The American Spectator

home
ADVERTISEMENT
Print Email
Text Size

The Spectacle Blog

The economy lost 54,000 jobs in August and the unemployment rate creeped back up to 9.6 percent, but the numbers were better than expected and the job losses could be attributed to the expiration of temporary Census jobs, according to a report released this morning by the Department of Labor.

During the month, there were 114,000 jobs lost because of the Census, while the private sector added 67,000 jobs. According to a Reuters survey, economists were expecting overall employment dropping by 100,000 and private sector hiring up 41,000.

There were also 1.1 million discouraged workers who are not reflected in the unemployment rate because they have stopped looking for work, believing that no jobs are available to them.

While the numbers may have been better than expected, they still aren't great. Politically speaking, they won't do anything to change voter perceptions that the economy is weak and that the Democrats' spending measures have been a failure. Keep in mind, too, that there is only one more jobs report due out before the election, so Democrats are running out of opportunities to demonstrate sufficient progress.

View all comments (6) | Leave a comment

Booger| 9.3.10 @ 9:05AM

The unemployment rate went UP but numbers "were better than expected". Hope and change indeed. Didn't someone promise that the stimulus bill would cap unemployment at 8%? That being the case, shouldn't every single job lost over 8% be directly attributable to the person who made that promise?

Eric Cartman| 9.3.10 @ 9:15AM

Booger, you're just being dense. C'mon, get with it, man. When the unemployment numbers go up, it's better than expected. When the unemployment numbers go down, it's what was expected. If they stay the same, it's a sign the economy is picking up steam and has no where to go but up!

Look, put another way, 2 + 2 = 5. You seem to be in need of some re-education. Our representatives will be right over to get your mind right.

Big Java| 9.3.10 @ 9:37AM

Eric! 2+2=3.99!

Eric Cartman| 9.3.10 @ 9:41AM

No, no, no - that's not how to look at it. It's:

9.5 +.1 = 16.7. C' mon people! This is math!

Tim*| 9.3.10 @ 9:15AM

The U-6 Unemployment Rate Went Up From 16.5 Percent to 16.7 Percent .

Obama is an Economic Gravedigger .

The Tea Party Rebellion Escalates .

We Can See November From Our Houses .

Reaganite Republican| 9.3.10 @ 11:14AM

Remember when Dear Leader said “it could be worse”…?

Well now look- darned if he wasn’t right!

Leave a Comment

N.B. We encourage readers to share and discuss their thoughtful and relevant comments about this Spectator article. Comments are routinely monitored and will be deleted if profane, bigoted, or grossly impolite. Please be respectful. (And don't feed the trolls!) Thank you.

More Blog Posts by Philip Klein

http://spectator.org/blog/2010/09/03/aug-unemployment-rate-96-econo

ADVERTISEMENT

The Spectacle Blog

Meghan McCain Doesn't Get It

Jeffrey Lord | 1:36PM

The Paul Factor

W. James Antle, III | 1:29PM

Bain v. Solyndra

W. James Antle, III | 12:11PM

Illusionist

Yogi Love | 10:06AM

At Least He Apologized

Ross Kaminsky | 8:34AM

Gallup: Veterans Prefer Romney

W. James Antle, III | 5.28.12

SPONSORED LINKS

Special Feature

Better that we become a nation of choosers rather than beggars. Our symposium on choice from the May, 2012 issue:

A Time for Choosing

James Piereson

The Road from Serfdom

Stephen Moore and Peter Ferrara

FLASHBACK TO: 1984

Clip of the Day

Most Popular Articles

Meet the Flukes!

F. H. Buckley | 5.25.12

Terror by Any Other Name

Robert Stacy McCain | 5.29.12

The Wisconsin Turning Point

Peter Ferrara | 5.23.12

In Search of Muhammad

Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi | 5.25.12

The White House Sieve

Jed Babbin | 5.29.12

Age and Kyl

Quin Hillyer | 5.25.12

Osceola Who?

Reid Collins | 5.29.12

ADVERTISEMENT