4 ms·

Not actually so. Unemployment has fallen from 10.1% to 9.2% since its peak in October 2009. Businesses aren't rehiring fast, but they are rehiring. Oh, and it'

by hugh3 15y ago

Not actually so. Unemployment has fallen from 10.1% to 9.2% since its peak in October 2009. Businesses aren't rehiring fast, but they are rehiring. Oh, and it's not the highest since the Great Depression either -- there was a spike to 10.8% in 1982. http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=z1ebjpgk2654c1_&ctype=l&strail=false&nselm=h&met_y=unemployment_rate&fdim_y=seasonality:S&scale_y=lin&ind_y=false&rdim=state&ifdim=state&tdim=true&tstart=-692553600000&tend=1311231600000&hl=en&dl=en&icfg&uniSize=0.035&iconSize=0.5 http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=z1ebjpgk2654c1_&... Isn't data wonderful?

forensic 15y ago
The main reason unemployment stats look that way is because people give up looking for work and are no longer counted in the stats. Data is not wonderful when it is used to confuse and deceive rather than enlighten. Data becomes a tool of enslavement when a word like "unemployment" takes on an operational definition that does not reflect the public perception.
- hugh3 15y ago
  Do you have any more reliable data that would contradict this data and support your own assertion that unemployment is actually increasing?
  - bandushrew 15y ago
    Its a fact that the data you provided does not take into account 'participation' drop off. If you want to continue presenting statistics like that, maybe you should find a set of data that encompasses the more obvious problems?
    - hugh3 15y ago
      I'm sorry, I had assumed that the onus of proof lay with the person making the original (and countrary-to-popular-belief-and-best-available-statistics) claim that unemployment was still increasing. Participation, of course, is a tricky beast. Sometimes people stop participating because they're despairing over being able to find a job, but they also retire, or get pregnant, or go back to university or (if immigrants) their home countries.
      - bandushrew 15y ago
        I think the onus of proof lies with the person seeking the truth. He presented no statistics at all, you presented statistics that are clearly entirely ignoring a important figure. Neither of you seem to be at all interested in seeking the truth, each just advancing their own personal agenda. meh.
yequalsx 15y ago
It is true that non government employment has increased but the decline in the unemployment rate has a lot to do with a decline in the participation rate. One needs to look at the participation rate. Around 125,000 jobs per month need to be created in order to keep up with the increase in population.

by hugh3 15y ago

forensic 15y ago

The main reason unemployment stats look that way is because people give up looking for work and are no longer counted in the stats. Data is not wonderful when it is used to confuse and deceive rather than enlighten. Data becomes a tool of enslavement when a word like "unemployment" takes on an operational definition that does not reflect the public perception.

hugh3 15y ago
Do you have any more reliable data that would contradict this data and support your own assertion that unemployment is actually increasing?
- bandushrew 15y ago
  Its a fact that the data you provided does not take into account 'participation' drop off. If you want to continue presenting statistics like that, maybe you should find a set of data that encompasses the more obvious problems?
  - hugh3 15y ago
    I'm sorry, I had assumed that the onus of proof lay with the person making the original (and countrary-to-popular-belief-and-best-available-statistics) claim that unemployment was still increasing. Participation, of course, is a tricky beast. Sometimes people stop participating because they're despairing over being able to find a job, but they also retire, or get pregnant, or go back to university or (if immigrants) their home countries.
    - bandushrew 15y ago
      I think the onus of proof lies with the person seeking the truth. He presented no statistics at all, you presented statistics that are clearly entirely ignoring a important figure. Neither of you seem to be at all interested in seeking the truth, each just advancing their own personal agenda. meh.

yequalsx 15y ago

It is true that non government employment has increased but the decline in the unemployment rate has a lot to do with a decline in the participation rate. One needs to look at the participation rate. Around 125,000 jobs per month need to be created in order to keep up with the increase in population.