Recovery?

[TheMercenary]

Lets look at the U3 numbers under Bush and then under Obama and see if there is a difference.

U3:

http://portalseven.com/employment/unemployment_rate.jsp

U6:

http://portalseven.com/employment/un...00&toYear=2012

Wow! huge difference. Either way all up under Obama. So what's your point?

The fact is that Bush never needed to talk about the U3 or the U6. The fact is that BECAUSE unemployment is up under Obama he needs to talk about the lower value. It has nothing to do with BUSH (again). This is about Obama and the unemployment rate under the time Obama was in office. Bush was not running around spouting off about how low unemployment was with the lower value because he never had to do it. It was not a problem for him at the time. This whole issue about Bush and the U3 vs the U6 is a complete and total Straw man argument just like dragging DOMA and same sex union is a Straw man. You both lose again.

[Ibby]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

The fact is that Bush never needed to talk about the U3 or the U6. The fact is that BECAUSE unemployment is up under Obama he needs to talk about the lower value. It has nothing to do with BUSH (again). This is about Obama and the unemployment rate under the time Obama was in office. Bush was not running around spouting off about how low unemployment was with the lower value because he never had to do it. It was not a problem for him at the time. This whole issue about Bush and the U3 vs the U6 is a complete and total Straw man argument just like dragging DOMA and same sex union is a Straw man. You both lose again.

THIS, merc, is a straw man. Of course unemployment is up - a lot of jobs were lost before Obama took office, a lot were lost after. Maybe it IS legitimate to blame Obama for the current state of the economy. But THAT IS NOT WHAT YOU SAID. Your argument, or at least your link's argument, is that Obama is actively manipulating the numbers, in a way that is dishonest and, more importantly, specific to his administration to make the situation look better than it is.
That. Is. Flat. Out. False. Obama is using the same (sorta-doctored-overly-rosy) data that has ALWAYS been the "standard" number used to define unemployment rates.

Find me ANY case of ANY president citing ANY unemployment statistic that isn't the U3. ONE SINGLE CASE of ANY sitting president citing anything but the U3 as the "unemployment number". Your argument (as i understand it based on your link) is that using the U3 the way the U3 has always been calculated is not only unfair and inaccurate but something Obama did to skew the numbers in his favor. You have not proven that is something Obama did in opposition to standard Presidential procedure.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Ibram

Of course unemployment is up - a lot of jobs were lost before Obama took office, a lot were lost after.

We know this recession is directly traceable to fiscal mismanagement openly endorsed during George Jr's watch. We know the same mismanagement in the 1920s to enrich the rich resulted in a stock market crash in 1929 and massive job losses four years later - 1933.

We know the same type mismanagement and time scale resulted in massive job losses that also take years to recover. The problems in 1929 and 2008 are similar. History says these problems will take almost ten years to resolve.

We also know that other mismanagement (ie housing, Mission Accomplished) are being paid for today with unemployment and lower living standards - as economics takes the well deserved and predicted revenge. We also know another rock has yet to fall - pension funds. During the previous decade, companies such as GM intentionally shorted their pension funds to use that money as profits. Because GM was selling products that cost more to build than the selling price. When does the pension fund debacle hit? Even GM declares a record profit while ignoring their record pension fund deficits. We have yet to get through the housing fiasco. Are just beginning to pay for a lie called Mission Accomplished. And have yet to start paying for another fiasco created by the American 2003 surrender in Afghanistan.

Also pending may be expenses since two countries need nuclear weapons. Because a mental midget defined an Axis of Evil. Another legacy.

Despite all this, the economy continues to grow. Even American international relations are finally on an upswing. Rather amazing - unless you happened to be the fewer who are doing most of the work. Then the word ‘tired’ might apply.