Unemployment rate down in 21 states

[denem]

Source: CNN Money

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The employment situation in the states showed signs of stabilizing last month.

The unemployment rate declined in 21 states in April, compared with the month before, while 11 states had no rate change, according to federal data released Friday.

The work situation, however, deteriorated in 18 states and Washington, D.C., last month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

A month earlier, unemployment rates rose in 46 states

In April, Michigan once again led the nation with a jobless rate of 12.9%, up from 12.6% in March. Oregon, South Carolina, Rhode Island, California, North Carolina, Nevada and Ohio all had rates exceeding 10%.

Read more: http://money.cnn.com/2009/05/22/news/economy/State_unemployment/index.htm?postversion=2009052212

[mitchum]

1. Translation: unemployment benefits have run out for many in 21 states

[Just-plain-Kathy]

2. I was thinking the same thing. ....n/t

[denem]

3. And not Michigan and Ohio? LOL.

[mitchum]

5. How do you think unemployment rates are determined?

[Ikonoklast]

7. They are not determined by those only on unemployment.

The metric used to determine unemployment by the government is a very sophisticated polling process.

Those actually collecting benefits are only part of the equation.

See: http://www.bls.gov/cps/cps_htgm.htm

[INdemo]

6. Well thats true but there are about 20 weeks of extended benefits

and I believe that President Obama will ask congress to extended them even more..
It appears that the economy may be improving by the movement of commerce
(Semi Truck traffic and freight train traffic...It really is picking up.

[XemaSab]

10. Translation:

It's summer, so people have jobs fixing roads, picking fruit, lifeguarding, and doing other stuff that doesn't happen in the dead of winter.

[Javaman]

4. By this logic, any of the states that didn't take the additional unemployment benefits

would have had zero unemployment.

more stupidity being reported from the MSM

[tritsofme]

8. Sometimes in a poor labor market, UE rate going down is bad news.

It can mean that people are leaving the labor market, becoming discouraged.

If you give up looking for work, congratulations you are no longer unemployed, you have left the labor force.

Conversely, when we begin to see a recovery in the labor force, the UE rate may tick up as discouraged workers re-enter the work force and again try to seek employment.

State unemployment benefits have very little if anything to do with the UE rate calculations.

The BLS uses a scientific study called the "Current Population Survey" to determine unemployment rates each month.

[Hawkowl]

11. The unemployment rate INCREASED

If you read the article, it is clear that the national unemployment rate rose from 8.5 to 8.9% from March to April. Who cares if unemployment fell in more "states" if those states are the least populated? The "national" economy is deteriorating, not stabilizing.

[Hawkowl]

9. Fucking Bullshit

Why doesn't the headline read "Unemployment increases from 8.5% in March to 8.9% April" ?
This constant spin and mendacity by the government and the corporate media is Orwellian. Who the hell believes anything from the MSM or government anymore?

[Igel]

12. Because they don't want bad news.

(1) The unemployment rate is tracking as expected--just a bit higher than what was forecast in February should the stimulus "package" not pass.

(2) Moreover, we all know that * was responsible in 3/01 for the recession, because he was president at the time, whatever the trends in economic indicators were. This is an article of faith.

So by (1), we must have been saved from high unemployment, because the stimulus passed. And by (2), things must be getting better because Obama's in office--after all, it's not just 2 months after inauguration, but 4.

Communications majors. Eh.

[No Elephants]

13. The meme among everyone who is supposed to know is that consumer confidence drives things. So, a

news outlet does not want to lose credibility totally. On the other hand, it does not want to dampen consumer confidence (and thus, in theory, be responsible for prolonging a bad economy). So, we get a cheery headline, designed to generate optimism, even though the story is that umemployment rose some.


Geez, if y'all would just go out there and start spending foolishly, this whole thing would end.

Isn't it funny how, when the economy is great, it's cause of businesses, but when it stinks, it's because of consumers?

Isn't it funny how, when the economy is great, it's private enterprise, but when it stinks, it's the taxpayers' problem?


Aaaarghhhh.