(Private sector job losses and growth, as charted by Steve Benen at Washington Monthly)
Unemployment is quite stubbornly stuck at 9.6 percent, in the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Anyone who wants to say this is a really, really bad recession is right. Beyond that, the exact scenario is harder to figure. That's because layoffs from the U.S. Census, along with local governments cutting back, are skewing the picture. We're losing more jobs in government than we gaining in the private sector, and that's part of what's keeping unemployment where it is.
Now Steve Benen of the Washington Monthly has updated his famous bikini graph to show just the monthly gain or loss in private jobs. Our EP Bill Wolff suggest we rename it the thoroughbred graph -- like this.
With the economy still adding nowhere near enough of private-sector jobs to keep up, let alone make up for what we lost, and with so-called shadow unemployment at 17.1 percent, we're maybe not racing for greener pastures yet. But it sure feels better than it used to.
I don't know about you, but I do know people who are finding jobs, and I've gotten past the point where new people I know are getting laid off each week.
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Is it modeled after Lou Dobbs's thoroughbred?
Maybe...but as you know..he would just say, "No, not true..I have NEVER named this chart and know nothing about this chart, and have never been asked about this chart......on and on...LOL LOL LOL
Maybe, but if it was, he would just say, "No, I didn't do it, I know nothing about it and I NEVER said it....." LOL
More like a dolphin swimming into a 20 knot head current
Looks more like a flying goose (or other bird) now!
"Goose graph" certainly is a catchy term...
Bikini graph, with middle age spread starting!
That is a perfect description!
Unlike you, I know a number of people who hahve lost jobs in the pat 30 days and I know of no one who has found a job since mid-August. It feels to me as if the 2nd dip is coming (i.e. the horse has thrown a 2nd shoe).
Now it looks like a flying goose (or any other bird really)!
Forgive me if this is a double post - I am a newbie.
"But it sure feels better than it used to.
I don't know about you, but I do know people who are finding jobs, and I've gotten past the point where new people I know are getting laid off each week."
Unlike you I know a number of people who have lost jobs in the past 30 days and I know of no one who has found a job since mid August. Feels more like the 2nd dip is coming and the horse has thrown another shoe.
Rachel -- wonderful show, never miss it! I use to be a Republican -- no more. I use to lobby for 2 Fortune 200's -- No more. If the American people only knew about the Republicans -- there would be a vote for many of them. I use to walk the halls of Congress with a former Repl Admin Cabinet Member who had left Administration to become Chairman & CEO of Fortune 200. I lobbied for over 20 years. No Repl. lobbyist is going to speak the truth about how Repls operate. If Main Street Americans thinks most of the Repl care about them -- they defy the right to vote! They are all about Corporations and the Corporate PACs are all high % contribution to Republicans. The unemployment % reminds high because Corporations want it to so that Repl can take control of House/Senate and kill any regulation possible. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable are fronts for Corporations. I was on subcommittees of both. I went to the same political receptions as Newt G., Boehner (quickly investigate -- everyone knows he has serious drinking problem -- hear his speech today can tell -- cannot get through full sentences 10.08.2010,) and others. Ex: I was in Business Roundtable Subc on Health meeting when Hillary Clinton Healthcare debate underway -- a Roundtable leader came into meeting and announced: "The Senate Repl Leader called to say 'we better write the health care bill we can accept and send to him immediately -- health care reform might move.'" Donohue as you know used to be head of truckers assoc and he had a large room in bdg down from Rayburn where nightly during week Repl fundraisers were held. Did Repls pay for that room -- do not think so. Small business has always been the Repl front for what they want to achieve -- I used to use it. Corporate PAC meetings are all about contributing to Repls -- and what a high %! I was there, I know. Repl Senate leadership always had corporate lobbyists in a Senate chamber meeting during week prior to Senate opening to meet on legislation and corporate agenda. More.
Judy durand
Thanks for chiming in. What state do you live in?
I have to say this is the thing that needs our attention.
Unemployment will remain high until the Congress (held HOSTAGE by lobbyists and their agents in Congress) It is pretty clear to me mainly Rs with a few Ds that know the MONEY they need to be elected is held by wealthy and now corporations can donate whatever they want.
It is FOLLY to think government should be run by business people! Government is not for making profit, but for overall balance with prosperity. Government needs to regulate business, not allow it to do ANYTHING IT WANTS for profit. That's not ANTI BUSINESS, just want to get economy back with people buying again. They need jobs and good wages to keep up with rising costs (much of it is due to profit taking). People do not spend when they do not have money, crunch time credit card debt clamping down. More hands in the profit jar, taking, more ads for prescription drugs-who pays for those ads? We do, Medicare does.
The figures are here from BLS/CPI: (the graph particular dates in text format)
THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION: NOVEMBER 2000
Payroll employment increased by 94,000 in November, and the unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 4.0 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Employment rose by 148,000 In the private sector, with gains in the service-producing industries.Employment was little changed in the goods-producing industries and declined in government. Average hourly earnings increased by 6 cents.
THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION: NOVEMBER 2008
Nonfarm payroll employment fell sharply (-533,000) in November, and the unemployment rate rose from 6.5 to 6.7 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. November's drop in payroll employment followed declines of 403,000 in September and 320,000 in October, as revised. Job losses were large and widespread across the major industry sectors in November.
THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION -- SEPTEMBER 2010
Nonfarm payroll employment edged down (-95,000) in September, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 9.6 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Government employment declined (-159,000), reflecting both a drop in the number of temporary jobs for Census 2010 and job losses in local government. Private-sector payroll employment continued to trend up modestly (+64,000)...........
.......... I think there is a general consensus in corporate/lobbyist world that economic prosperity must be held down, so the angry voters will vote IN those that are responsible for allowing mergers, tax evasion and outsourcing U.S. jobs!
Wake up, the tea party is not really grass roots, but "they" tapped into anger and point the finger at Obama/Dems. They keep blocking those bills using NON DEMOCRATIC tactics. 50% plus one is a majority, not 60%, not 66%!
The Bush tax cuts did NOT create U.S. jobs, see above. The contrary, their deregulating made outsourcing/downsizing a regular growing trend. Wall St rewarded the cutting of U.S. jobs and gave big bonuses to CEOs. Hello? Regulation? No wonder they do not want regulation, they are raking in tax free money!
Look at Akron Ohio. Goodyear moved to a "cheaper" off shore place, now they want to move it again to even cheaper off shore place. Hershey, PA has moved factory to Mexico. On and on it goes.
Now we have free for all corporate donations that come from where? We had BETTER get a bit more serious about our voting, not just being angry at Obama and Pelosi. My future is at stake OUR future looks less rosy with Rs in power, they are doing damage without majority. WHY do they think tax cuts for above 250K income will spur economy, when they are in effect now?
People say they care about deficit and debt, and want to keep the tax cuts for the wealthy.
$250K annual income is wealthy in my book. Make taxes fair, middle income cannot carry everyone, especially not the wealthy.
They really just want to cut Social Security and Medicare, not just Welfare. Angle gets it mixed up, Social Security s NOT Welfare. They blow smoke about "raiding the fund", but they just don't like paying the FICA and when they say smaller government, they mean cut SS, Medicare, Education and keep privatizing military. WHAT? That costs MORE than regular military to pay "for profit" contractors!
I know Obama wanted to and promised a change in D.C., but when he reached out, got a vicious bite on the hand, We tried to be nice, now let's hope the Dems get it, the Rs are not going to cooperate, just a couple of them. I do not say the Dems are perfect, but the best we can do when reality sets in.
Here is why people are angry. Unemployment went up under Bush, went into overdrive with 2008 blowback (not economic bubble, more like a dam burst). Taxation is not fair, that is true. Be angry about the unfair taxation, but why fight for those that have so much to keep it, then say I worry about the debt or deficit?
Why do people forget the lead up to all this? There are times when I like to look to past, what happened to bring us here? Have we already tried something that did not work so well? The deregulation, the mergers with multinational corps, the headquarters and factories moving out of U.S. The Wall St. schemes and yes, TARP began in 2008, before Obama was sworn in. No, I do not like bail outs, either. That is why I prefer some things to have no profit margin with government guarantees. If someone wants to be a bank, let them gamble with their own money, not ours.
Now we have corporate money flooding in to BUY into our government to allow more deregulation, to pollute at will, outsource jobs, go around our labor laws. We have candidates BUYING their way into our government.
Why do more people not worry about that, when they talk of U.S. sovereignty?
If we were wise, we would as voters, look for from where the money comes. Recoil at the idea of people buying their way into office. Whether it be candidates or ballot measures. In CA, we have some corporate sponsored measures and candidates.
You probably made this up just like you put all of Art Robinson's own words in his mouth in order to "trash" him :)
What a douche.
Too bad anyone who listens to Beck , Boehner, or douche bags like Art Robinson totally brainwashed into believing charts that demonstrate our President is making progress in our country are completely contrived.
The Bush Canyon, Republicans got us IN, Democrats got us OUT!!
"the republicans will outright deny it" graph
Looks like the anti-depressant graph to me. It get's better!
Looks more like a floating hippo to me... and that's a pretty decent analogy for the speed with which the economy is improving -- frustratingly slow.
Slow but really, in only 2 years, amazing.. we have such short memories! How bad was it.. how bad did it seem, and NOW MUCH BETTER. Lets be mature and give the people who are working very hard some room and time to do this!
Can we get an AMEN?! Let's all grow up and stop expecting instant gratification. The President cannot turn the 'ship of State' on a dime. Before the election, Keith, Rachel and others used to talk about how much time it would take to 'unwind' the Bush policies -- and that was BEFORE the economy tanked! Remember: 2 wars, economy in the ditch because a surplus was turned into a record deficit, Big Oil and Big Business raping our environment and looting our retirement accounts...do I have to go on? We have a choice in November. Do we want to go back into the horrors of the past?
forget the w i think obama just gave us the first half of the bikini top.
Nessie.
I think it looks like a dead man floating. And I think it makes sense to call it a Dead Man Floating graph.
climbing out of the ditch..... going forward..... hope!
H.O.P.E.= Healing Our Personal Experiences
Why does the Administration, or any Democrat for that fact, not show this graph to the mainstream media? Not that they would agree to show it, but it definitely shows where we were, and where we are. Not where we all want to be, but certainly on the right path. No one wants to talk about it..
With the corporate media out numbering progressive media outlets 10 to 1, how do we get our message out?
Write letters to the editor of your local newspapers, attend rallies-with a copy of the graph on a poster (that's what I'm going to do for the local Rally to Restore Sanity since I can't make it to DC, print out copies of the graph and...... tape it to store windows, email/snail mail to friends, put it in your car window, leave copies of it... in MD offices, at your work place. You get the idea. Use your imagination to spread the word. Never give up. Yes, we can!
In checking back over the decades for unemployment percentages here in Michigan, this recession isn't that much worse than other years. That said, we've pulled out of those low figures because the rest of the country wasn't in the same pot of boiling oil as Michigan. Still, things are recovering and, like the ecology after an oil spill, it will take time to come back. To expect things to be great right now! is unrealistic and to undermine the recovery with false information regarding it is irresponsible and, in a way, treasonous.
I'd like to get past all the lies, the intentional skewing of facts and be given the facts, ma'am, just the facts. I don't want it sugarcoated and I don't want it twisted to fit this or that persons agenda. So even this graph I look at as suspect but the above-the-line bars are reminiscent of Lumia, art created by light.
A Lumia graph sounds pretty cool or, the bars do resemble flourishing fingers over piano keys so possibly a Key graph.
Kinda looks the 'incomplete crooked bowtie graph' to me
Sorry for the cynicism folks, but it's hard to look on the bright side when you haven't had a permanent job for two years.
Bikini +ED recovery. If that doesn't get attention, I do like Nessie.
UnDuLaTiOn.... We saw where it was during Bush's last year and we see where it is after less than two years of Obama. Wanna see it UnDuLaTe back into the Bush pattern? Go ahead - elect a bunch of Republicans and Conservatives, that's what we'll get.
Why don't we just make it easy, and call it "Proof the Republicans CAN'T STOP LYING!!!"
Looks like a dog swimming to me. The "bikini" part is his legs paddling below the surface with his had now above water.
I am one of the many faces of unemployment / under-employment in the United States today. I was laid off from a very good job in November of 2008, I have been working in Data Processing / Information Technology for 23 years. I am also 52 years old and have noticed in my interviews and contacts with potential employers that, while they cannot discriminate in any way, shape or form – this is indeed happening. I am the normal 45 – 60 year old long term unemployed person. I have been fortunate enough to be able to do some consulting as well as some side work from places that cannot afford a full time technology person, but this is nowhere near enough to pay the bills. My wife has been out of work since June of 2009 – she worked in the Methodist Church and she is also 52 years old. I am grateful for family that have helped us financially and supported our circumstance, but this also cannot go on forever.
I send out resumes, network with others and check out job opportunities for about two hours every day. I go to school, towards certifications that will hopefully get me some work over the next year, I am very active in 12 step recovery as well as church – so I am not laying around, sitting on the couch and enjoying my “vacation.” I am not a lazy person. I work out every day and am in good health and good mind – I would be a positive, productive employee to any business. I have applied to jobs that are in my field of expertise as well as jobs with Target, Home Depot, Costco and various other companies. I do not need prestige or glamour – I just need a job.
I am a snapshot of the typical unemployed / under-employed person in the United States today – I do not want a handout, I need help – adding a tier 5 extension would give me 5 months (20 weeks) – of the ability to focus on getting back to the workforce. This would not be a continuation of my “vacation.” I have appreciated the passion on MSNBC to assist the 99ers as well as the people of America who have, through no fault of their own, been going through the same and similar circumstance(s). What am I to do? I do know that if the GOP gets a majority in Congress, that I am one of the last people on the minds of those who govern. I want the President and all political leaders to tell the truth and if there is any way that I can assist / volunteer towards attack on the truth of the unemployed, jobs and the economic future for those like me, I am willing and able. I will vote on November Second and I will pray that the leaders that are voted into various positions will be advocates, not advisories for me and people like me.
I am one of the many faces of unemployment / under-employment in the United States today. I was laid off from a very good job in November of 2008, I have been working in Data Processing / Information Technology for 23 years. I am also 52 years old and have noticed in my interviews and contacts with potential employers that, while they cannot discriminate in any way, shape or form – this is indeed happening. I am the normal 45 – 60 year old long term unemployed person. I have been fortunate enough to be able to do some consulting as well as some side work from places that cannot afford a full time technology person, but this is nowhere near enough to pay the bills. My wife has been out of work since June of 2009 – she worked in the Methodist Church and she is also 52 years old. I am grateful for family that have helped us financially and supported our circumstance, but this also cannot go on forever.
I send out resumes, network with others and check out job opportunities for about two hours every day. I go to school, towards certifications that will hopefully get me some work over the next year, I am very active in 12 step recovery as well as church – so I am not laying around, sitting on the couch and enjoying my “vacation.” I am not a lazy person. I work out every day and am in good health and good mind – I would be a positive, productive employee to any business. I have applied to jobs that are in my field of expertise as well as jobs with Target, Home Depot, Costco and various other companies. I do not need prestige or glamour – I just need a job.
I am a snapshot of the typical unemployed / under-employed person in the United States today – I do not want a handout, I need help – adding a tier 5 extension would give me 5 months (20 weeks) – of the ability to focus on getting back to the workforce. This would not be a continuation of my “vacation.” I have appreciated the passion on MSNBC to assist the 99ers as well as the people of America who have, through no fault of their own, been going through the same and similar circumstance(s). What am I to do? I do know that if the GOP gets a majority in Congress, that I am one of the last people on the minds of those who govern. I want the President and all political leaders to tell the truth and if there is any way that I can assist / volunteer towards attack on the truth of the unemployed, jobs and the economic future for those like me, I am willing and able. I will vote on November Second and I will pray that the leaders that are voted into various positions will be advocates, not advisories for me and people like me.