Smart money knows about this graph taken from an insiders news letter called Shadowstats. What’s happening above is a clear difference in direction between the official government numbers and reality.
The seasonally-adjusted SGS Alternate Unemployment Rate reflects current unemployment reporting methodology adjusted for SGS-estimated long-term discouraged workers, who were defined out of official existence in 1994. That estimate is added to the BLS estimate of U-6 unemployment, which includes short-term discouraged workers.
I’m not getting what the difference between the numbers and reality is.
Obama already talking about a JOBS program as his new main focus for the 17th time. I hear 18 is his lucky number.
I’ll say it again: what we aren’t dealing with is STRUCTURAL UNEMPLOYMENT. America is not psychologically capable of addressing this issue. War has always been the standard response but today, like other employment, its all mechanized requiring fewer people.
Armies of unemployed (able) youths, all connected by social media, Hollywood re-issuing Red Dawn and other Apocalypse end of World pics now, in 3-D!!!!
Just add a bat wing and we are off to open revolt in the street. Innocents of all strips bleeding.
Yea, verily.
His priorities have been out of whack.
If unemployment really mattered to him, he should have tackled this his first year in office rather than shoving his healthcare program down everyone’s throats.
Guyver–I only WISH Obama had shoved “his” healthcare program down our throats. He compromised it away BEFORE negotiating with the “NO NEW TAXES” Puke Party. He gave away any real stimulus program to the same group.
A good idea without the will to force it down the ignorant forces against it has the same effect as a bad idea from the start.
I forgive you your inability to see things clearly.
Pat, pat on McGuyvers poor misshapened head. Sad when the best of the worst is so twisted and sick.
VOTE ALL “NO NEW TAXES” POLITICIANS OUT OF OFFICE. You are being sold a bill of indulgences and it makes about as much sense.
REJECT the DOGMA. Think about your own best interests, not the short bumper stickers.
Yea, verily.
Nothing new here. The charts show that the same yardsticks ( pick your favorite) to measure unemployment are the same now as they have been for over 15 years.
Everyone assumed that was just a recession and would rebound after government stimulus lessened the shock. Bad assumption. Everyone also assumed that Friedman was right and a natural state of unemployment would just naturally return. Another bad assumption.
This isn’t just a normal cyclic recession, it was a financial collapse. Short term fixes like stimulus spending, tax cuts and borrowed money are just band aids. Both the left and right are fighting to make their short term fixes permanent.
The public and private financial systems in the US and Europe are fundamentally broken. Private citizens, corporations, institutions and governments are all running out of capital while debt deflation continues.
No money, no salaries, no jobs.
Every liebertards wet dream: build your own island. The catch: start with a billion dollars. Ha, ha.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/silicon-valley-billionaire-funding-creation-artificial-libertarian-islands-140840896.html
Only slightly related: Teabaggers are less popular than Muslims and atheists.
3, Bobbo,
He spearheaded this. Neither the GOP nor Libertarians were pushing for this. It’s his in whatever form he signed off on. But nice to see you demonstrating how liberals continue to defend washing other liberals of any responsibility.
If jobs and the economy mattered to him, he would have made this the top issue his first year in office. Instead, Obama blames the previous administration (with a Democrat-controlled congress the last two years of Bush’s term) all while forcing a healtcare program onto the tax-paying masses that we pre-pay for, for at least four years with higher copays.
So in Obama’s first two years as president, he’s outspent the entire Iraq War from the previous administration, he’s had BeerGate, Cash for Clunkers, created new jobs at a cost of $278k per job, and he’s created ObamaCare. Did I miss anything? I probably did. 🙂
The question to pose to the American public is this:
Do “real tea-baggers” wear drop-crotch pants?
#4 – the essentials you note started with LBJ and Nixon.
Hey Guyver, notice the thread of Liberal mentality?
It’s quintessential “Don’t look over here!!”
Each and every Lib apologist wants to deflect the issue or attack the messenger.
Bobbo = “I only WISH Obama had shoved “his” …”. To him, a dictator is the right answer. Forget the Democratic process (and he calls himself a Democrat, what a crock)
EnemyOfTheState and Olo Baggins of Bywater. Obvious apologists who have to divert to something wholly inane.
So Guyver, you assertions were effective and correct, and so the libs have to attack you directly or divert our attention.
Ah yeah…I’m an apologist? Seriously?
Obama’s lack of backbone in pushing through legislation that he promised is well-covered, even–gasp–in the “liberal” press.
What’s inane is the tea party. It only gained traction because Fox “News” found it useful as a way to build antagonism towards Obama without doing it directly themselves. Without their 24/7 cheerleading, the ballsuckers never gain traction, they get no seats in the House, and economically beneficial legislation is able to be enacted.
Government is done, stick a fork in it and let’s eat the rich bastards who killed it. There is no economic reality except the money is worthless and there are no jobs. Our elected officials sold us out years ago and we are beginning to notice the bills are coming due. This is just the beginning of something that will make the Great Depression look like a catered picnic.
They lie about unemployment. You want to know the real numbers? Try this: http://consumerist.com/2011/08/record-high-458-millions-americans-using-food-stamps.html
45.8 million people are using food stamps. Does that tell you something? That’s up 34% in two years!The source? The US Department of Agriculture!
Actually we had one major crash with a super fast rebound but I can’t recall the date. Ask Devorick. We had no debt to speak of at the time and the response was to cut taxes to the bone. They were out of it in less than a year.
Now we have massive unfunded liabilities. We are running only the gods know how many wars none of which we actually seem to be winning or paying for as we go. We are completely dependent on foreign manufacturing and borrowed money. 41 cents of every dollar spent is borrowed. Huge numbers of major corporations won’t bring home money or invest state side because of regressive tax policies which they expect to get worse. Businesses are still off shoring to get away from the progressives/liberals. 1/3 of the national debt has to be refinanced every year because smart money only buys short term bonds because they don’t want to get caught holding when the Greenspan plan for paying off the debt goes into effect. Print a few billion dollar bills, hand them over and declare the debts paid. Let the chumps keep the change.
The only reason you can sell US bonds is the EU is a bigger disaster than the US and there are trillions of dollars/units of money floating without a safe place to invest them in. Banks are even charging major players to store their cash. Banks can’t find a decent place to invest money to make money either.
Sure raise taxes. Do some more social spending. That will fix it. That is if by fix you mean make tax revenues fall and our bond ratings with it.
The only response is to drink heavily, go camping as much as you can and photograph waterfalls and sunsets. It’s nearly over and caring too much will only give you a lot of stress.
I’d like to know just what the hell the government can DO about jobs anyway. You hear it all the time but no one seems to be able to explain just how the government can really DO anything.
Unless we all want jobs WITH the government the government really can’t do much of anything EXCEPT LOWER TAXES! (Or should I say “fees” since it’s all really just a lot of word play?)
Just look around you. Obviously, the government isn’t lowering taxes, fees, or taking pay cuts that might help balance the books. In fact, our U.S. government is actually looking for ways to increase taxes. Maybe your local cops, firemen, letter carriers and others are living on less these days but you can bet your congressman and his pocket dwellers aren’t! The powers that be aren’t even LOOKING at their own drag on the system. So just who do you think is really responsible?
(If you lay down with dogs then don’t be surprised when you rise with fleas!)
The answer is US. We voted the bastards in so do your part and VOTE THEM OUT! And parties be damned!
Bruce Springsteen has written some good songs. Here’s one:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MTEVSulBDaA
Bobbo & Guyver: I thought it was extremely interesting that, in Iowa a day or two ago, O’Bama said he didn’t mind that people refer to the healthcare act as O’BamaCare. He’s proud to have his name associated with it.
This just a couple days after the cornerstone of the law has been declared unconstitutional.
O’Bama simply lives in a different reality.
Welcome to the real world.
A world in which ‘regular’ people are not allowed to build up 2 years income worth of credit card debt.
A world where housing is not an investment, it is an expense that provides a place to live, and nobody makes a living ‘flipping’ houses.
A world where most people make a ‘living wage’, which means that you will earn enough to live decently, and only top earners will be entitled to McMansions and annual trips to Hawaii.
A world where shopping at Tarjet is not a source of scorn.
A world where car loans are hard to get and driving a 10 year old car is not a source of scorn.
A world where you rent a JetSki on your vacation, instead of buying 2 and using them once a year, after financing them with a home equity loan.
A world where $1500 for an annual basic phone plan is something considered a stupid luxury or you darn well better have a business reason for it.
A world where Premium cable TV is an upper class privilege.
A world where 8% unemployment is considered normal, and competing for a job and trying hard to keep it is just the way life is.
In other words, welcome back to reality.
#18–Animby==yes, too bad Guyver has a real job and doesn’t have the time to really tend to an issue.
I assume Obama is lying. It is a millstone around his neck. He might as well make the best of it.
Yep, one court says parts of Obama care are Unconstitutional and another court says same parts are ok. Sounds like Sup Ct case right during the election. Fair enough. Based on what I have read, I’d say those parts of Obama care ARE Uncostitutional. Can’t force someone to engage in commerce and then call the rules making as subject to the commerce clause. Same effect could have/should have/will be achieved the same way MediCare is: general taxation.
For a law professor, Obama seems willfully ignorant on too many important issues.
Guyver–I’m not defending Obama, I’m attacking him from the left. I did hear Obama say once that Healthcare reform was needed in order to have a strong economy as too much was being spent on it and the growth curve was out of control.
I agree with that and that is why I criticize what he compromised to. Course, as I’ve posted before, if indeed that is all he can get, and whether or not its ruled unconstitutional, it may just be the eggs that needed to be broken for this omelet. We can’t afford the system we had last year, so change by hook or crook is coming. Too bad it has to be by crook.
it would be nice to be rational for a change. Rational defined: exactly opposite from what the Pukes want to do.
Yea, verily – – – -and as always: VOTE ALL “NO NEW TAXES” POLITICIANS OUT OF OFFICE!
For what age is this chart? I bet it’s logrithmic for anyone over 30.
The curve get more vertical as you age.
I guess, I came into this life naked with nothing and I’l probably leave in the same way,
All this graphic info was apparently kept under wraps, during George Bush’s reign. And is only being brought out now, to embarrass Obama. Who isn’t even responsible for most of it. The “hockey stick blade” end of the graph was going upward, before Obama even took office. At least it leveled off, soon after he did. Notice who the graph also trended upward during Bush’s first term. That was all post-911, and his war on Iraq. Why spend the taxpayers’ money on the nation’s infrastructure, when he could waste it continuing his daddy’s last war?
So not all Obama’s fault, this data. But its always perceived as the current president’s fault. Even when Congress has had a hand in it. Notice how the rate lines were coming down, to their lowest levels, during Clinton’s eight years. And he gets no credit for that.
Meh, like our government doesn’t use old methods of calculating numbers. Take the poor, but rather more importantly the poor with kids, they are still using 1960 formulas that doesn’t take into account EVERYTHING else that has changed since then. One example would be, higher school cost, mass variety of entetainment, day care, 2 working parents, etc.
Ok so sue me, that’s more than one thing. But my guess is that most of you already digested this to be the truth of all things in the universe and…dammit, already #22 already. Hell with it, those numbers are correct.
We all agree on the statistics which support our drinking habit.
#24 sargasso_c
My kind of thinking. Someone buy him a cleansing ale.
# 20 bobbo, “I assume Obama is lying.”
That goes without saying. He is, after all, a politician. As for the Supremes timetable, I heard (and can’t document) that since three different federal courts have ruled three different ways (legal/illegal – severable/non-severable) they will likely accept the case in October when they reconvene with hearings around the end of the year and a decision in May or June, so it should be decided by election time.
I expect the SCOTUS will also say, no way Jose. Then it’s back to the drawing board and I don’;t think a Repub House will pass something suitable. I have this basic contradiction in me: I favor a single payer system but I want a smaller Fed Gov. Hard to reconcile. And there is the additional constitutional question, if they “nationalize” health insurance, have they illegally put insurance providers out of business? I’m glad I’m getting on in years and won’t have to see how this all works out. I’m only 62 but I doubt I’ll see how it ends… . It is a millstone around his neck. He might as well make the best of it.
Yep, one court says parts of Obama care are Unconstitutional and another court says same parts are ok. Sounds like Sup Ct case right during the election. Fair enough. Based on what I have read, I’d say those parts of Obama care ARE Uncostitutional. Can’t force someone to engage in commerce and then call the rules making as subject to the commerce clause. Same effect could have/should have/will be achieved the same way MediCare is: general taxation.
“For a law professor, Obama seems willfully ignorant on too many important issues.” You know, I wonder about his “professor” status. I taught two semesters of cardiac physiology to med students. Doesn’t mean I’m a professor. I was a lecturer, just like O’Bama whop also taught only part time. He has granted himself the title of prof. I understand he was offered a tenure track position but turned it down to run for office.
# 7 Olo = “Teabaggers are less popular than Muslims and atheists.”
Did you actually read the article or stop at the headline? A very unusual study and scientifically invalid on several levels. Basically, they did the survey BEFORE the Tea Party was extant then went back tot he respondents six years later to get additional opinions! The population studied will undergo changes in 5 or 6 years. People die, get married, have children, lose jobs, finish education, etc. You simply can not take a selection of people and then, half a decade later, use the “same” group as a prequalified population doe another set of questions. You could do that to follow opinions but not to elicit new data.
#28 – on top of that, I don’t think I’ve seen a “poll” in the last twenty years that couldn’t easily have been swayed either by the venue chosen for asking (I’m sure you would get radically different results for a poll on HuffPo than one taken by hand in Topeka, KS), or by some agenda-based group crowd-bombing it (as with most internet-based polls), or by simply not actually pursuing the random, 2% population distribution that statistics requires to have any relevance at all.
Polls (ESPECIALLY internet polls) are a new marketing industry anymore, and not a tool for actually measuring anything.
In # 21 Never will work again said: A) The curve get more vertical as you age. and: B) I guess, I came into this life naked with nothing and I’l probably leave in the same way.
A) You want to see the curve get really steep?
Try being disabled.
Its like I have gimp cooties, (though my money’s still plenty good.)
B) We all do. They’s the only good thing about life, even the bastards con’t live for ever.
You guys and the Obama comments are so funny. As if the pres-o-dent has any real power. As if the pres-o-dent isn’t a distraction sideshow for the real powers that pull the strings. Different names every 4-8 years, same game. It’s just another version of Dancing With The Stars or Jersey Shore. Bread and Circuses.