In an appearance on Fox News Sunday, Gov. Jennifer Granholm stated that the stimulus had created or retained 36,000 jobs in Michigan. However, it appears her administration's own count of the figures says that figure is inflated. A running tally on www.michigan.gov/recovery shows that the figure is 19,498.
But even then, it is unclear what the figures cover. It is unknown how many of jobs are full or part-time, temporary or long-term, created or retained. But more important is to consider what would have happened in lieu of the stimulus and for all time periods. Sound policy requires that we consider long-run effects and all people, not simply short-run effects and a few people.
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