Every month prior to the 2012 election the government released positive unemployment numbers and that was big news. A week or two later the numbers were adjusted down with less fanfare. Through individual efforts we learned that the unemployment figure doesn’t even give an accurate picture of the unemployed because the number does not include people who would like to work but have simply given up finding a job. This information also was disclosed with little fanfare. Unemployment figures don’t take into consideration that many of the people who are working have jobs beneath their education levels, are working part time when they want full time, or are working two or more jobs instead of a good job in their chosen field. It doesn’t take into consideration the unusually higher numbers of people applying for job related disability retirement. We do know that the number of Americans living in poverty is at the highest since the great depression but misery factor of this very bad indicator is masked by the numbers of people receiving food stamps. The administration continues to tell us that the economy is improving. In fact the economy has been bumping along at the bottom with few signs of overall improvement since the end of the recession almost five years ago. All of this information, taken together, begs the question, “Has the administration been engaged in a game of perception deception with respect to the economy and opportunity?
I will be dismissed as one of those cranky Tea party people the President himself has taken to attacking. But this question has been on the minds of others as well. The New York Post writer John Crudele suggest today that there might have been/is an concerted effort to create a positive impression among the electorate that the economy and jobs situations are getting much better than they are. Crudele points to several investigations including a Freedom of Iinformation request he has filed. Evidence indicates at least one person at the Census Bureau, the bureau that collects a reports to the Labor Department.
At the core of all these investigations is solid evidence that at least one surveyor — a guy named Julius Buckmon, working out of the Philadelphia Census office but polling in Washington, DC — submitted fake household surveys that were used in compiling the Labor Department’s unemployment rate.
Because of the scientific nature of the Labor Department survey, Buckmon’s actions alone would have affected the responses of some 500,000 households.
But as I’ve been reporting, the scam was allegedly much larger than that and included other surveyors (or enumerators as they are called) over many years. And supervisors at least two levels up are said to have known about — and covered up — the scandal.
Other than the moral implications that would that accompany manipulations of this nature is the question as to whether this was done, if it was done, to give the President positive press in the run up to the 2012 election. The IRS scandal already suggests that underhanded methods were enacted to this end by supporters of the President. The question remains was it an organized coordinated strategy of his campaign? Investigations continue.
The CBO has just released a report saying that a $10.10 minimum wage would eliminate 500 thousand jobs. It also found that the wage increase wouldn’t be precisely targeted at poverty:
The increased earnings for low-wage workers resulting from the higher minimum wage would total $31 billion, by CBO’s estimate. However, those earnings would not go only to low-income families, because many low-wage workers are not members of low-income families. Just 19 percent of the $31 billion would accrue to families with earnings below the poverty threshold, whereas 29 percent would accrue to families earning more than three times the poverty threshold, CBO estimates.
It amazes me how the people who create our stats do not note those who have quit looking for work. If we would enter that number and the number on welfare, which is NOT the same as being employed, no matter what Obama says, our unemployment would likely be twice what we’re showing. We need to fix this and whatever it takes, we should do, even if it means a mob with torches and pitch forks going aftre members of Congress. We need to be told the truth…as somebody once said, truth matters.
After losing 750,000 jobs a month at the end of GW’s 8 years of Republican policies the stimulus put a plug in it. Deregulated wall street, banks and their corruption?
Who is laughing a us and bribing n the TPP that will send more jobs overseas? The banks! The TPP removes democracy and puts global corporations in control of the country.
I commend those who stopped looking for work when all the new jobs are min wage slave labor. There is 1 job for every 3 looking. Walmart is not a career.
Let the children of those who commend tax cuts to those who ship our jobs overseas work for those wages. Underground income is better.
Bush inherited a recession, he just didn’t whine about it:
Let’s add a little color to those black and white statistics…let’s take a little walk down memory lane:
430 companies were housed in the towers that fell on 911 and all of them were impacted by the numbers of people lost on that day. The airlines too were impacted. 1300 Children were orphaned.
As to the economy and jobs:
And then there was that minor disaster… Katrina.
Live Science:
Bush led the nation through all of that (plus the war) and unemployment never got above 5%, except for a short period that peeked in June 2003 after 911 when it was 6.3%. By December, 2005 the unemployment rate had dipped to 4.9% and stayed in the 4% range straight through to November, 2007 when the Democrats took the House. By December, 2007 unemployment was at 5.0%. By August 2008 it had risen to 6.1% When the economy tanked, the rate moved upward ending December, 2008 at 7.3%.
Rising still, in January, 2009 when President Obama took office, the rate was at 7.8%. By June of 2009 the recession had ended. By October 2009 unemployment was at 10% and by July, 2012…three years into the Obama recovery, the rate had only come down to 8.2%. We are also informed that the percentages under Obama are light because of the high numbers of people that have given up looking for work.
Bush gave the American workers and producers tax cuts and it kept the economy going even in the face of so much ongoing crisis and loss.
Obama has taken a different, Keynesian path and the nation is basically screwed!
Dewey…you are just flat out wrong!
No matter how you slice it you just can’t compare the leadership or the results achieved.
Mike Rowe, of “Dirty Jobs” fame, participates in a Wal Mart commercial that says it will spend $250 BILLION to MANUFATURE goods made in the USA to sell instead of in China and he gets attacked by left-wing nuts.
Here is a company committing a quarter of a trillion dollars from THEIR profits to create jobs in American and people are too stupid to see how this is good for the economy.
Mike Rowe’s Response to Facebook Comments on Walmart Commercial Voiceover:
“Today, I see that some people are calling for my head. Other’s want me to run for office. And some have demanded the surgical removal of my vocal cords. What better way to spend a rainy Sunday than by responding to a few?
Let’s start with Kevin Groce.
“Mike – Walmart was the last thing I would ever think you would do anything for! Why?
Hi Kevin,
That’s easy. Walmart has committed to purchase 250 billion dollars of American made products over the next decade. In essence, that’s a purchase order made out to the USA for a quarter of a trillion dollars. That means dozens of American factories are going to reopen all over the country. Millions of dollars will pour straight into local economies, and hundreds of thousands of new manufacturing positions will need to be filled. That’s a massive undertaking packed with enormous challenges, and I want to help. I want to see them succeed. Don’t you? Honestly Kevin, who gives a crap about your feelings toward Walmart? Who gives a crap about mine? Isn’t this the kind of initiative we can all get behind?
“I’ve looked up to you for the longest time. What happened to your support of the underdogs? Sad times Mike.”
Be strong, Kevin. I’m flattered that you’ve looked up to me in the past. Hopefully, I’ll redeem myself in the future. But I’ve never supported the “underdog” simply because they’re not the favorite. Size might matter in some pursuits, (I’ve been assured it does,) but in business, there’s nothing inherently good about being small, and nothing inherently bad about being big. My foundation supports skilled labor, American manufacturing, entrepreneurial risk, a solid work ethic, and personal responsibility. We reward these qualities wherever we find them, whether they’re in David or Goliath.
Deepwater
Feb. 8, 2014 at 3:11pm
“God bless you, Mike Rowe! And now brace yourselves for the squealing from the libs who are constantly trashing Walmart.”
I am braced, Deepwater. But to be fair, I’m friendly with lots of liberals who support this initiative with great enthusiasm. And I know some conservatives who look at this campaign with great skepticism. I don’t blame them. I think anything on television, especially a commercial with a big claim delivered by a professional spokesman should always be questioned. But if the country can’t get behind a program like this, I’m afraid we are all well and truly screwed.
Romeapple
Feb. 8, 2014 at 5:00pm
It’s hypocrisy. WalMart’s products are all made in China. WalMart contributes to those empty factories. What’s so “powerful” about an ad that makes absolutely no sense?”
That’s not entirely accurate, Romeapple. There’s a lot of merchandise currently in Walmart that’s manufactured right here in the USA – (including Dirty Jobs Cleaning Products.) But let’s assume – for the purpose of conversation – that Walmart did get every single item from China. Wouldn’t you like to see that change? Watch the ad again. Walmart is promising to buy 250 billion dollars of American made stuff and put it on their shelves. Whatever else you might think of the company, can you really root against an initiative like that? Let me ask it another way. Do you really think America has any hope of reinvigorating our manufacturing base without support from the biggest retailer in the world?”
Continued..
http://profoundlydisconnected.com/mike-rowes-facebook-response-walmart-commercial-voiceover/
This is amazing on so many levels. the most obvious is the miss-perception about WalMart. They didn’t go to China because they wanted to deny American’s their jobs. They went to get cheaper products to sell to Americans whose dollars would be stretched with lower prices.
Now when the company has said it will invest in products made in America the left is still not happy…are they ever?
A thriving economy would diminish some of the anger…but there are some people who care more about the agenda than they do about putting people to work.
Walmart sells cheep clothes from China because that’s what people buy.
Now, they’re offering to fund a quarter of a trillion dollars to businesses so they can create manufacturing jobs and in turn sell them in their stores. It’s a win win for everyone, but because Walmart’s a big company they can do no right, at least in the eyes who think only the poor and the government create jobs and hire people. The poor don’t have money to hire anyone and the government uses taxpayer’s money.
ACORN is back as “Battleground Texas.”
Link didn’t copy. Try this one. Watch the video.
http://www.wnd.com/2014/02/democrats-busted-in-major-voting-scheme/
Why are you berating the government for not doing something you don’t think it should be doing?
I thought the private sector was supposed to be in charge of job creation?
Here we are, the hapless taxpayer, buying up all the big banks’ bad debt in the hopes that they would be a little more entrepreneurial with them cash piles … but they don’t seem to be doing that, do they?
Now, of course, I don’t operate in that capital-rich stratosphere, but you know what I’m seeing? I’m seeing Capital One just panting to lend money to people like me, who have no hope of ever paying it back. They’re bottom feeding … again … because its easy, and safe, and because they know whatever stupid thing they get up to, they won’t have to suffer the consequences.
Libby: “Why are you berating the government for not doing something you don’t think it should be doing?”
As long as it IS doing something (and who says data about unemployment shouldn’t be collected?)…and doing it fraudulently…it is my DUTY as a citizen to be critical!
“Here we are, the hapless taxpayer, buying up all the big banks’ bad debt…”
USEconomy:
Additional background from 2009:
Springfield Business Journal:
” but they don’t seem to be doing that, do they?
How willing would you be to risk your capital (savings) when a third of the country is not working and the interest rates are being kept extremely low? You’d be damned stupid to make loans in that toxic atmosphere!
“They’re bottom feeding … again … because its easy, and safe”
Use your noodle dimbulb! Why would anyone lend to someone who can’t pay it back?
Even more troubling than your ignorance is your lack of knowledge (everybody covers for the the O-man) about what the government has been doing!
Washington Post:
I get at least 10-20 solicitation a week by phone and fax at home and at work so they are spending a bundle trying to push the public to take out loans as well! (Been going on for five long years!)
The consequences for banks for agreeing under duress to accept TARP money is interest rates that are well above market and orders to comply with regulations they know will lead to a lousy result.
The more progressive the leadership the more controlling and expensive it becomes for both the businessman and the individual taxpayer!
Investors.com:
And just in case you think this is a right wing fairytale, Jonathon Turley also posted this information and wrote, “I support the motivation behind this push and I admire Obama’s record of working for lower-income citizens. However, I do not think that the government should be pushing high risk loans at the very time that the economy is rebounding. I also do not think that the government should be the guarantor of high risk loans when we are shutting down essential programs needed by the public at large. With poverty at 1960s levels and cuts in educational programs, I would prefer more kids fully funded schools than more couples in high-risk homes.”
Still trust these guys? Still think government meddling is appropriate and good? And who is going to stop this insanity? Certainly NOT the Justice Department under Eric Holder. Harry Reid is blocking forth President and apparently lawsuits are being deemed unworthy for lack of “standing”.
I hope you bothered to read and absorball of this.
Peggy I wonder how long it took Battleground Texas to get its 501c4 designation?
The little devils actually BRAG about their partisan political motivations and intentions:
Calling the IRS….hello…hello…anybody home….
The banks have bought out both parties. The candidates are chosen then they lead people around on social issues. A big sham.
Texas is turning purple due to Tea Party politics and the Gerrymandered Districts are the only thing holding the state red.
Go Wendy Davis!
Hello IRS?5014c’s are used to hide the names of donors and foreign money buying our elections
Politics is not non profit. Israeli and Chinese money donated to Politicians is not for the “social welfare of Americans”
Only a fool would fall for the divide and conquer playbook
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/176371
Eric Cantor…….
http://www.richardsilverstein.com/2014/01/18/rabbi-pintos-generosity-extends-up-gop-food-chain/
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/evanosnos/2012/07/sheldon-adelson-and-macau.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-danziger/sheldon-adelson-chinese-m_b_1606571.html
Every empire has fallen and those who tried to steal our flag and eagle are the actual enemy. They are treading on Democracy and “We the people are awakening from a deep sleep” The giant is awake!
Foreign Corporations run our elections and they hire their Assistant managers who are political bullies.
Corruption since 2010 Citizens United is at an all time high and the dominoes are just starting to fall.
Get the foreign and Domestic money out of politics and stop electing idiots and equity managers who job is to destroy Democracy.
Dewey: “Corruption since 2010 Citizens United”
I got news for you Dewey…corruption was rife BEFORE Citizens United and continues today under the activist organizations funded by Soros and the left education and entertainment political monopolies. The only thing that changed with CU is that now there are more players and players from the right now have a stronger voice.
The left and unions are up in arms because their advantage has been removed.
Obama is not an equity manager! Nancy Pelosi is not an equity manager! Harry Reid is not an equity manager! They all got support from a billionaire hedgefund manager with a questionable moral past.
#12 Tina, I’d bet it took about the same three week time it took Obama’s half brother to get his approval.
One need only to connect the dots from a previous Chicago community organizer to ACORN and now the spin-off groups popping up since Congress cut off funds to ACORN. Clinton didn’t stand a chance in 2008 once the nation was blanketed by these groups and their get out the vote skills both legal and illegal.
Hopefully, Texas will bring charges for the illegal data mining of voter registration information and put a stop to it. Texas looks to be THE major battleground state and the progressives are gearing up to win by any and all means.
No reason to call the IRS. No one there will take a call from anyone not on their list of approval progressive types. Conservatives and constitutional loving individuals and groups are guaranteed to be rejected or delayed for years while their personal and professional lives are turned up side down by a government that will punish them instead of protecting their rights to participate equally with those holding opposing views.
Does anyone know if there’s a True the Vote group here? I checked out their website, but wanted to work with a group here before beginning the process to set one up.