The "unemployment rate" is a statistic specially constructed by politicians...

[Lukey]

For its ability to be spun. You could have nobody working and have a 0% unemployment rate because it is a percentage of people "working or looking for work." Nobody working and nobody looking for work and the unemployment rate is 0%! Anyone who is serious about taking the pulse of the economy would look at the number of total jobs and/or the labor force participation rate. They can't be hyped. And NEITHER of them is looking that good right now. So spin on left wingers, but people won't really start feeling better about the economy until one (or both) of those two is (are) headed up.

 

[Figjam]

...of course you are right - it is "...a statistic specially constructed by politicians..." - and teapubs use it just as much as democrats

 

[OldGaffer]

Do they figure it the same way all the time? If so, it serves the purpose of a measuring stick, that measures the same way decade after decade. If you changed it now, you would need to go back and change it for all the years of the past or you would wind up with meaningless information.

 

[Bo-4]

...of course you are right - it is "...a statistic specially constructed by politicians..." - and teapubs use it just as much as democrats

Indeed, nobody used it to greater advantage than Baby Bushie.

 

[Lukey]

Do they figure it the same way all the time? If so, it serves the purpose of a measuring stick, that measures the same way decade after decade. If you changed it now, you would need to go back and change it for all the years of the past or you would wind up with meaningless information.

They have but that's irrelevant. The key is that it is a function of the number of people looking for work. A lousy economy and generous transfer payments and you suddenly have fewer people looking and the "unemployment rate" goes down. But, is that really an indication the economy is improving?

 

[Lukey]

Indeed, nobody used it to greater advantage than Baby Bushie.

Me? I voted against GW (twice)...

 

[OldGaffer]

Now you get to vote against Obama twice and be on the losing side 4 in a row.

 

[Greenridgeman]

Specifically, how did Bush fake that 4.5% unemployment rate we were at when Pelosi/Reid Congress came in?

 

[Bo-4]

Specifically, how did Bush fake that 4.5% unemployment rate we were at when Pelosi/Reid Congress came in?

Have you no shame at all? He inherited a 4.5 from Clinton and ran it up to 8 and a DJIA of 7900 when he mercifully left the building.

Sorry Greens, but stop lying and obfuscating k?

-Bo out

Thanks, off to watch KS pulverize AK.

 

[Saladin2]

Republican always panic when the economy starts doing better....Obama hate and fear mongering about America are their 2 main platforms

 

[Greenridgeman]

Where is the lie? I asked a question?

The 8 and the 7900 came after Pelosi/Reid.

I asked where Bush faked the 4.5%.

Again, your reading comprehension skills, or, rather, lack thereof, are showing.

 

[Greenridgeman]

Kansas and Alaska are in a battle???

WTF???