority of American workers and American economic life.” In fact, the private sector still employs “the vast majority of American workers” -- about five times more than does government.

Crowley: There's Been “A Complete Overturning Of The Balance” Between Public And Private Sectors

Crowley: “The Public Sector Has Grown To Such A Huge Extent.” From Fox Business' America's Nightly Scoreboard:

CROWLEY: We've been talking a lot on FBN and elsewhere about the class warfare and how Obama is stoking class warfare -- meaning talking about millionaires and billionaires. I think that the real class warfare is something that Jimmy Hoffa just touched on, which is public sector vs. private sector. And under this administration, you have had a complete overturning of the balance where the private sector has been the vast majority of American workers and American economic life. Now, the public sector has grown to such a huge extent. That's, I think, what he was getting at. [Fox Business, America's Nightly Scoreboard, 9/6/11]

Reality: Private-Sector Employment Is Still About Five Times Larger Than Government Employment

BLS: In January 2009, Private Sector Employed About 111 Million People. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 110,981,000 private-sector workers in January 2009. [BLS via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, accessed 9/7/11 through “Download Data in Graph” link]

BLS: In January 2009, Government Employed About 22.6 Million People. According to the BLS, there were 22,582,000 people working at all levels of government in January 2009. [BLS via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, accessed 9/7/11 through “Download Data in Graph” link]

BLS: In August 2011, Private Sector Employed About 109.2 Million People. According to the BLS, there were 109,170,000 private-sector workers in August 2011. [BLS via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, accessed 9/7/11 through “Download Data in Graph” link]

BLS: In August 2011, Government Employed About 22 Million People. According to the BLS, there were 21,962,000 people working at all levels of government in August 2011. [BLS via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, accessed 9/7/11 through “Download Data in Graph” link]

Graph From St. Louis Fed Shows Private-Sector Employment Is Still About Five Times Larger Than Government Employment. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in a graph from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis:

[BLS via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, accessed 9/7/11]

Reality: Government Employment Has Decreased Under Obama

BLS: Governments Have Shed More Than 500,000 Workers Since January 2009. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in a graph from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis:

[BLS via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, accessed 9/6/11]