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That's definitely an issue, but I would like to add that many of us feel the US govt too engages in lying through data. The biggest one in my mind is the unemp
by anoncoward111 8y ago
That's definitely an issue, but I would like to add that many of us feel the US govt too engages in lying through data.
The biggest one in my mind is the unemployment rate. Even though Labor publishes nuanced statistics and revises them for accuracy, Trump and the media focus solely on the lowest tier of unemployment rate, which is the one below 4%.
To be included in this rate, you must currently be receiving unemployment benefits from the state. Additionally, you must not be working part time at all, such as someone who drives uber for a few hours a week, or someone who picks up minimum wage shifts as a cashier or waiter. Lastly, you must submit weekly reports (through an imho easy to use online portal) of where you applied for jobs. You also cannot be in university, or living abroad (except Canada).
These hurdles are enough to remove literal millions of people from the official unemployment stat vis a vis the workforce participation stat. And yet, the incessant focus on Unemployment Rate probably won't stop.
- WrtCdEvrydy 8y agoBecause people looking for work or in states with bad employment numbers can use it as a crutch. It's easy to blame the president for the reason your coal job is no longer around, yet as soon as people find employment, those on unemployment are moochers.
- triviatise 8y agoThere are multiple levels of unemployment U1-U6, they go from the most liberal to the most conservative view unemployment. Ultimately the absolute number doesnt matter that much, it is the trends. The "official" number is the U3, but if you prefer to use the U6 you can. No one is lying about unemployment. U1:[47] Percentage of labor force unemployed 15 weeks or longer. U2: Percentage of labor force who lost jobs or completed temporary work. U3: Official unemployment rate per the ILO definition occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively looked for work within the past four weeks.[48] U4: U3 + "discouraged workers", or those who have stopped looking for work because current economic conditions make them believe that no work is available for them. U5: U4 + other "marginally attached workers", or "loosely attached workers", or those who "would like" and are able to work, but have not looked for work recently. U6: U5 + Part-time workers who want to work full-time, but cannot due to economic reasons (underemployment). You could even consider the labor participation rate as an unemployment number. That would include retired people, the wealthy that don't need to work, stay at home moms etc.
- anoncoward111 8y agoDid you not read my comment? I explicitly mentioned that there are multiple forms of unemployment statistics measures by Labor, and that workforce participation statistic is most accurate. Yet, you will never ever hear these stats on TV or from Trump. It is solely just screaming about "RECORD LOW UNEMPLOYMENT", when it is anything but a healthy employment situation.
- RhodesianHunter 8y agoPolitician cherry picks number that makes him look good! News at ten.
- anoncoward111 8y agoExcept every politician has done this for this specific stat. Why are you defending it so vehemently when it is a pitiful indicator?
- Latteland 8y agoPeople do talk about other unemployment rates, the labor participation rate. like on the marketplace daily radio show/podcast.
- Svettie 8y agoThe point isn't that the number is a precise measure of unemployment, but that it's correlated to it and can be used for historical comparisons. That's all. As long as the way it's measured stays relatively consistent over time, we can reason that it measures "something", and track how that changes. Calling that something "unemployment rate" is just a label.