U.S. Still Down 6 Million Jobs

Fox News ^ | 3/11/12

[Kartographer]

The stock market has recovered its losses since hitting bottom three years ago today. But despite gains in employment during that same stretch, America is still down six million jobs, data shows. The economy added 227,000 jobs in February, more than the 204,000 economists expected, the Labor Department reported this morning. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 8.3% from last month. But while the economy has added more than 200,000 jobs for three straight months, the damage to employment done by the Great Recession is still far from repaired.

[Kartographer]

OBAMAVILLE

Gett’n a head fake,

watchin' msn’s take;

All of their pundits oozing foul oil.

Clean’n my six gun on my front porch swing.

Felling my blood--
It’s beginnin' to boil.

Wasted away again in Obamaville,

Searchin' for a job so I can earn my salt.

Some people claim that Bush is to blame,

But I know it's Obama’s fault.

There’s no rhyme or reason,

They are all commitin’ treason

With nothing to show but a brand new tax or two.

But they are real beauties,

Despotic duties, how they got passed

I haven't a clue.

Wasted away again in Obamaville,

Searchin' for a job so I can earn my salt.

Some people claim that it’s Bush we should blame,

Now I think,-- hell with them it’s Obama’s fault.

I blew out my flip flop,

Stepped on a pop top;

Cut my heel, but I just cruise on back home.

Because no medical care will the doctors render

They say there’s little service I can tender

And there’s no need for me to hang on.

Wasted away again in Obamaville

Searchin' for a job so I can earn my salt.

Some people claim that Bush is to blame,

But I know, it's my own damn fault.

Yes, and some people claim that Bush is to blame,

And I know because of my vote it's my own damn fault damn fault.

[Doctor 2Brains]

Bush’s fault.

[entropy12]

Mort Zuckerman, who is by no means a RW ideologue put it in easy to understand language today on the McLaughlin TV show.

Mort said the unemployment rate is calculated based on how many people are actively looking for jobs in the LAST 4 WEEKS. But the average worker is currently remaining unemployed for average of 6 to 7 months, that 8.3% should be over 15% unemployment. And then Mort added, if you account for those who have given up completely looking for jobs, the unemployment rate is closer to 18%.

This is a very important point. GOP needs to put it out in all their Ads for the non-wonks out there who are vast majority of voters.

[dfwgator]

And that still doesn’t address “Underemployment.”

[entropy12]

Correct. However even without complicating with the issue of underemployment, the real unemployment is much worse than 8.3%. To exactly define who is and who is not underemployed could get muddy. OTOH there is no denying actual data on how many months the average unemployment lasts.

[raulgomez05]

Down from when?

[kearnyirish2]

“GOP needs to put it out in all their Ads for the non-wonks out there who are vast majority of voters.”

They should also be raising the inflation question when people talk about “the market recovering”; besides the fact that stocks go up as American workers are dropped from the payrolls, anyone can see that $1 today doesn’t buy the same groceries, gasoline/heating oil, gold or silver that it did 3 years ago. If the market is at the same “number” today as it was 3 years ago (in US $ terms), then shareholders have lost over 50% of their investment (and many don’t even know it).

Unemployment & inflation should make this election a shoe-in for any Republican; there are not enough government workers and unassimilated minorities to offset the numbers of people being crushed by these conditions.

[entropy12]

You are exactly right...inflation in food and energy is palpable for everyone who is not in the upper class. The democrats are playing a very clever game of engaging the republican candidates in social issues. Obama is only vulnerable on inflation, jobs and debt.

Obamacare is also an issue but there are some items in it which people like such as protection against insurance cancellation, coverage of kids through college years etc. We definitely need a reform in healthcare but the 2800 page Obamacare ain’t it in Toto.

[kearnyirish2]

The ObamaCare is linked to the inflation issue, which was originally caused by running the printing presses 24/7 producing Monopoly stimilus money, which will further be watered down by this massive expansion of entitlements.