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The nation lost a lower than expected 36,000 jobs in February, keeping the unemployment rate at 9.7 percent, the Department of Labor reported this morning.

The report was generally taken as good news, as the winter snow storms were expected to have reduced employment even further. Analysts had expected job losses of 50,000, according to a Reuters survey.

"Severe winter weather in parts of the country may have affected payroll employment and hours," the report said, "however, it is not possible to quantify precisely the net impact of the winter storms on these measures."

The report also found that there were 1.2 million discouraged workers in February who are not factored in the unemployment rate because they don't think jobs are available to them and thus have given up looking for work. That's up by 473,000 from a year earlier.

December job losses were revised downward to 109,000 from the 150,000 previously reported, while January losses were revised to 26,000 from 20,000.

The bottom line? In early trading, markets are reacting positively to the report, because it's better than expected and it seems like the job market is starting to flatten out. On the flip side, while it looks like layoffs are starting to taper off, millions of Americans still can't find jobs because employers don't seem to be hiring. So, I think it's easier to make the "turning the corner" case to the markets that it will be for the White House to make politically. Democrats need to see the economy actually start adding jobs at a good clip to improve their prospects this November.

View all comments (34) | Leave a comment

Floyd Looney| 3.5.10 @ 9:24AM

I think its pretty obvious the "official" unemployment rate is fictional.

Siegfried X| 3.5.10 @ 9:48AM

The real unemployment rate, which includes underemployment, rose to 16.8 percent from 16.5 percent. That's one of six Americans.

Brad Smith| 3.5.10 @ 10:17AM

President's have very little impact on the unemployment rate. Short term policies (stimulus, tax cuts, etc.) can have an impact, but employment will generally lag the recovery. Conservatives like Limbaugh make a mistake in pouncing on employment numbers to criticize Obama. Conservatives should be talking about long-term policies (lower corporate rate, sensible regulation, etc.), and not focus so much on criticizing the President for the unemployment rate because when employment turns around, which it will, they will have given the President the opportunity to falsely claim credit for turning around the economy.

Eric Cartman| 3.6.10 @ 1:31PM

When the president keeps doing things that prolong the economic misery such as proposing radical changes that business will ultimately have to absorb and must plan for, then he and his henchmen deserve all the failures nail-gunned to their foreheads.

Conservatives can talk about long-term policies when they finally drive a stake through Obamacare, cap and tax, illegal alien amnesty and give away programs and the list goes on. When the bodies of these monsters stop twitching, then talk about long-term plans. The Tactical in support of the Strategic.

Pingback| 3.5.10 @ 10:52AM

» The Unemployment Numbers and America’s Jobs Problem - Big Government links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…can subscribe to the podcast by following the links above, and if you’d like to email us, you can do so at coffee[at]newledger.com. We hope you enjoy the show. Related Links: American Spectator: 36,000 Jobs Lost in February Tom Friedman on Intel and Jobs Abe Greenwald on LAX TNL: The End of Easy Fixes Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Tags: Coffee and Markets, podcast,…

Pingback| 3.5.10 @ 11:47AM

The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : 36000 Jobs Lost in February … · Staringfrog.co links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…are not factored in the unemployment rate because they don’t think jobs are available to them and thus have given up looking for work. … See original here: The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : 36000 Jobs Lost in February … This entry was posted on Friday, March 5th, 2010 at 1:46 pm and is filed under Economy, Jobs, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0…

Pingback| 3.5.10 @ 2:09PM

“Employment Report: 36K Jobs Lost, 9.7% Unemployment Rate” and related po links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…the BLS: Nonfarm payroll employment was little changed (-36,000) in February, and the unemployment rate held at 9.7 percent, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. 36,000 Jobs Lost in February; Unemployment Rate Remains at 9.7%  - The American Spectator and AmSpecBlog BLS: Establishment Jobs Drop -36,000; Unemployment Rate at 9.7%  - The Bonddad Blog Unemployment Rate Holds at 9.7%  - Real Clear…

mythster| 3.5.10 @ 2:21PM

The economic system is under a death watch and there's almost no hope for survival without radical surgery.
Our political system needs multiple organ transplants,
including brain and heart.
Here's what responsible citizens can do to insure the survival of our country.
1. Stop contributing to all political organizations and politicians immediately!
2. Create and circulate a petition to impeach the Supreme Court.
3. Plan and execute a responsible citizens March on Washington on the first of May.
4. Politicians and organizations supporting the petition and march will be eligible for funding
5. Draft the "best and the brightest" to conceptualize a "Citizen's Bill of Rights for the 21st Century" for endorsement and incorporation in the U.S. Constitution.
Perhaps then we can start to re-create "a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men [and women] are created equal."

Pingback| 3.5.10 @ 2:43PM

The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : 36000 Jobs Lost in February … links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…who are not factored in the unemployment rate because they don’t think jobs are available to them and thus have given up looking for work. … More here: The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : 36000 Jobs Lost in February … Related Posts » The Unemployment Numbers and America's Jobs Problem – Big Government Dems struggle with jobs agenda – Lisa Lerer – POLITICO.com San…

Ron Jones| 3.5.10 @ 2:59PM

I think the mythster could use a drink ...

Pingback| 3.5.10 @ 3:28PM

Home buyers Tax Credit And Low Interest Rates Motivating Local … | Credit Finance Wis links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…sales price also jumped in February to just over $119500. See more here: Home buyers Tax Credit And Low Interest Rates Motivating Local … Related Blogs on February The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : 36000 Jobs Lost in February … The Unemployment Rate Held at 9.7% in February Related Posts Bad Credit Home Loans for First Time Home Buyers » East Apartments Credit card interest rates soar to 12-year…

Pingback| 3.5.10 @ 4:28PM

ICS Cleaning Specialist – February 2010 | Ebook Online Free links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…Steady Unemployment … Employers shed jobs in February, but upward trend continues … Job Picture Unchanged in February: Unemployment at 9.7 Percent … The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : 36000 Jobs Lost in February … Cross-party MPs back RCN specialist nursing campaign | News … Patients wait to see a specialist | Sunshine Coast News | Local … FormFiftyFive – Design…

Pingback| 3.5.10 @ 5:29PM

The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : 36000 Jobs Lost in February … | Bootstrap Reces links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…February who are not factored in the unemployment rate because they don’t think jobs are available to them and thus have given up looking for work. … More:  The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : 36000 Jobs Lost in February … ... other posts by admin Tags: 1-2-million, are-available, looking-for, rate-because, recession, report-also, sound-recordings, there-were, thus-have, total-output,…

bruce flitt| 3.5.10 @ 9:05PM

Agree

sherry| 3.5.10 @ 11:00PM

href="http://www.rsorder.com/rapid_gold.php">Runescape Gold ,

Oldefarte| 3.6.10 @ 11:49AM

No offense, but the economy is NOT turning any corner, and job/economic improvement will not be seen until/if the present Democrat administration and congress can be defeated and run from office. Their economic/financial policies of GOVERNMENTAL CONTROL will never improve or stop the economy from hemmoraging workers/jobs; since government funding does not CREATE JOBS [as does private industry. The government's funding of their so-called stimulus only preserved GOVERNMENT JOBS, which should have eliminated anyway. Government employment is rising/increasing, while the now 10% unemployment is solely representative of PRIVATE UNEMPLOYMENT/JOBS LOST. Taxpayers are in essense, paying/funding to have governmental workers keep their jobs, when in fact these jobs are unnecessary and should be eliminated to improve the economy. If/until government expenses are reduced substantially, government borrowing will crowd out/eliminate private industries from needed bank loans/borrowing; and the unemployment situation will not be reduced accordingly. Be prepared for extreme economic/financial hardships in this country until/if the present Democrats can be replaced by business/economic-oriented politicians whose goals will be to facilitate/improve the PRIVATE SECTOR, as opposed to the PUBLIC SECTOR!!!!!

Tech| 3.7.10 @ 1:16AM

At least there weren't more un-employed.

Vanessa| 3.9.10 @ 3:20PM

Julian Alssid from Workforce Strategy Center discusses the mixed signals we are getting about economic recovery http://tinyurl.com/yb95zf8

Pingback| 3.16.10 @ 5:43AM

Bank Of America Unemployment Insurance | Buy absinth | Insurance Finance Wisdom links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…Blogs on America Unemployment Is China's Politburo spoiling for a showdown with America? « The … South Korea's Unemployment Rate Rises to 4.8% | ROK Drop The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : 36000 Jobs Lost in February … Related Posts Unemployment Benefits or Unemployment Insurance in America … » Middleton: Md. unemployment insurance tax cuts unlikely The Effect of Unemployment…

Pingback| 3.26.10 @ 11:38AM

The Bonddad Blog: Forex Fridays | Watch Forex Videos - Biggest online collection of f links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…after a Breakout | GoldTradingCalls.com USD JPY Daily Outlook and Forecast | fxalhabib Spot Crude Oil Trading Higher Towards Near Term Resistance Line The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : 36,000 Jobs Lost in February; Unemployment Rate Remains at 9.7% Labs that take 48 hours to check drug-resistant TB by next year  | Hebei Xingang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Forex Signals – EUR/USD Bears Set…

forex signals| 4.19.11 @ 11:05AM

I agree!

How To Get Rid Of A Cold Fast| 8.16.11 @ 5:50AM

are there any updates on this? I would like to read more about this issue.

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