Texas Governor Rick Perry has released his first television ad, and in it, he makes a big promise. "As president, I will create at least 2 and half million new jobs."
The problem, as Steve Benen points out, is that this is a lot less impressive than it sounds. Since the recession officially ended a year and a half ago, the economy has added 2.56 million private-sector jobs. Unfortunately, thanks largely to public sector layoffs, net job growth comes to 2.1 million jobs. Even still, President Obama's record of 2.1 million jobs in eighteen months – lackluster as it is – is far preferable to Perry's promise of 2.5 million jobs in four years.
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