The difference in Bush's 5.4% unemployment rate and Clinton's 5.4%....?

[kentuck]

For the last few weeks, the Repubs have been saying that the unemployment rate is lower than the average of the 70's, 80's, and 90's...On average that might be true if the numbers were reported correctly. They say this was the same rate that Clinton had in '96 when he was re-elected.

However, there is one big difference. When Clinton got the unemployment rate to 5.4%, he started at about 7.4%. He was bringing the unemployment rate down. Bush, on the other hand, started with about 4% unemployment rate when Clinton left office, and it has gone up to 5.4%. They are going in opposite directions. And that is a significant difference.

(edited to correct info)

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[kentuck]

2. It was down to 3.9% and went up to about 4% when Bush took office.

Check it out.

(edited to correct info)

[comsymp]

4. Link to BLS

http://data.bls.gov/servlet/SurveyOutputServlet?data_tool=latest_numbers&series_id=LNS14000000

[HFishbine]

3. 7.3% when Clinton took office, 4.2% when Bush took office

Educate yourself: http://data.bls.gov/servlet/SurveyOutputServlet?data_tool=latest_numbers&series_id=LNS14000000

[XNASA]

6. Are YOU sure?

I wouldn't question kentuck's data. I don't think that anyone else here at DU would either.

[Kahuna]

9. Ha ha ha. Very funny. It was under 4% when * "took" office.

:eyes:

[nodictators]

19. We should always use the words "took" and "retake" re Bush

Examples:

Bush took the election, rather than "won" the election

Bush hopes to retake the WH, rather than hopes to be "re-elected"

Florida 2000 was rigged in many ways. The felon purge and the butterfly ballot were only the tip of the iceberg of fraud.

Already, we have seen Jeb and his appointed Secretary of State Glenda Hood running a stunt where 22,000 registered black voters were put on a list for potential purging from the Florida registered voter database, but only 61 Hispanics were on the same statewide list.

Bush isn't a legitmate president. He was put into office as a result of a coup.

We must not parrot the media whores who say he is up for reelection!

[Kathy in Cambridge]

18. You're pretty transparent

We were still adding jobs in December of '02. Bush has the worst jobs record since Herbert Hoover. Now go spread your BS somewhere else.

[msturgis524]

5. A large part of the reason

Is the definition of unemployment. When job seekers have exhausted unemploymeny bens after six months or so they have been classified as no longer seeking employment. For that reason they do not count towards unemploymeny. Sorry I can't locate the exact #'s right now, but I have read them. Anyone - help would be appreciated.

[Bozita]

20. Repugs refused to extend benefits for that very reason

It would drive up the stats in an election year.

[RoyalWickedness]

7. Doesn't matter what the "unemployment rate" is....

because it's not an accurate reflection of the actual number of people who need jobs and don't have them. Like me. I've been out of work for 18 months, and am no longer counted in the unemployment figure, as I no longer receive benefits. Plenty of people on THAT boat. BTW, Michigan (where I live), has an 8% unemployment rate....

[StClone]

8. Has the tabulated changed ?

The way Bush has corrupted information has me suspicious that the numbers Clinton posted and the one BushCo flaunts are not comparable.

[tabasco]

10. More differences in Krugman pre-debate article.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2482890

[AmerDem]

11. The other fact is

the 5.4% rate shrub likes to throw around is totally bogus. There are millions who have given up trying to find work that are nowhere in that figure. Also, extended unemployment benefits were granted 1 time only ( part of a tax cut/*cough* stimulus package Dems were forced to sign onto) even though they were still badly needed by so many.

[molly]

12. You are obsolutely correct - they should do a poll of

how many of us have given up.

[RedEarth]

14. LOLj...love your pic.....

[kentuck]

13. If you look at the stats, every month of Clinton's second term was lower

than Bush's present unemployment rate. !!

[Love Bug]

15. The US population has grown in 10 years

so, while the percentage is the same, that percentage represents a greater number of people than 10 years ago.

[kentuck]

17. Excellent point, Love Bug.

And considering that they have manipulated the numbers also, makes it doubly troubling.

[newportdadde]

16. The figure also doesn't take into underemployed workers.

If you were a DBA or programmer making say 60k with good insurance, retirement etc and now your selling furinture or something other retail job on commission making say 37k with bad health insurance and nil retirement there is a big difference in lifestyle even though your technically working and don't count in this number.