CNN - 5.6% Unemployment is 'low' (1996), 5.6% Unemlpoyment is high (Today)

CNN ^

[Phisher]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Economists didn't expect June's unemployment rate to be much different from May's, which was an already-low 5.6 percent. But in fact, it did fall -- to 5.3 percent. The unemployment rate hasn't been that low since June 1990.

[Phisher]

Funny we are almost at the exact same figures and unemployment is being categorically called 'skyrocketing'

The current unemployment rate is at 5.6% - Why isn't CNN calling it 'already low'

[So Cal Rocket]

Beautiful catch, Phisher!

[jmstein7]

Send this to: comments@foxnews.com

[jmstein7]

Send this to: comments@foxnews.com

[Peach]

Great find!

Can't someone get to the White House and/or RNC and get them to start talking about how the #'s aren't nearly as bad as the press is making it out to be?

We need to organize a mass mailing to the RNC with suggestions on this matter since the RNC has traditionally done such an abysmal job of defending itself.

[Eva]

5.6% is well below the thirty year average for the unemployment, according to the WSJ.

[nickcarraway]

Ha

[Peach]

Done but it would help if we all did it.

[StriperSniper]

The Labor Department said Friday that businesses added 239,000 workers to their payrolls during June. The vast majority of the jobs added were in the service industry, including restaurants, bars, and agencies that place temporary workers.

And funny, but I don't see them calling these 'McJobs'.

[rwfromkansas]

interesting.

Where is an article in which they call it skyrocketing this time?

[jmstein7]

I feel an "action item coming on" :)

That is, if someone else doesn't beat me to it first.

[ex-Texan]

*Super Bump* !!!

[So Cal Rocket]

Compare this with:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/02/09/bush.economy.ap/index.html

Bush highlights economy this week

Monday, February 9, 2004 Posted: 1:36 PM EST (1836 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Trying to steal some of the spotlight from Democrats seeking his job, President Bush is highlighting upswings in the U.S. economy in three events this week, including one in Missouri, a state he narrowly won in 2000 and has been tirelessly courting ever since.

Bush's trip Monday to SRC Automotive Inc., an employee-owned company in Springfield, Missouri, that rebuilds engines and other parts for autos and heavy equipment, marks his 15th visit to Missouri.

He meets at the White House on Tuesday with economic leaders and talks about jobs and education on Thursday in Pennsylvania, another key electoral state he has visited 24 times since taking office.

The trip to America's heartland coincides with the release Monday of Bush's 2004 economic report, a document prepared by his Council of Economic Advisers that is expected to underscore gains in the economy.

In that address, Bush said America has been able to surmount the bursting of the stock market bubble in early 2000 followed by the first recession in a decade, the terrorist attacks, two wars and corporate accounting scandals.

"Americans have responded to each challenge and now we have the results: renewed confidence, strong growth, new jobs and a mounting prosperity that will reach every corner of America," Bush wrote.

Democrats have seized on the troubled job market to boost their election prospects. Bush insists, however, that the situation is turning around, albeit slowly. "It's happening. It's happening," Bush said in an NBC "Meet the Press" interview televised Sunday. "There is good momentum when it comes to the creation of new jobs." Nationally, the jobless rate fell to 5.6 percent in January, the lowest level in more than two years, as employers stepped up hiring -- but not fast enough to ally concerns about the prolonged job drought. Missouri's 5 percent unemployment rate in December was unchanged since November.

Different employment surveys paint contrasting pictures about the health of the economy, which has lost 2.2 million jobs since Bush took office three years ago.

The Labor Department said companies added 112,000 new jobs in January -- the fifth straight month of payroll increases and the largest in three years. Some 366,000 jobs were added in the past five months, it said. Analysts, however, are looking for payroll gains of 300,000 or more every month to demonstrate that sustained job growth is indeed under way.

For a more optimistic look at the nation's employment situation, some economists point to a separate survey of households, which indicated that employment jumped by 496,000 in January. The household survey also counts self-employed and contract workers.

Bush credits his tax cuts with improvements in the economy. Democrats say his economic policies aren't working all that well.

"After months and months of disappointing job creation, it's clear that the administration's policies are still not working for ordinary Americans," Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle said of the unemployment figures released last week that show 8.3 million people out of work. "For the 42nd month in a row, America's manufacturing sector lost jobs."

Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt, the former House Democratic leader who quit the race for his party's presidential nomination, has endorsed the current front-runner, Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts. Kerry carried Missouri in the state's primary on February 3.

The Bush-Cheney campaign is keenly aware of the difference between Missouri and neighboring Illinois, two important states in this year's election. Bush won Missouri's 11 electoral votes by fewer than 79,000 votes in 2000. He lost Illinois' 21 electoral votes to Democrat Al Gore.

Someone, though, should tell the Secret Service.

Apparently confusing Springfield, Illinois, with Springfield, Missouri, the president's security detail called Springfield, Illinois, last week trying to arrange a visit by Bush, said Rebecca Rausch, a spokeswoman for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat.

She said the Secret Service quickly realized that Bush wanted to go to the Show-Me State -- not the Land of Lincoln.

[FairOpinion]

Excellent find!

This needs to be pointed out very loudly.

[Choose Ye This Day]

Where can one find out what average wages are today?

[Phisher]

http://www.bls.gov/cps/home.htm

Unemployment Rate:
5.6% in Jan 2004

[So Cal Rocket]

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t17.htm

Average hourly earnings in Jan 04 was: $15.49

[Finalapproach29er]

Well done.

[Dilbert56]

You can select the official government figures here

[harpo11]

That is fabulous! Excellent post.

[writer33]

"The current unemployment rate is at 5.6% - Why isn't CNN calling it 'already low'"

It doesn't make any sense since the Natural Rate resides at 6%. So 5.6% is really good news. Great post! And the jobs are going to increase. I'm about to start back to work in Pest Control again. So the unemployment rate will drop, employment will rise.

[GeronL]

WOW. Mail this to every columnist and conservative reporter you can find.

[CheezyD]

Fantastic job of finding this!

[oceanview]

the key figure in this article is "239,000 jobs added". we added 16,000 in December 2003 as an example.

[So Cal Rocket]

I'm about to start back to work in Pest Control again.

Can you do something about the 'RAT problem on Capitol Hill?

[Choose Ye This Day]

I just found this from some newspaper. Check out what the average wage is today!!!

Most of Shasta County's fastest growing jobs are not paying the area's current average income, state labor consultant Kathy Porter told business and community leaders Friday at the Redding Civic Center.

Porter said retail sales, cashiers and customer service representatives will be the three fastest growing occupations in the county over the next four years. Retail sales people make an average wage $8.76 an hour, a cashier earns $8.08 and a customer service representative $11.55 — all below the county's average wage of $13.93 an hour.

http://www.redding.com/top_stories/local/20040131toplo026.shtml

This is not just hugh and series, this is IMPORTANT:

1) Unemployment is no worse under President Bush than it was during the first 3 years of Clinton,

2) Inflation is much lower--basically nil, and

3) The average wage for U.S. workers has GONE UP BY $2 AN HOUR!!! Workers are earning MORE now than during the Clinton years!

[tiki]

I think it is just that I am such a Bush fan that I can't imagine him losing but his father did and on the same kind of reporting.

[Phisher]

Thanks for the response guys, I sent emails to FOX, Drudge, and a few others.

I hope you all do the same.

Emphasize not on the CNN website (But provide the link)
Emphasize on how in 1996 we had the same unemployment rate, hourly wages have gone up, all while we were attacked on September 11th, and are in the middle of a war on terrorism

[Choose Ye This Day]

That's even better than the figure I used in Post #26. The point is: Americans are making MORE now than they did during Clinton's term, and inflation has been negligible--except for energy costs, of course.

These numbers need to be touted all over the place.

[Choose Ye This Day]

This is excellent! Fantastic job. You're a great American!

[writer33]

Yes, but it's not legal. HA!

[znix]

awesome

[Peach]

I know. sigh

However, FR and FNC weren't as popular back in '96. That will be worth something IF we use the power of FNC and FR!

[tiki]

Yes, and thank God.

[GeronL]

doesn't the Heritage Foundation have e-mail addresses to conservative writers and radio talk show hosts from all over the country??

[bobo1]

The current unemployment rate is at 5.6% - Why isn't CNN calling it 'already low'

Orwellian "newspeak"?

Maybe taking lessons from George Gobbels? (spelling)

blessings, Bobo

[finnman69]

media bias ping

[Phisher]

Just for further proof:

http://www.co.larimer.co.us/compass/unemplrate_ec_bus.htm#chart2

USA is the black line.

1996 - 5.6 (even higher in previous years)

It ends at 5.7 % in 2002, but that is even more proof.

[Mr. Mojo]

Ping!

[Choose Ye This Day]

I don't know, I'll check.

I just e-mailed it to Laura Ingraham. People should do the same to Rush, Hannity, Medved, Prager, Hewitt, Beck, etc.

[GeronL]

wow.

[GeronL]

The mendacity of the media is incredible. How can anything that lies so much have so much credibility with the masses??

[Phisher]

Heck in 1993 it peaked at 7%

Under Bush it hasn't gone over 6.5%

WITH 9/11, Two major conflicts, Business Corruption, ect.

[MEG33]

FYI

[Choose Ye This Day]

I bounced around on Heritage's website and couldn't find it.

[drq]

good work

[GeronL]

Must have been a different conservative website.

[socal_parrot]

The mainstream meadia would make you thing that we're mired in a depression. Here in Orange County, CA, the bread lines are especially long with unemployment at a shocking 3.5%.

[jla]

^

[ambrose]

bump.