Over the holidays the Obama administration had a very quiet release of a change in how jobs will be counted to track the success (or failure as the case may be) of the stimulus program.

Recall that the administration had always claimed that they were counting jobs created or “saved”.  That “saved” part was getting them into trouble.  In October, they came up with their first comprehensive count of jobs created or “saved”, claiming about 640,000 jobs.

Two problems with their estimates:

First there is the reality of mounting actual job losses and the growing unemployment rate.

Secondly, there were numerous reports of overcount, double-counts, and even imaginary counts from non-existent congressional districts.

Fortunately, the administration has recognized the error of its ways and released these new counting standards.

But here’s the rub, Recovery Act recipients have now been told to report all jobs funded with stimulus money.  It doesn’t matter of it is a new job or an existing one.  It doesn’t matter if the job was safe and at no risk of being eliminated.  Just count’em all.

Shockingly, the Obama administration is now claiming that the estimate of jobs created or “saved” has skyrocketed to about 2 million.    Well, perhaps it’s not that shocking, when you get to count everything.

Unbelievable.