Comments on: Government Labor Statistics: Lies and Damned Lies

By: DrObserver

DrObserver — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 04:07:09 +0000

The government learned a long time ago that changing the numbers is easier than changing the facts, and changing the numbers is more profitable. Look what they did to COLA? Back in the ’80′s they changed the “formula” and cut COLA by about 50% without legislation or debate . . . and not even a whisper from AARP; amazing lack of interest. Apathy stems from ignorance or greed, take your pick.

By: Llyodblankfeinsucks

Llyodblankfeinsucks — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 15:32:58 +0000

Laura,

Excellent commentary. Outside of the overt manipulations covered in the article, and the demographics you mention being excluded, there are yet more statistical manipulations at play. To name but a couple: they play with seasonality, and the birth death rate.

To the point in your last paragraph about Depression area unemployment, if you carefully read through their “propoganda fueled BS”, and do a bit of your own simple analysis, you can easily see we have blown past Depression era levels.

Its simple: Ok so the pundits stipulate 8M=nearly 10% (U3), uh huh and then add another 7M for the total of 15M, which makes up the officical but less often quoted (U6) for around 17-18%. BUT notice the illustrious folks at the BLS have let slip that the real number of unemployed and underemployed is around 26M, but they wont put a % on that because the general populace would go apeshit because yes indeed that puts the real figure at 30% +. If 8M=10% —- right what does 26M=? Bingo, over 30%.

By: Laura Schleifer

Laura Schleifer — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 14:17:12 +0000

Great article, except you forgot to mention the people who lost their jobs and never qualified for unemployment benefits in the first place, which the BLS is ALSO conveniently leaving out of their count of unemployment. If you worked at a job that was off-the-books, or you worked at a job for less than 8 months before you got laid off, or your former employer refuses to contribute their portion towards your benefits for any reason, then you don’t qualify to receive any benefits at all.

Also, the way of defining ‘unemployment’ that the govt. currently uses didn’t come into practice until 1994 when the Repulsivecans took control of congress and changed what constituted being “unemployed”. So comparing the current official statistics with the downturns of the 1930′s or even the early 1980′s and ’90′s is entirely false. Economist John Williams, who runs the website Shadow Stats, uses the method that was used in all the previous recessions/depressions, and by that measurement, unemployment is currently OVER 20%. (Hovering at around 22%, last I heard).

Looking at it that way, we are not so very far off from the Great Depression unemployment rates of 25%–30%.

By: Jonathan L. Elano

Jonathan L. Elano — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:07:16 +0000

But still I am not giving up my trust to our government. I just pray for the best remedy.

By: Jonathan L. Elano

Jonathan L. Elano — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:04:57 +0000

This blog is very cool!
Thank for this issued posted. It’s a great help and very informative article. But still giving up my tryst to the government is not the best remedy for this failure.

By: Robert Francis

Robert Francis — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:17:32 +0000

“The lesson here is not to trust the government.”

Do YOU understand? Don’t Trust The Government! And don’t vote for the candidates they are heavily pushing like they are selling soap. They go and Sell You Out! Vote third party or not at all.

If the government people say “good morning” get up and go over to the window facing East and look for the sun!

By: Jesse Hemingway

Jesse Hemingway — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 02:14:22 +0000

Wow, the government does what it does best lies and orchestrates deception. God dam it we know that they would never cross the line at 9/11 right?

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:14:44 +0000

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