by Daniel Nardini
There is something very wrong with how the U.S. government presents its employment figures these days. The U.S. government is claiming that unemployment has gone down to 5.9 percent, and that the economy is beginning to recover. Yet many people I have talked to say they cannot find jobs, and that many companies are simply not hiring. While there are many areas in this country where companies and the public sector (i.e. local, state and federal government agencies) are hiring people, the majority of this country does not seem any better off than it was at the beginning of the Great Recession. What gives? There are a number of problems why official employment statistics are misleading these days. First, they count people who are receiving unemployment compensation. This lasts usually a year. However, if they no longer receive unemployment compensation then they are no longer counted as unemployed. This does not mean they are employed, it just means that they are no longer counted.
Second, many people have stopped looking for work, and hence are not counted as unemployed either even though they are most certainly unemployed. Third, people who are working part-time are not counted as unemployed even though they are barely employed and barely making any money at all. Then there are those who “go back to school” because they cannot find work even though they are looking for work. This group go back to school basically to gain more training and/or a degree which they believe will give them a better chance at finding work. But even this is a trap. Many of these people will find that their efforts to find work will be no better than before. If anything, the true unemployment figure for this country is closer to 15 percent to 20 percent. Again, when the politicians do not count the people I have named above, it looks like the economic forecast is getting better even though so people I have talked to see the opposite.
But then we have to keep in mind that many politicians in our government have to try in one sense or another paint a rosy picture. They first of all want to keep their jobs, and second major elections for the year are coming up. What is sad is that many of our elected officials do not want to paint a realistic picture of how things are, and what they will do to deal with these problems. Contradicting public officials from the highest levels is something not done. But many people I have spoken to cannot believe what the government says. Statistics should reflect the reality that people can see in front of them, not something for politicians to hide behind numbers. Many people are fed up with lies through statistics, and they want jobs, better pay and full-time work. This is how many people will vote come November.
Behind the Employment Figures
by Daniel Nardini
There is something very wrong with how the U.S. government presents its employment figures these days. The U.S. government is claiming that unemployment has gone down to 5.9 percent, and that the economy is beginning to recover. Yet many people I have talked to say they cannot find jobs, and that many companies are simply not hiring. While there are many areas in this country where companies and the public sector (i.e. local, state and federal government agencies) are hiring people, the majority of this country does not seem any better off than it was at the beginning of the Great Recession. What gives? There are a number of problems why official employment statistics are misleading these days. First, they count people who are receiving unemployment compensation. This lasts usually a year. However, if they no longer receive unemployment compensation then they are no longer counted as unemployed. This does not mean they are employed, it just means that they are no longer counted.
Second, many people have stopped looking for work, and hence are not counted as unemployed either even though they are most certainly unemployed. Third, people who are working part-time are not counted as unemployed even though they are barely employed and barely making any money at all. Then there are those who “go back to school” because they cannot find work even though they are looking for work. This group go back to school basically to gain more training and/or a degree which they believe will give them a better chance at finding work. But even this is a trap. Many of these people will find that their efforts to find work will be no better than before. If anything, the true unemployment figure for this country is closer to 15 percent to 20 percent. Again, when the politicians do not count the people I have named above, it looks like the economic forecast is getting better even though so people I have talked to see the opposite.
But then we have to keep in mind that many politicians in our government have to try in one sense or another paint a rosy picture. They first of all want to keep their jobs, and second major elections for the year are coming up. What is sad is that many of our elected officials do not want to paint a realistic picture of how things are, and what they will do to deal with these problems. Contradicting public officials from the highest levels is something not done. But many people I have spoken to cannot believe what the government says. Statistics should reflect the reality that people can see in front of them, not something for politicians to hide behind numbers. Many people are fed up with lies through statistics, and they want jobs, better pay and full-time work. This is how many people will vote come November.