Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:34 AM

US economy creates 96,000 jobs but figure disappoints

Last edited Sat Sep 8, 2012, 05:06 PM USA/ET - Edit history (5)

Source: BBC News

"The US economy created 96,000 jobs in August and the jobless rate fell to 8.1%, official figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show."

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19519037

MSNBC commentators (even Joe Scar!) say Obama now has a MAJOR TAILWIND!!!

102 replies, 8966 views

Reply to this thread

Always highlight: 10 newest replies | Replies posted after I mark a forum

Replies to this discussion thread

102 replies	Author	Time	Post
US economy creates 96,000 jobs but figure disappoints (Original post)	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	OP
Boom!	Stuckinthebush	Sep 2012	#1
Goes the dynamite!	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#7
How is that better??? The Labor Force Participation Rate is 63.5! Lowest since 1981!	Roland99	Sep 2012	#28
The optics of 8.1%, a drop of .2%, is better than an uptick at this	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#29
As a soundbite headline it might be good but it's horrible news in reality	Roland99	Sep 2012	#32
Agreed, but at this critical juncture, optics are everything.	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#34
You know what? I don't give a rat's ass about optics. I want the people that I	SlimJimmy	Sep 2012	#49
I'm with you	glacierbay	Sep 2012	#61
Not good, no, but sure as hell better than a percentage	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#86
But, unless PBO can get re-elected, ain't nobody	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#85
You're not living in reality. A sound bite isn't going to get the President re-elected. People	SlimJimmy	Sep 2012	#95
And do you seriously think that's going to happen between now and Nov. 6th?	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#99
Cf.:	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#94
Yes, the IMPORTANT thing is what we can make people believe,	hughee99	Sep 2012	#66
cf.:	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#100
I am more interested in truth than optics. n/t	totodeinhere	Sep 2012	#74
As am I, and most Dems, in the final analysis...	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#89
What a bunch of naysayers. Uneployment dropped from 8.3 to 8.1! Can't find any thing good in	demosincebirth	Sep 2012	#41
The people in the labor force knows whether they are participating or not.	former9thward	Sep 2012	#45
Oh, so, since 90% of the people don't know what the LFPR is then that's a good thing?	Roland99	Sep 2012	#69
I did not say that.	demosincebirth	Sep 2012	#83
That's certainly what you meant to say or at least imply	Roland99	Sep 2012	#87
What I meant to say is what I said, not what you think I said or implied. eom	demosincebirth	Sep 2012	#102
In an election cycle? Optics, optics, optics!	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#90
Why ...	1StrongBlackMan	Sep 2012	#58
And no one is graduating schools and entering the work force while those people retire, eh?	Roland99	Sep 2012	#70
Come on ...	1StrongBlackMan	Sep 2012	#79
Tell it, 1StrongBlackMan! This "bulge" was forecast	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#91
The 300,000 a month that are retiring does not cover the nearly 60,000 deficit this month	SlimJimmy	Sep 2012	#97
Not better... Unemployment is still over 8% for over 42 months now... :(	liberallibral	Sep 2012	#37
Not better? I would say any drop in the unemployment rate better	demosincebirth	Sep 2012	#42
The reason the unemployment rate declined by .2% is that about	coalition_unwilling	Sep 2012	#46
Exactly. And don't think for a minute that the Romney campaign won't point that	SlimJimmy	Sep 2012	#50
I think Obama is pretty much innoculated from it, b/c the 2010	coalition_unwilling	Sep 2012	#51
Agree. And they better start hitting that point hard.	SlimJimmy	Sep 2012	#53
Obama needs someone who can negotiate with congress or he has to improve this skill and fast.	dkf	Sep 2012	#56
Funny ...	1StrongBlackMan	Sep 2012	#64
No...they had agreed on a target of tax increases and Obama increased that amount.	dkf	Sep 2012	#67
I guess it depend ...	1StrongBlackMan	Sep 2012	#75
Thanks for your rational refutation of dkf's	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#98
Most voters look at the .2% drop. nt.	demosincebirth	Sep 2012	#60
Yeah, but it's meaningless and does not signify that the	coalition_unwilling	Sep 2012	#72
How many of those ...	1StrongBlackMan	Sep 2012	#62
"LMPR" - I don't recognize that acronym. Aside from that, I'm going to have	coalition_unwilling	Sep 2012	#71
I think some of the drop in the labor force	Mr.Bill	Sep 2012	#77
Did Joe the Intern Killer say that?	Setsuna1972	Sep 2012	#2
It was unanimous, but Joe chimed in!	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#5
The round table was unanimous, with Joe Scar joining in!	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#31
Bloomberg is sure throwing cold water on it.	still_one	Sep 2012	#3
General gist of the negative spin?	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#6
Not all great jobs. But jobs.	geckosfeet	Sep 2012	#17
"Never look a gift horse in the mouth"--old wives' wisdom	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#23
Notice the moving goalposts? ...	1StrongBlackMan	Sep 2012	#65
Not just Bloomberg	dipsydoodle	Sep 2012	#24
Can't wait to hear them spin how bad this is	nobodyspecial	Sep 2012	#4
It's bad enough that people expect the Fed to move.	dkf	Sep 2012	#59
It would be much lower if the republicans had not been trying to "tank the economy" .....	Botany	Sep 2012	#8
Like Gov. O'Malley (D-MD) just said on Joe Scar, when the studio audience cheered at the news:	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#9
And if those public workers still had jobs their spending would have created even ...	Botany	Sep 2012	#14
Thanks for the reminder, Botany. This is so damning that it's	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#21
Down 2.1% from a high of 10.2%	JoePhilly	Sep 2012	#10
Yeeeeesssssss!	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#13
Wow	Robbins	Sep 2012	#11
Just the good news to kick off the 60 day campaign ahead...	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#12
Yep - breaking 8 is the threashold	Cosmocat	Sep 2012	#38
Yeah, different.	jtuck004	Sep 2012	#57
K&R nt	avebury	Sep 2012	#15
Trend chart	Bernardo de La Paz	Sep 2012	#16
Thanks for the graphic illustration!	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#19
Would make a nice bumper sticker with five more green bars representing 30 months growth.	julian09	Sep 2012	#39
And I am one of the newly employed	treehuggnlibrul	Sep 2012	#18
Wow, tree, this brought tears to my eyes...	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#20
Sweet. Welcome back into the labor force.	SlimJimmy	Sep 2012	#54
I have a hard time cheering a lowered rate when its because a lot of people gave up looking for work	cigsandcoffee	Sep 2012	#22
It's the positive optics we're cheering. Coming out of	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#27
Why are people not angry?	oliverrams1	Sep 2012	#63
Now, there's an idea...put the Big Dawg out there on the	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#96
Peeps - that's only 1,920 jobs per state	BP2	Sep 2012	#25
At this crucial juncture in the campaign, even this tiny drop is welcome.	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#26
Really? Chuck "Buzzkill" Todd says it dragged him down.	nolabear	Sep 2012	#30
Toady Todd is a two-faced, forked tongued panderer.	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#33
Pushing Congress Again	mojo2012	Sep 2012	#35
The video clip in Botany's post up-thread needs	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#36
+1,000,000,000 x 1,000,000,000 - Well put and definitely	coalition_unwilling	Sep 2012	#47
The media is spinning it like it's a TERRIBLE report.	Arugula Latte	Sep 2012	#40
Have you been reading THIS thread?	1StrongBlackMan	Sep 2012	#68
I'm really starting to believe ...	1StrongBlackMan	Sep 2012	#88
This is NOT good news!!	center rising	Sep 2012	#43
Correct	glacierbay	Sep 2012	#48
Demographic bulge coming into the equation...	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#92
Cf.:	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#93
Bad News is the new Good News	slackmaster	Sep 2012	#44
If this were good news then Romney would not be so giddy this morning	budkin	Sep 2012	#52
Did you find him "giddy"? I thought he was just his	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#82
When discussing the ...y	1StrongBlackMan	Sep 2012	#55
Excellent point, 1SBM! I was going to bring this up earlier, but then forgot...	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#80
Only 96K jobs added in August... Labor force participation rated lowest in decades...	totodeinhere	Sep 2012	#73
1StrongBlack Man makes an excellent point upthread.	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#84
Good for Obama	abelenkpe	Sep 2012	#76
What you said!	Surya Gayatri	Sep 2012	#81
who cares if job quantity increases....	Green_Lantern	Sep 2012	#78
Please use the article title as the subject line and credit the correct source per LBN rules.	Rhiannon12866	Sep 2012	#101

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:35 AM

Stuckinthebush (8,253 posts)

1. Boom!

Better!

Reply to this post

Response to Stuckinthebush (Reply #1)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:39 AM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

7. Goes the dynamite!

Reply to this post

Response to Stuckinthebush (Reply #1)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:24 AM

Roland99 (36,515 posts)

28. How is that better??? The Labor Force Participation Rate is 63.5! Lowest since 1981!

Last edited Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:25 AM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

data back to 2002:
http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS11300000/

the unemployment rate dropped because people are leaving the workforce because they can't find work!

Change the start year in the dropdown at the top of the page and set it to 1981 to see how bad things really are.

Reply to this post

Response to Roland99 (Reply #28)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:34 AM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

29. The optics of 8.1%, a drop of .2%, is better than an uptick at this

critical moment, just coming out of the DNC and moving into the home stretch.

Not a positive, but not a negative either--politically speaking.

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Reply #29)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:36 AM

Roland99 (36,515 posts)

32. As a soundbite headline it might be good but it's horrible news in reality

Reply to this post

Response to Roland99 (Reply #32)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:43 AM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

34. Agreed, but at this critical juncture, optics are everything.

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Reply #34)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:05 PM

SlimJimmy (1,762 posts)

49. You know what? I don't give a rat's ass about optics. I want the people that I

personally know who are out of work to find a job - and not just some burger flipping job to replace the 50k a year job they used to have. These numbers suck, and no amount of spin is going to change that. We MUST do better, much better.

Reply to this post

Response to SlimJimmy (Reply #49)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:30 PM

glacierbay (2,477 posts)

61. I'm with you

Last edited Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:31 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

I'm just amazed at those here trying to spin this as good news, this is not good news for Pres. Obama, although we all know where the fault lies, it lies with the R's in congress that refuse to pass the Jobs bill which, according to the CBO, will put appox. 2 million of our fellow americans back to work.
Unfortunately, Pres. Obama is going to get the blame and the R's are going unfairly the misery of unemployed citizens.

In no way is this good news.

Reply to this post

Response to glacierbay (Reply #61)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 04:05 PM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

86. Not good, no, but sure as hell better than a percentage

point uptick at this critical moment in the election cycle.

Reply to this post

Response to SlimJimmy (Reply #49)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 04:03 PM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

85. But, unless PBO can get re-elected, ain't nobody

gonna find nothin', flippin' burgers or anything else.

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Reply #85)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 04:42 PM

SlimJimmy (1,762 posts)

95. You're not living in reality. A sound bite isn't going to get the President re-elected. People

getting employed in large numbers will. This report is *not* good, and all the sunshine in the world isn't going to change that.

Reply to this post

Response to SlimJimmy (Reply #95)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 04:55 PM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

99. And do you seriously think that's going to happen between now and Nov. 6th?

Dream on!

Reply to this post

Response to SlimJimmy (Reply #49)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 04:35 PM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

94. Cf.:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014221742#post86

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Reply #34)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:44 PM

hughee99 (10,122 posts)

66. Yes, the IMPORTANT thing is what we can make people believe,

Not what is actually true... Hold on, isn't that what we say the repukes strategy is?

Reply to this post

Response to hughee99 (Reply #66)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 04:59 PM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

100. cf.:

Last edited Fri Sep 7, 2012, 05:00 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014221742#post89

edit: link

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Reply #34)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 03:03 PM

totodeinhere (6,595 posts)

74. I am more interested in truth than optics. n/t

Reply to this post

Response to totodeinhere (Reply #74)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 04:16 PM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

89. As am I, and most Dems, in the final analysis...

But, this is an absolutely critical instant in the election cycle that has to be exploited for all its worth.

To bewail the figures would be shooting ourselves in the foot.

The wave of enthusiasm from Charlotte has to be ridden all the way to Nov.6

Reply to this post

Response to Roland99 (Reply #28)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 12:57 PM

demosincebirth (8,899 posts)

41. What a bunch of naysayers. Uneployment dropped from 8.3 to 8.1! Can't find any thing good in

that? then you must be trying to deflate the balloon. 90% of the people don't even know what "The labor force participation rate is." What we know is "arithmetic" and that looks good.

Reply to this post

Response to demosincebirth (Reply #41)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 01:18 PM

former9thward (6,437 posts)

45. The people in the labor force knows whether they are participating or not.

Maybe you are not in that category.

Reply to this post

Response to demosincebirth (Reply #41)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:49 PM

Roland99 (36,515 posts)

69. Oh, so, since 90% of the people don't know what the LFPR is then that's a good thing?

Are you kidding me???

Reply to this post

Response to Roland99 (Reply #69)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 03:58 PM

demosincebirth (8,899 posts)

83. I did not say that.

Reply to this post

Response to demosincebirth (Reply #83)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 04:10 PM

Roland99 (36,515 posts)

87. That's certainly what you meant to say or at least imply

There's nothing good in the U/E rate dropping to 8.1% from 8.3% other than it looks pretty in headlines. The TRUTH behind that number is an ugly one. A very ugly truth.

Reply to this post

Response to Roland99 (Reply #87)

Sat Sep 8, 2012, 06:30 PM

demosincebirth (8,899 posts)

102. What I meant to say is what I said, not what you think I said or implied. eom

Reply to this post

Response to demosincebirth (Reply #41)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 04:18 PM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

90. In an election cycle? Optics, optics, optics!

Sure as hell better than an uptick in the percentage!!!

Reply to this post

Response to Roland99 (Reply #28)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:26 PM

1StrongBlackMan (5,422 posts)

58. Why ...

does everyone that cites this figure, consistently fail to mention the 10,000 people per day, that have, since 2011 and everyday thereafter, reached retirement age.

http://pewresearch.org/databank/dailynumber/?NumberID=1150

45% (4,500) of which exercise this option.

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/01/151741738/as-portfolios-recover-more-workers-retire-at-65

and, how about those that retire at 62 and 55?

Numbers in isolation are useless.

Reply to this post

Response to 1StrongBlackMan (Reply #58)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:50 PM

Roland99 (36,515 posts)

70. And no one is graduating schools and entering the work force while those people retire, eh?

Reply to this post

Response to Roland99 (Reply #70)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 03:38 PM

1StrongBlackMan (5,422 posts)

79. Come on ...

the number graduating (an event that covers a one to two month event) vs 10,000 people reaching retirement age per DAY?

Maybe you'd like to answer your own question.

Reply to this post

Response to 1StrongBlackMan (Reply #79)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 04:22 PM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

91. Tell it, 1StrongBlackMan! This "bulge" was forecast

40 years ago!

Reply to this post

Response to 1StrongBlackMan (Reply #79)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 04:47 PM

SlimJimmy (1,762 posts)

97. The 300,000 a month that are retiring does not cover the nearly 60,000 deficit this month

alone. Taken as a whole, retirements don't come close to covering it.

Reply to this post

Response to Stuckinthebush (Reply #1)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 10:35 AM

liberallibral (272 posts)

37. Not better... Unemployment is still over 8% for over 42 months now... :(

Reply to this post

Response to liberallibral (Reply #37)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 01:01 PM

demosincebirth (8,899 posts)

42. Not better? I would say any drop in the unemployment rate better

Remember? "Arithmetic." -.2 is better.

Reply to this post

Response to demosincebirth (Reply #42)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 01:49 PM

coalition_unwilling (14,180 posts)

46. The reason the unemployment rate declined by .2% is that about

400,000 Americans stopped looking for work in August and dropped out of the labor force, i.e., gave up on the economy.

Only by stretching ingenuity to its limits or relying upon your audience's economic illiteracy can this be construed as 'better.'

The real question is who or what is to blame? IMO, it's the fault of the 2010 "Do-Nothing Congress," a line of attack I hope Obama starts exploiting soon.

Reply to this post

Response to coalition_unwilling (Reply #46)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:08 PM

SlimJimmy (1,762 posts)

50. Exactly. And don't think for a minute that the Romney campaign won't point that

little fact out at every opportunity.

Reply to this post

Response to SlimJimmy (Reply #50)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:11 PM

coalition_unwilling (14,180 posts)

51. I think Obama is pretty much innoculated from it, b/c the 2010

Republican Congress did absolutely nothing to advance a Jobs Bill, a little fact I hope Obama's campaign starts promoting intensively between now and November.

Reply to this post

Response to coalition_unwilling (Reply #51)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:14 PM

SlimJimmy (1,762 posts)

53. Agree. And they better start hitting that point hard.

Reply to this post

Response to coalition_unwilling (Reply #46)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:19 PM

dkf (32,645 posts)

56. Obama needs someone who can negotiate with congress or he has to improve this skill and fast.

The Woodward book details the failure of the Boehner negotiations and it's painful to read. Obama was very very close but asked too much of Boehner who was already far out on a limb with his caucus.

Bill Clinton was excellent at this and Biden is pretty good also. The President needs to be able to move congress or we are so screwed.

Reply to this post

Response to dkf (Reply #56)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:40 PM

1StrongBlackMan (5,422 posts)

64. Funny ...

I didn't get the "over-reach" point from the book ... I read where boehner agreed but couldn't sell his caucus on the deal he agreed to.

But I guess one could say, getting someone to agree to what you ask for and them not being able to deliver is your fault for asking for too much.

Reply to this post

Response to 1StrongBlackMan (Reply #64)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:48 PM

dkf (32,645 posts)

67. No...they had agreed on a target of tax increases and Obama increased that amount.

That is when Boehner walked. If you have anything to the contrary I would like to see it.

http://abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=17104635

Reply to this post

Response to dkf (Reply #67)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 03:08 PM

1StrongBlackMan (5,422 posts)

75. I guess it depend ...

On whom one believes ...

Obama "was spewing coals," Boehner told Woodward, calling it a near "presidential tirade," according to a report on the book by ABC News.

The president and aides said Boehner had failed to return previous presidential calls, and backed away from a deal because he feared loss of support from Tea Party members of his caucus.

"I was pretty angry," Obama told Woodward. "There's no doubt I thought it was profoundly irresponsible, at that stage, not to call me back immediately and let me know what was going on."

Boehner said the White House loaded down the deal at the end with too many tax hikes; Obama would later say he only broached the possibility of new government revenues.

"He (the president) was pissed," Boehner told Woodward. "He wasn't going to get a damn dime more out of me. He knew how far out on a limb I was. But he was hot. It was clear to me that coming to an agreement with him was not going to happen, and that I had to go to Plan B."

President Obama, who can be said to spin a fact; but has yet to be accused of lying (except by the right) - along with his infuriatingly frequent attempts to reach agreement by giving ground ... Or, boehner, with his pristine record for truthfulness - along with his expressed frustration with having to appease the teaparty wing?

Reply to this post

Response to 1StrongBlackMan (Reply #75)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 04:52 PM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

98. Thanks for your rational refutation of dkf's

Last edited Fri Sep 7, 2012, 05:08 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

negative talking points!

Excellent!

Reply to this post

Response to coalition_unwilling (Reply #46)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:26 PM

demosincebirth (8,899 posts)

60. Most voters look at the .2% drop. nt.

Reply to this post

Response to demosincebirth (Reply #60)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:53 PM

coalition_unwilling (14,180 posts)

72. Yeah, but it's meaningless and does not signify that the

economy is improving, quite the contrary.

The real question, imo, is who is to blame. The answer, imo, is this friggin' "Do-Nothing Congress."

Reply to this post

Response to coalition_unwilling (Reply #46)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:35 PM

1StrongBlackMan (5,422 posts)

62. How many of those ...

Retired?

(I know at my employer, over the last year, 89% of those separating - 72 people - did.)

How many of those are (recent) high-school graduates that opted for advanced education full-time?

(I know at my daughter's school, they had a graduation class of 1,100 - 97% left for college, full-time, in August.)

I significant portion of that LMPR number is NOT unemployed, discouraged workers.

Reply to this post

Response to 1StrongBlackMan (Reply #62)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:51 PM

coalition_unwilling (14,180 posts)

71. "LMPR" - I don't recognize that acronym. Aside from that, I'm going to have

to say "I don't know" in answer to your questions about the number who retired or chose higher education.

The devil, as is often said, is "in the details" and I must confess I do not know where to go to access those details.

But here's an excerpt from analysis on Yahoo.com:

Starting with the participation rate, Nesto notes that "almost 400,000 people dropped out, just gave up" looking for work in August. For each one-tenth of one percent improvement in the unemployment rate, 184,000 Americans had to become quitters.

Quitting could mean going on disability, going into the grey market (read: getting paid cash for odd jobs), doing something illicit, or begging. Whatever they're doing instead of working or looking for legitimate jobs, 368,000 Americans gave up on participating in the economy in August alone.

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout/why-drop-unemployment-rate-tragic-144809610.html

I'll grant you that Yahoo often shows a distinctly right-wing bias, but I'm not sure whether that is at play in this analysis.

Reply to this post

Response to 1StrongBlackMan (Reply #62)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 03:16 PM

Mr.Bill (902 posts)

77. I think some of the drop in the labor force

can be attributed to baby boomers retiring. I know a few myself.

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:35 AM

Setsuna1972 (67 posts)

2. Did Joe the Intern Killer say that?

Or was it someone else?

Reply to this post

Response to Setsuna1972 (Reply #2)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:37 AM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

5. It was unanimous, but Joe chimed in!

Reply to this post

Response to Setsuna1972 (Reply #2)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:36 AM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

31. The round table was unanimous, with Joe Scar joining in!

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:36 AM

still_one (31,097 posts)

3. Bloomberg is sure throwing cold water on it.

Reply to this post

Response to still_one (Reply #3)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:38 AM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

6. General gist of the negative spin?

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Reply #6)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:56 AM

geckosfeet (8,810 posts)

17. Not all great jobs. But jobs.

US economy creates 96,000 jobs in August

Employment increased in food services and drinking places, professional and technical services and healthcare, the Bureau said.

But the figure was lower than expected and revisions to June and July data mean that 41,000 fewer jobs were created than previously reported.

Reply to this post

Response to geckosfeet (Reply #17)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:10 AM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

23. "Never look a gift horse in the mouth"--old wives' wisdom

Thanks for the link!

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Reply #23)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:43 PM

1StrongBlackMan (5,422 posts)

65. Notice the moving goalposts? ...

Maybe you should aim more to the right?

Reply to this post

Response to still_one (Reply #3)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:12 AM

dipsydoodle (32,692 posts)

24. Not just Bloomberg

U.S. jobs growth brakes in August, seen forcing Fed's hand. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/09/07/uk-usa-economy-idUKBRE8860LK20120907

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:36 AM

nobodyspecial (2,011 posts)

4. Can't wait to hear them spin how bad this is

And this is with one hand tied behind his back. It would have dropped even more if Congress had approved money for teachers, construction and other government workers.

Reply to this post

Response to nobodyspecial (Reply #4)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:26 PM

dkf (32,645 posts)

59. It's bad enough that people expect the Fed to move.

368,000 people gave up. Only 91,000 found jobs. We need 150,000 jobs a month just to keep up with population growth.

The Fed has to use monetary policy because fiscal policy is inoperative. That is a failure of the legislative branch collectively.

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:40 AM

Botany (36,059 posts)

8. It would be much lower if the republicans had not been trying to "tank the economy" .....

..... so people are hurting in order to gain political power. Think of all the public
sector workers who were fired or the total lack of effort to work on the jobs bill
that has been before congress w/out them doing anything or the Chamber of commerce
that protects and promotes the outsourcing of US jobs and in return gets paid
big money from China.

Reply to this post

Response to Botany (Reply #8)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:44 AM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

9. Like Gov. O'Malley (D-MD) just said on Joe Scar, when the studio audience cheered at the news:

Last edited Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:07 AM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

"See? Democrats actually cheer when the economic news is good!"

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Reply #9)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:52 AM

Botany (36,059 posts)

14. And if those public workers still had jobs their spending would have created even ...

.... more jobs which in turn would have created more tax money for the
city, state, and federal government and helped with the budgets.

Reply to this post

Response to Botany (Reply #14)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:05 AM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

21. Thanks for the reminder, Botany. This is so damning that it's

a "must see" for every voter. Let's make it go viral!!!! The MSM forgot about it long ago.

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:46 AM

JoePhilly (16,017 posts)

10. Down 2.1% from a high of 10.2%

Reply to this post

Response to JoePhilly (Reply #10)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:50 AM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

13. Yeeeeesssssss!

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:46 AM

Robbins (2,051 posts)

11. Wow

I was hoping for this.

Unemployment has dropped to where It was when Obama took office.

It was 8.1 when Obama took office.And only then did he and his team really know how bad a mess Bush left.When trying to deal with
the mess without any help from Republicans unemployment rose to 10 percent.It's now solely because of Obama and Democrats'
efforts back to where It was when he took office.

I tell you If It could ge down to 7.9 as the debates start next month Romney Is In trouble.

And we may know now why Romney Isn't spending money In Michigan,Pa,and Wisconsin,and why Rove Is leaving Ohio to Romney.

Reply to this post

Response to Robbins (Reply #11)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:49 AM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

12. Just the good news to kick off the 60 day campaign ahead...

and to capitalize on the 3 days in Charlotte.

Reply to this post

Response to Robbins (Reply #11)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 10:42 AM

Cosmocat (5,396 posts)

38. Yep - breaking 8 is the threashold

the plateau they just can't get past.

The get it into the 7s, even 7.9, and it will feel different to people.

Reply to this post

Response to Cosmocat (Reply #38)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:26 PM

jtuck004 (5,104 posts)

57. Yeah, different.

Additionally:

From January 2009 through December 2011, 6.1 million workers were displaced from jobs they had held for at least 3 years, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This was down from 6.9 million for the survey period covering January 2007 to December 2009. In January 2012, 56 percent of workers displaced from 2009-11 were reemployed, up by 7 percentage points from the prior survey in January 2010.

That from the BLS, Here.

In other words, 44 of every hundred people got nothing, and the majority of the ones that did get re-employed were far more likely to lose a third or more of their income. On the other hand Jamie Dimon and other bankers are doing fine as QE1 and QE2, Twist, other programs continue to prop up their assets, in the hopes that it will trickle down to the rest of us.

The data update for the number of working poor for the past four years will be released not too long before the election, and it will show a steady increase in the number of working poor in the past 4 years. Our poverty numbers are already around 1965 numbers, and heading for 1960. If you weren't around then, it was a great time, everyone seeing a problem and trying to do something about it. Not hiding their heads in the sand and making excuses. 'Cause that really doesn't help anyone.

We will see if our current austerity program leads to a win.

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:55 AM

avebury (2,942 posts)

15. K&R nt

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:55 AM

Bernardo de La Paz (7,142 posts)

16. Trend chart

Get rid of the obstruction GOP CONgress and there would be the real growth needed. But the difference between GOP and Obama is clear:

Reply to this post

Response to Bernardo de La Paz (Reply #16)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:59 AM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

19. Thanks for the graphic illustration!

Reply to this post

Response to Bernardo de La Paz (Reply #16)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 10:43 AM

julian09 (1,435 posts)

39. Would make a nice bumper sticker with five more green bars representing 30 months growth.

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 08:57 AM

treehuggnlibrul (109 posts)

18. And I am one of the newly employed

Four days after President Obama was inaugurated, I was in my company's fourth round of layoffs.

Unemployment benefits that I'd paid into for 20+ years made it possible for us to get through the first year and a half of my unemployment, and gave me time to set up a freelance business that has kept us in our house. It wasn't easy, but we made it.

Last night I watched as President Obama accepted the nomination.

As I watched last night, I choked up when Joe Biden talked about a father telling his kids he lost his job. I remember that moment with painful clarity. And when President Obama said "You give me hope," I was thinking how, when I lost my job, I was thankful that Obama was our new president, and how he gave ME hope for four years.

Monday, I start a new, full-time position.

Reply to this post

Response to treehuggnlibrul (Reply #18)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:01 AM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

20. Wow, tree, this brought tears to my eyes...

I think you should post this as a separate OP. It's so powerful and inspiring!

Reply to this post

Response to treehuggnlibrul (Reply #18)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:15 PM

SlimJimmy (1,762 posts)

54. Sweet. Welcome back into the labor force.

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:07 AM

cigsandcoffee (1,965 posts)

22. I have a hard time cheering a lowered rate when its because a lot of people gave up looking for work

Not to rain on the "high-five" theme of this thread or anything, and certainly not to say that the lackluster performance is Obama's fault - without him, it would be a lot worse.

But people giving up the search for work, resulting in a lower unemployment rate, is not really anything to cheer about.

Reply to this post

Response to cigsandcoffee (Reply #22)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:23 AM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

27. It's the positive optics we're cheering. Coming out of

the DNC and moving into the last 60-day home stretch, we didn't need an uptick in the figures.

Reply to this post

Response to cigsandcoffee (Reply #22)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:40 PM

oliverrams1 (60 posts)

63. Why are people not angry?

That Obama's job bill cannot get out of the house with a lot of people suffering? Can Bill C go on the road and promote the jobs bill? That's what they did for the increase in student loan rates and it pressured them to do something about it.

Reply to this post

Response to oliverrams1 (Reply #63)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 04:46 PM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

96. Now, there's an idea...put the Big Dawg out there on the

campaign trail to hound the fuckers daily.

Shame them into action. PBO can't harry them in the same way, or he would appear "unpresidential".

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:12 AM

BP2 (412 posts)

25. Peeps - that's only 1,920 jobs per state

I think there's other things we should focus on.

8.3 to 8.1 percent sounds great, until put in a greater context of knowing that your spouse or neighbor is still looking for a Job.

Reply to this post

Response to BP2 (Reply #25)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:19 AM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

26. At this crucial juncture in the campaign, even this tiny drop is welcome.

Obviously, millions are still hurting, but there is hope.

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:35 AM

nolabear (14,767 posts)

30. Really? Chuck "Buzzkill" Todd says it dragged him down.

Personally, I wish it was better but it's continuing in the right direction and people hire in the fall, so the next couple of months should be steadily better.

Reply to this post

Response to nolabear (Reply #30)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:41 AM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

33. Toady Todd is a two-faced, forked tongued panderer.

He'll say whatever will get him noticed.
It's all Toady Todd, all the time...

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 10:06 AM

mojo2012 (290 posts)

35. Pushing Congress Again

I think there needs to be another hit and point out the Do-Nothing Congress. President Obama gave them a decent Jobs Bill ONE YEAR AGO. Instead the Congress chose to vote to repeal Obamacare over and over again and not address the Jobs Bill.

Then they leave for a 5 week vacation leaving the Farm Bill hanging and the cliff to teeter on because they didn't feel it important enough to vote on all the things expiring on Dec. 31.

Mitch McConnell is the least constructive figure in the Washington and by no means a leader. He is a bitter man and doesn't give a rip about the people of this country, his only goal is getting President Obama out of office. I have absolutely NO respect for this man or most of the members of Congress (new Tea Party members). The jobs number and unemployment rate would be so much better by now if the Congress would have passed the Jobs Bill

Reply to this post

Response to mojo2012 (Reply #35)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 10:18 AM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

36. The video clip in Botany's post up-thread needs

to go viral. Saturate all social media with it. A must-see for voters:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014221742#post14

Reply to this post

Response to mojo2012 (Reply #35)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 01:50 PM

coalition_unwilling (14,180 posts)

47. +1,000,000,000 x 1,000,000,000 - Well put and definitely

needs saying and repeating.

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 11:06 AM

Arugula Latte (40,209 posts)

40. The media is spinning it like it's a TERRIBLE report.

My local lefty radio station gets a feed from ABC News and when I woke up this morning the first thing I heard was how horrible the jobs report was, coming "just hours after President Obama spoke in Charlotte."

Reply to this post

Response to Arugula Latte (Reply #40)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:48 PM

1StrongBlackMan (5,422 posts)

68. Have you been reading THIS thread?

Not a lot of love here, either.

Reply to this post

Response to 1StrongBlackMan (Reply #68)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 04:15 PM

1StrongBlackMan (5,422 posts)

88. I'm really starting to believe ...

that liberals would lament a multiple orgasmic event as a loss of bodily fluids.

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 01:03 PM

center rising (971 posts)

43. This is NOT good news!!

The only reason it fell is because more people stopped looking. 96,000 is a pathetic number any way you spin it.

Reply to this post

Response to center rising (Reply #43)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 01:56 PM

glacierbay (2,477 posts)

48. Correct

and the American people aren't stupid, well, most of them, they'll know why the rate dropped, not because of more jobs created, but because more people just gave up looking for a job. In no way is this good news for Pres. Obama, but to counter this, he needs to hammer Congress to get moving on his Jobs bill and get people back to work.

Reply to this post

Response to center rising (Reply #43)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 04:28 PM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

92. Demographic bulge coming into the equation...

See 1StrongBlackMan's post:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014221742#post55

Reply to this post

Response to center rising (Reply #43)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 04:31 PM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

93. Cf.:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014221742#post55

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 01:06 PM

slackmaster (60,567 posts)

44. Bad News is the new Good News

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:14 PM

budkin (3,086 posts)

52. If this were good news then Romney would not be so giddy this morning

Reply to this post

Response to budkin (Reply #52)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 03:54 PM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

82. Did you find him "giddy"? I thought he was just his

normal robotic, stiff, ungracious self!

Sure, he had a few hackneyed talking points to throw out at his press availability--singularly unremarkable.

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 02:17 PM

1StrongBlackMan (5,422 posts)

55. When discussing the ...y

Unemployment and labor market participation rate, why doesn't anyone talk about a very relevant number ... the 10,000 people per day, since 2011 and everyday since, that have and are reaching retirement age?

http://pewresearch.org/databank/dailynumber/?NumberID=1150

Reply to this post

Response to 1StrongBlackMan (Reply #55)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 03:44 PM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

80. Excellent point, 1SBM! I was going to bring this up earlier, but then forgot...

We're seriously into the boomer demographic bulge now. Since early 2011, the boomers have been retiring in droves. (Myself included!)

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 03:02 PM

totodeinhere (6,595 posts)

73. Only 96K jobs added in August... Labor force participation rated lowest in decades...

This is not good news. I understand that the OP is trying to spin it as good news in an effort to help President Obama's reelection. But it is terrible news. The numbers are weaker than most economists expected. The unemployment rate went down slightly due mostly to people giving up and leaving the work force.

I support President Obama. But I also support telling it like it is.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/07/august-jobs-report_n_1864001.html

Reply to this post

Response to totodeinhere (Reply #73)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 03:59 PM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

84. 1StrongBlack Man makes an excellent point upthread.

Boomer demographic bulge in play?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014221742#post55

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 03:15 PM

abelenkpe (7,133 posts)

76. Good for Obama

So of course I love this news.

But gotta say just this week I know of over 500 people who had good paying jobs last friday but have been let go in two mass layoffs at studios. And things are looking very very sketchy at several other places. We really need to elect a government that will do more about the economy and keeping jobs here in the US. So everyone please vote straight dem. We need congress and governors who will work with the president. Wish the election was tomorrow!

Reply to this post

Response to abelenkpe (Reply #76)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 03:47 PM

Surya Gayatri (4,205 posts)

81. What you said!

"So everyone please vote straight dem. We need congress and governors who will work with the president."

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 03:28 PM

Green_Lantern (2,423 posts)

78. who cares if job quantity increases....

For one thing how many of these jobs are being filled by one person?

Also number of jobs doesn't count if the jobs suck and barely cover the cost of living.

The article says "The percentage of Americans who either have a job or who are looking for one fell to 63.5%, the lowest participation rate since 1981."

So the job market must not be that great.

Reply to this post

Response to Surya Gayatri (Original post)

Fri Sep 7, 2012, 11:06 PM

Rhiannon12866 (55,036 posts)

101. Please use the article title as the subject line and credit the correct source per LBN rules.

Last edited Sat Sep 8, 2012, 05:01 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

Thanks!

Post the latest news from reputable mainstream news websites and blogs. Important news of national interest only. No analysis or opinion pieces. No duplicates. News stories must have been published within the last 12 hours. Use the published title of the story as the title of the discussion thread.

Reply to this post

Latest Breaking News (Forum)

US economy creates 96,000 jobs but figure disappoints

1. Boom!

7. Goes the dynamite!

28. How is that better??? The Labor Force Participation Rate is 63.5! Lowest since 1981!

29. The optics of 8.1%, a drop of .2%, is better than an uptick at this

32. As a soundbite headline it might be good but it's *horrible* news in reality

34. Agreed, but at this critical juncture, optics are everything.

49. You know what? I don't give a rat's ass about optics. I want the people that I

61. I'm with you

86. Not good, no, but sure as hell better than a percentage

85. But, unless PBO can get re-elected, ain't nobody

95. You're not living in reality. A sound bite isn't going to get the President re-elected. People

99. And do you seriously think that's going to happen between now and Nov. 6th?

94. Cf.:

66. Yes, the IMPORTANT thing is what we can make people believe,

100. cf.:

74. I am more interested in truth than optics. n/t

89. As am I, and most Dems, in the final analysis...

41. What a bunch of naysayers. Uneployment dropped from 8.3 to 8.1! Can't find any thing good in

45. The people in the labor force knows whether they are participating or not.

69. Oh, so, since 90% of the people don't know what the LFPR is then that's a good thing?

83. I did not say that.

87. That's certainly what you meant to say or at least imply

102. What I meant to say is what I said, not what you think I said or implied. eom

90. In an election cycle? Optics, optics, optics!

58. Why ...

70. And no one is graduating schools and entering the work force while those people retire, eh?

79. Come on ...

91. Tell it, 1StrongBlackMan! This "bulge" was forecast

97. The 300,000 a month that are retiring does not cover the nearly 60,000 deficit this month

37. Not better... Unemployment is still over 8% for over 42 months now... :(

42. Not better? I would say any drop in the unemployment rate better

46. The reason the unemployment rate declined by .2% is that about

50. Exactly. And don't think for a minute that the Romney campaign won't point that

51. I think Obama is pretty much innoculated from it, b/c the 2010

53. Agree. And they better start hitting that point hard.

56. Obama needs someone who can negotiate with congress or he has to improve this skill and fast.

64. Funny ...

67. No...they had agreed on a target of tax increases and Obama increased that amount.

75. I guess it depend ...

98. Thanks for your rational refutation of dkf's

60. Most voters look at the .2% drop. nt.

72. Yeah, but it's meaningless and does not signify that the

62. How many of those ...

71. "LMPR" - I don't recognize that acronym. Aside from that, I'm going to have

77. I think some of the drop in the labor force

2. Did Joe the Intern Killer say that?

5. It was unanimous, but Joe chimed in!

31. The round table was unanimous, with Joe Scar joining in!

3. Bloomberg is sure throwing cold water on it.

6. General gist of the negative spin?

17. Not all great jobs. But jobs.

23. "Never look a gift horse in the mouth"--old wives' wisdom

65. Notice the moving goalposts? ...

24. Not just Bloomberg

4. Can't wait to hear them spin how bad this is

59. It's bad enough that people expect the Fed to move.

8. It would be much lower if the republicans had not been trying to "tank the economy" .....

9. Like Gov. O'Malley (D-MD) just said on Joe Scar, when the studio audience cheered at the news:

14. And if those public workers still had jobs their spending would have created even ...

21. Thanks for the reminder, Botany. This is so damning that it's

10. Down 2.1% from a high of 10.2%

13. Yeeeeesssssss!

11. Wow

12. Just the good news to kick off the 60 day campaign ahead...

38. Yep - breaking 8 is the threashold

57. Yeah, different.

15. K&R nt

16. Trend chart

19. Thanks for the graphic illustration!

39. Would make a nice bumper sticker with five more green bars representing 30 months growth.

18. And I am one of the newly employed

20. Wow, tree, this brought tears to my eyes...

54. Sweet. Welcome back into the labor force.

22. I have a hard time cheering a lowered rate when its because a lot of people gave up looking for work

27. It's the positive optics we're cheering. Coming out of

63. Why are people not angry?

96. Now, there's an idea...put the Big Dawg out there on the

25. Peeps - that's only 1,920 jobs per state

26. At this crucial juncture in the campaign, even this tiny drop is welcome.

32. As a soundbite headline it might be good but it's horrible news in reality