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Giving Up: Unemployment Rate Drops To 9% Despite Anemic Job Growth, 36k Jobs Gained In January

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Economy
Posted on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 09:07:39 AM EST
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The Obama Administration has discovered the secret to dropping the unemployment rate --get people to stop looking for work:

The United States labor market slowed to a crawl in January, adding just 36,000 jobs last month, far below consensus market forecasts. With 13.9 million people still out of work, the unemployment rate actually fell to 9 percent in part because of a readjustment of population figures and also because fewer people looked for jobs during the month.

Happy Days are here again!

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    Giving Up: Unemployment Rate Drops To 9% Despite Anemic Job Growth, 36k Jobs Gained In January | 28 comments (28 topical)

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    I'm pretty sure the numbers won't be spun (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by Anne on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 09:43:20 AM EST
    this way by the administration, though...somehow, I just can't picture them being honest about this.  We will get a combination of "with all the bad weather, it's harder for people to look for work," and "tax cuts work!"

    Or something equally nonsensical - but ultimately depressing.

    And on top of this, I read this morning that the administration is counseling states on how to cut their Medicaid spending:

    On Thursday, in a move that reflected both the changing political landscape and the still-troubled economy, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius sent a letter to governors suggesting a range of cuts, including removal of some people from the program.

    [snip]

    In her letter, Sebelius reminded governors, many in their first months in office, that they have numerous options to trim spending from their programs now. And she offered help from Washington to develop ways to streamline care, cut prescription drug costs and modernize their programs.

    [snip]

    The Obama administration is suggesting that governors could cut optional health benefits that many Medicaid programs offer, such as physical therapy, dental care, eyeglasses and even some prescription drugs.

    States could also require beneficiaries to pay more for some of these services.

    Some days, I don't know whether to laugh or cry...

    The advice on Medicaid cuts (none / 0) (#16)
    by KeysDan on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 10:25:26 AM EST
    included the old reliable, "attacking fraud".   One governor in his first months in office who knows about what Secretary Sebelius speaks is Florida's Rick Scott, although he is probably a little more fluent in Medicare fraud.   But, he is versatile.

    Parent
    cry. definitely. (none / 0) (#17)
    by sj on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 10:28:03 AM EST
    or maybe laugh.  

    I can't tell either.

    Parent

    statistics=just moving the cows around (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by oldtimer on Sat Feb 05, 2011 at 01:28:57 AM EST
    While watching the evening news my Grandaddy told me the secret about statistics. He told me about the days when the Governemnt was giving ranchers low interest loans based on how many head of cattle they had. The ranchers would take the Gov official out to the field to count them and they made sure it was a long walk to and from the field so counting the heard took all day. At the end of each day, the ranchers would tell the Gov official that there were more cows in another field just up yonder... but it was now dark and well, they would have to go out again the next day to finish the counting. The ranchers would move the SAME COWS from one field to the other and the Gov officials were making low interest loan decisions based on the same cows. Everytime I hear new numbers in the media about anything, I know someone is still moving the cows around!

    just wondering (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by oldtimer on Sat Feb 05, 2011 at 01:36:20 AM EST
    wby do we never hear about the people that are dropping off of the unemployment rolls do they just float away in a burning boat by sea and dissapear? Certainly welfare is not available to them as I hear your rent has to be about $ 200-_300 a month to qualify for food stamps...and no one can find a place to rent for that amount... ...maybe they are all van dwellers that will soon b parking and living in the hoods of our senators? It is shocking how glib some of the "employed" meida folks are when speaking about the unemployment numbers....it is easy to have confidence in an enconomy when you are safe in your warm bed at night.
    oh, yeah... (none / 0) (#1)
    by jeffinalabama on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 09:21:16 AM EST
    we had an all employees meeting yesterday...the topic? possible RIF's. I got RIF'ed in '91 by the Army, now I might get RIF'ed in education.

    Well, piracy or South America is looking better and better...

    I should further mention, (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by jeffinalabama on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 09:24:14 AM EST
    the older I get, the less I want to deal with changes like this. C'mon Barry! Show us some 11 dimensional chess job creation/tax policy moves! (Yes, that's meant insultingly)

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    Are you going to ignore the household (none / 0) (#3)
    by me only on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 09:24:15 AM EST
    survey?

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    Microsoft (none / 0) (#7)
    by me only on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 09:30:17 AM EST
    has made this a terrible morning.  My earlier comment was not a reply, but it I had to reinstall my keyboard, re configure my monitors and reinstall my browser.

    Parent
    Heh, i was wondering... (none / 0) (#8)
    by jeffinalabama on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 09:38:09 AM EST


    Parent
    Sorry (none / 0) (#12)
    by me only on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 09:49:14 AM EST


    Parent
    why not Asia? (none / 0) (#6)
    by observed on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 09:27:12 AM EST
    I'm looking for possibilities that way myself.


    Parent
    The people working under my husband (none / 0) (#20)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 12:53:23 PM EST
    are so scared right now.  He met with them yesterday to discuss a new requirement that they all obtain 40 hours of continuing education every year now.  It should be done on the clock, and there are lots of lectures and things that they can attend on post but they were really upset.  He came home and couldn't understand until we started talking about it, there has been no RIF talk here yet but it is happening in other places.  And his civilian employees are afraid that all the extra that is being asked of them right now to do and to carefully document will be used to weed them out soon.  The best instructors are not the youngest either, they are being challenged to improve after they have generated a very successful career over 40 years and have never been found wanting until now.  To pressure and weed such people out in the middle of two wars would be insane IMO, but sanity doesn't seem to be our strong suit these days.

    Parent
    Wow (none / 0) (#4)
    by lentinel on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 09:24:57 AM EST
    The homeless rate has also diminished although just as many people are homeless thanks to an adjustment in the way we count people and also because the enterprising homeless have found new digs under bridges and in caves.

    Are you "trolling" with this comment?! (none / 0) (#5)
    by observed on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 09:26:28 AM EST


    Parent
    I (none / 0) (#13)
    by lentinel on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 09:49:14 AM EST
    sincerely hope not...

    I felt that I was expressing an analogy with the means with which they determined that

    "the unemployment rate actually fell to 9 percent in part because of a readjustment of population figures and also because fewer people looked for jobs during the month.

    It seemed to me that if they similarly "readjusted" the population figures and took into account that many might have given up looking for a place to live, they could announce that the rate of homelessness had fallen.

    Parent

    Well, trolls are under bridges, that (none / 0) (#19)
    by observed on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 11:56:07 AM EST
    was attempted humor.

    Parent
    Three Billy Goats Gruff (none / 0) (#22)
    by jbindc on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 03:18:05 PM EST


    Parent
    Lies, Damned Lies, & Statistics... (none / 0) (#11)
    by kdog on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 09:45:58 AM EST
    Unemployment and Homelessness editions.

    When the numbers get high and look bad, just change the formula...problem solved!  We can knock off early and hit happy hour.

    Parent

    Speaking of happy hour... (none / 0) (#15)
    by lentinel on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 09:52:45 AM EST

    I'd rather have a bottle in front o' me than a frontal lobotomy.

    - Tom Waits

    TGIF

    Parent

    Tom late to that one (none / 0) (#25)
    by DFLer on Sun Feb 06, 2011 at 06:42:14 AM EST
    I'd rather have a bottle in front o' me than a frontal lobotomy.

    quoting W.C. Fields

    attributed to the brilliant Dorothy Parker

    Parent

    Holy Smokes... (none / 0) (#26)
    by lentinel on Sun Feb 06, 2011 at 01:16:36 PM EST
    apparently Waits copped Fields' line without attribution.

    Did Dorothy Parker say she heard Fields say it, or that she heard it in one of his films - or read it in one of his published letters?

    I know most of Fields' films and I am not familiar with that line.

    Parent

    I just googled it... (none / 0) (#27)
    by lentinel on Sun Feb 06, 2011 at 01:18:44 PM EST
    and saw that the line has been attributed directly to Dorothy Parker - no mention of Fields.

    Parent
    Speaking of Parker... (none / 0) (#28)
    by lentinel on Sun Feb 06, 2011 at 01:24:32 PM EST
    I love to drink martinis. Two at the very most.
    Three I'm under the table. Four I'm under my host.

    ~Dorothy Parker

    Parent
    Will (none / 0) (#10)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 09:45:22 AM EST
    those 13.9 million come out to vote in '12? May elections have been decided on numbers much lower than that. I'm sure if they do come out and vote, it won't be for Obama.

    Yay Happy Days!

    How do the" 99'ers" fit in? (none / 0) (#14)
    by EL seattle on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 09:50:34 AM EST
    I'm not sure how well these folks even being monitored in the latest equations, since the latest unemployment extension didn't include more timeline for them (as I understand it).

    No longer eligible, but (none / 0) (#18)
    by jeffinalabama on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 10:48:42 AM EST
    I don't know about counted. If they don't receive any more UI, why call or email or send in the card?

    Parent
    Unemployment rate (none / 0) (#21)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 02:57:45 PM EST
    is based on a poll, not on the number of people on unemployment insurance claims.

    Parent
    Giving Up: Unemployment Rate Drops To 9% Despite Anemic Job Growth, 36k Jobs Gained In January | 28 comments (28 topical)

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