Death Toll Revised Down to 24 After Monstrous Oklahoma Tornado…100+ Injured…Children Among the Dead…Stunning Pictures…Woman Finds Dog During Interview!

WATCH on TheBlaze TV: Latest Updates on Tornado Aftermath, Including Updates From Glenn Beck in Oklahoma

Maxine Waters Warns 170 MILLION Jobs Could Be Lost Due to Sequestration Cuts — But There’s a Huge Problem With Her Estimate

Feb. 28, 2013 4:05pm Jason Howerton

If Congress allows sequestration cuts to take effect, more than 170 million Americans could lose their jobs, according to Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.).

“If sequestration takes place, that’s going to be a great setback. We don’t need to be having something like sequestration that’s going to cause these job losses — over 170 million jobs that could be lost,” Waters said.

She went on to say cuts must be done “over a long period of time.”

There’s just one problem with her estimation — and it’s a big one. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are only 134 million people working in the United States. So by Waters’ estimation, the sequester cuts would be so apocalyptic that nearly 40 million people who don’t have jobs would become even more unemployed.

Further, the U.S. currently has a population of about 315 million people, according to Census data. If Waters was correct in her assertion, that would mean sequestration would leave more than half the country, 54 percent, unemployed. Talk about a catastrophe.

Luckily for America, the estimate is clearly wrong. TheBlaze could not find any data to suggest that the $85 billion in automatic sequestration cuts during FY2013 (about 2.4 percent of annual federal budget) would cause 170 million people to lose their jobs. Then again, that’s also impossible because there aren’t that many people working in America. Unfortunately though, once something is said, you can’t take it back.

Keep in mind, Waters is the ranking Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, which “oversees all components of the nation’s housing and financial services sectors including banking, insurance, real estate, public and assisted housing, and securities.” If Democrats should gain control of the House, she would become the chairwoman.

The Daily Beast’s Megan McArdle puts it this way:

“The best hope is that this is entirely symbolic, and they figure it’s safe to make her the senior member as long as she won’t actually be in charge of anything. But having put her in a highly visible slot, it will be very difficult to dislodge her in the event that the Democrats retake the house, and Maxine Waters is expected to actually architect new legislation concerning the financial system. And even typing those words strikes terror into my heart.”

Maxine Waters Warns 170 MILLION Jobs Could Be Lost Due to Sequestration Cuts

FILE – In this May 8, 2012 file photo, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. The substitute ethics panel that investigated Rep. Maxine Waters, a senior Democrat, issued a stinging rebuke of the permanent House Ethics Committee Tuesday with a declaration that its members need to step aside from partisanship when judging member conduct. Credit: AP

–

UPDATE: Eric Orner, Waters’ deputy communications director, told Charles C. W. Cooke in a statement that the 170 million jobs comment was a “slip of the tongue.” He also scolded Cooke for posting the video at all, saying “I think this was below your standards, and I hope you’ll reconsider the post.”

Here it is:

I just noticed a post by National Review On-Line contributor Charles C. W. Cooke about House Financial Services Committee Ranking Member Water’s obvious slip of the tongue (she accidentally said 170 million , when she meant 170 thousand) when referring to the number of jobs that may be lost as a result of sequestration.

I think this was below your standards, and hope you’ll reconsider the post.

Eric Orner

Deputy Communications Director
Financial Services Committee
Representative Maxine Waters, Ranking Member

Cooke’s response on National Review Online? “Never mind. When the very fabric of the republic collapses at 11:59p.m. tomorrow, this will all be rendered moot,” he jokingly wrote.

Featured image via AP. This story has been updated.

(H/T: Weasel Zippers)

Benghazi, IRS, AP...What's next? Only TheBlaze TV offers the truth from Glenn Beck, Andrew Wilkow, and Real News from TheBlaze. Get instant access and a free trial here.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (645)

LiberalsRParasiticRacistEvilNIgnorantTraitors
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 8:09pm
I love the photo of her. It is as if you are looking into the eyes of a genius, a patriot, a true sage for the ages, a bastion of decency . . .. um, or the opposite of all that.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
V-MindMeld
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 8:08pm
I think her and O” must be related somehow, they sure seem to think the same in their retoric and scare tatics as a means to keep wasting our money…..heaven forbid” we take 1 nickel from them to spend, shame on us all,,,,,,boo hoo,,,,,

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
DawgBreath
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 8:02pm
There are 315 million people in our United States. In Obama’s world, where there 57 or 58 states, there be a hol’ bunch mo folks. And they be da ones who gonna be outa work. Das why we gots ta print more money.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Fitzzz
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 8:00pm
How can she be so dumb ?
This is not the first time, or even the twentieth time, the woman does dumb all the time
For me what’s so outrageous, is she keeps getting elected
When your that dumb, you should not be allowed to hold public office

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
sandlakebob
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:59pm
THIS is a member of our United States Congress.
No wonder we are DOOMED !
Personally, I think her wig is on too tight.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- V-MindMeld
  Posted on February 28, 2013 at 8:09pm
  maybe she flipped it lol
  
  Report this comment
Mr_doofus
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:58pm
She should have justified her 170 million by saying “that includes the 40 million jobs Obama has saved or created”

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
LiberalsRParasiticRacistEvilNIgnorantTraitors
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:53pm
170,000,000.

What is the number of brain cells Waters would have if you added 169,999,999 to her own natural brain power?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Onesimus
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:50pm
I am “almost” to the point of lumping the Republicans with the Democrats, casting my vote for the best conservative I can find and letting the cards fall where they may. I am SICK TO DEATH of being offered up double tounged moderates and being told they are “electable”. Bold Colors, not pale pastels, BE DIFFERENT. What moron looks at a 16 Trillion dollar debt with a 150 TRILLION dollar commitment to pay as says “we might go broke”? WE ARE LONG PAST BROKE. Folks, you could stack thousand dollar bills flat to the moon and not reach ONE Trillion dollars. Perspective, you could convert the entire money supply on the planet, that’s every Ruble, Mark, Denari, Peso, Pound, Lyra, Denari, Rupee, Drachma, Franc, Euro, Yen, Won, and every other currency to dollars and the commitment to pay is greater than three times the money supply. Reality check please! This isn’t simply stupid, it’s evil. This fiasco WILL implode. It is not a question of “if” but “when”.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
TheVolleyballGod
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:50pm
It would be so funny if Obama let Maxine borrow her bang wig.. I say every February in honor of black history month we have all white people in power go on vacation and all white in media TV and radio go on a one month vacation and let blacks run everything.. it be so crazy that even Flips Wilson would pop out of his grave

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
noslave
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:47pm
i want to make GORILLA COOKIES??what do i use as a cookie press,cant quite put my hand on it ?its probably right under my nose??

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
toto
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:46pm
She is a fine example of the depth of dumbness in Congress, no wonder we are in so much trouble.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
VeritatisCupitor
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:46pm
Slip of the tongue or not, why do the people (California) keep electing these idiots back into office. What an embarrassment to the country not to mention California to have someone like Waters representing the people in Congress. Everything with them is “Hype, Panic, Exaggeration or Doomsday outcomes”. This one can’t even count.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Southernsoul
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:45pm
Case study concluded. My theory is now a fact and proven beyond a doubt. Liberalism is a mental disorder. Now all we have to do is get them all the proper help.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Lil Ole Me
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:43pm
Gawd, I hope she didn’t pay for her education.

Or…….maybe she is referring to the jobs held by people living in the extra 7 states Obama mentioned when he was a candidate.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- LiberalsRParasiticRacistEvilNIgnorantTraitors
  Posted on February 28, 2013 at 8:07pm
  She was referring to the jobs that will be lost in lala land, one of those seven extra states. That’s where her teenie brain serves as mayor. In lala land everything is about retaliation for past wrongs, social justice, entitlements, and socialism, yet sadly none of the residents even know how to spell those words nor do they have the intellectual capacity to comprehend what they mean.
  
  Report this comment
thetinman39120
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:43pm
Is it just me, but with the Population of the United states that stands around in 2012 estimate is 313,914,040. So we are talking over half of the United States Citizens. What am I missing here? When one factors in the Retired, the pre school and school age children, the college students that do not have jobs, the disabled, to include the entitlement society, and welfare, guess this leaves a deficit on her numbers. Bet we don’t have 170 million workers in this nation!! to include the President of The United States!!!! IMHO

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Perspective
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:42pm
Isn’t it sad when we have a population of 315 million and only 134 million people have jobs? Maxine Waters is a joke.Typical hard left Dem. So much for emperor Obama’s policies I guess ey?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Tigress1
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:38pm
Listening to her talk, it is obvious how government is so redundant. How many different housing programs do we have to pay for? No wonder we are broke! It’s as ridiculous as Maxine Waters!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
LameLiberals
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:36pm
Will Guam tip over also?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
NewCreationDave
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:36pm
Geer, I sure hope ole Maxy baby is 1 of the 170,000,000!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
jlightning1
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:34pm
Has anyone bothered to mention that the Fed buys $85 billion in bonds and securities every 4 weeks.. Whats the BIG deal with this cut? Their goal is to spend and spend and spend until even the rich are ruined…

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
LoneRanger26
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:32pm
Can I make a request? In the future, please don’t post a closeup picture of Maxine Waters without a warning first.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Shreknangst
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:32pm
Really, “over 170 million jobs that could be lost,” Where?
170 million is more then all the workers in America — or over half the population.
As the article states, ” there are only 134 million people working in the United States”
If we accept the “(she accidentally said 170 million , when she meant 170 thousand) ” COOL a decimal error is routine if the data is mixed in with other statistics; in reality, depending on where the $85 Billion in cuts occurs, we could displace workers in foreign nations now supplying a lot of our products.

Just think about cuts to social security — they remove disposable income (the stuff that causes an economy to grow) and reduces roughly a third of the population to subsistence living… no squandering on the grandkids, so not much money for the Walmart style stores…. and hardly very much for local stores.

But hey, who cares … we need a good recession to make the GOP happy

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
blackfeather
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:31pm
this idiot needs a dirt nap…

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
zgomer
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:28pm
Man that is one dumb ugly cow…

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
duncan1622
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 7:28pm
How do these people get elected? Republicans are morons but democrats give new meaning to the word “Dumb”. They prove it all the time. When will we learn?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.