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DAVID STOCKMAN: It's True, The BLS Data Is Made Up
Business Insider ^ | February 07, 2012 | Gus Lubin

Posted on 02/08/2012 7:37:41 AM PST by lasereye

After countless attempts to discredit or defend Friday's jobs report, we can all agree on one thing: The data is complicated. So complicated that the BLS could make the economy look better than it was and no one would be sure.

Former Reagan budget director David Stockman said as much in an email to Bruce Krasting, in response to Krasting's criticism of the jobs report.

Stockman writes: "If you spend a little time with these numbers you will know that they are being made up."

Here's the email (via Wall Street Examiner):

Bruce– Great job on the Summers catch, but I’m wondering if this goes much deeper. I don’t particularly believe in tin foil hats, but all of these mainstream economists treat the BLS and BEA data like it’s holy writ—when it’s evident that the reports are so massaged, estimated, deemed, revised, re-bench marked and seasonally adjusted that any month-to-month change has a decent chance of being noise. What deep secret might they be hiding?


(Excerpt) Read more at articles.businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bls; jobs; lfpr; stockman
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David Stockman is not the type of person you expect to say things like that.
1 posted on 02/08/2012 7:37:54 AM PST by lasereye
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To: lasereye

David Stockman is just another economist. He carries more weight than Krugman, for example, but he isn’t the “type of person” you might think.


2 posted on 02/08/2012 7:42:18 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: lasereye

Is that the David Stockman who defeated the Liberal Dem Congressman Jack Brooks in TX in ‘94?


3 posted on 02/08/2012 7:44:01 AM PST by no dems (I'm more concerned with America's future than I am Newt's past.)
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To: lasereye

1.2 million dropped out of labor market to rig 8.3% unemplyment to make obama look good is a fraud. It is a criminal fraud that should be indicted.Congress must instruct them immediately on elements on computation. First— there are no people dropping out!! They are still unemployed. all of them. That means our current unemployment rate is close to 11%!!!


4 posted on 02/08/2012 7:46:00 AM PST by tpuskett
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To: lasereye

BLS statistics a made-up figure?

Well, to quote a favorite TV character from years ago, Surprise, surprise, surprise.

When your fallback position is to depend on pixie dust and funding comes from the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, then SOMETHING has to be done to bridge the very real gaps that keep showing up between the promises and reality.

The accepted strategy for this regime is simply to lie.


5 posted on 02/08/2012 7:47:00 AM PST by alloysteel (Are Democrats truly "better angels"? They are lousy stewards for America.)
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To: 1rudeboy
David Stockman is just another economist.

Thats not what the press was saying in the early eighties. Back then he was the only economist they'd listen to.

6 posted on 02/08/2012 7:53:50 AM PST by skeeter
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To: skeeter
So what? Things change. People change. The audience changes.

FR is littered with people who once were cited as authorities, but no longer.

7 posted on 02/08/2012 7:57:14 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: lasereye
The birth death adjustment is a good example of how the BLS "guestimates" job numbers.
8 posted on 02/08/2012 7:57:57 AM PST by RC one (the majority of republicans agree, anyone but Romney.)
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To: 1rudeboy

My point is Stockman is establishment. That’s why it’s an eye opener when he says govt. data is made up.


9 posted on 02/08/2012 7:58:21 AM PST by lasereye
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Comment #10 Removed by Moderator

To: 1rudeboy
Of course. I was being facetious.
11 posted on 02/08/2012 8:06:02 AM PST by skeeter
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To: no dems

That was Steve. Not related.


12 posted on 02/08/2012 8:11:00 AM PST by MARTIAL MONK (I'm waiting for the POP!)
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To: 1rudeboy
FR is littered with people who once were cited as authorities, but no longer.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Say it ain't soooooooooooo.

LOL

I have read some very disparaging remarks against some well-known talk/TV personalities and authors in some of the political threads,recently.

Not that long ago, similar remarks would have the poster up before the firing squad.

Comes to mind that ole adage: Politics makes strange bedfellows.
13 posted on 02/08/2012 8:22:19 AM PST by TomGuy
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To: no dems

There is no forgiveness on FR


14 posted on 02/08/2012 8:25:55 AM PST by woofie (It takes three villages and a forest of woodland creatures to raise a child in Obamaville)
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To: 1rudeboy
David Stockman is just another economist.

True, but he's smart and he knows what he is talking about here. Read his analysis. He makes a compelling case no matter what we think about him otherwise.

15 posted on 02/08/2012 8:31:57 AM PST by Opinionated Blowhard ("When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.")
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To: woofie

I think you meant for this post to apply to #13. I have no clue what you’re talking about.


16 posted on 02/08/2012 8:34:36 AM PST by no dems (I'm more concerned with America's future than I am Newt's past.)
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To: MARTIAL MONK

Oh yeah; my bad. Thanks.


17 posted on 02/08/2012 8:35:33 AM PST by no dems (I'm more concerned with America's future than I am Newt's past.)
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To: no dems

yep ...sorry I screwed up


18 posted on 02/08/2012 11:02:46 AM PST by woofie (It takes three villages and a forest of woodland creatures to raise a child in Obamaville)
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To: woofie

Not a problem.


19 posted on 02/08/2012 12:00:35 PM PST by no dems (I'm more concerned with America's future than I am Newt's past.)
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To: lasereye

Wonder if MSNBC will have him on many of their shows tonight. Maddow, Schultz etc. to talk about this with his authority of serving under Reagan????? They had him on before when he was pushing tax increases??? Will they have him back as a Republician specialist now///LOL!!!!


20 posted on 02/08/2012 5:19:23 PM PST by therut
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