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News & ArtsTuesday, February 10, 2009
Economy / Insomnia Whee!
Posted by Jesse Vernon on Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 12:18 AM
If only it were a roller coaster.
(Click for doom.)
Image from Nancy Pelosi.
2
Palin 2012 obviously doesn't understand that employment is a lagging indicator, but one should expect that from a Sarah Palin supporter.
Nancy Pelosi, on the other hand, doesn't understand that the total number of jobs is dramatically different now over 2001 and 1992. (So there are more to lose, making the line for this recession look artificially steeper.) The unemployment rate, which is a better (although far from perfectly measured) way of looking at unemployment, is worse now than in 2001 but still marginally better than it was in the worst of the 1992 recession.
None of this is to discount the shitstorm we're in. The unemployment rate will get a lot worse in the coming months (and the number of "discouraged workers", who aren't included in the actual unemployment rate will grow as time goes on as well). My only gripe is that this chart makes things look worse now than they currently are. (But things are still really horrible and likely to get worse before they get better.)
Nancy Pelosi, on the other hand, doesn't understand that the total number of jobs is dramatically different now over 2001 and 1992. (So there are more to lose, making the line for this recession look artificially steeper.) The unemployment rate, which is a better (although far from perfectly measured) way of looking at unemployment, is worse now than in 2001 but still marginally better than it was in the worst of the 1992 recession.
None of this is to discount the shitstorm we're in. The unemployment rate will get a lot worse in the coming months (and the number of "discouraged workers", who aren't included in the actual unemployment rate will grow as time goes on as well). My only gripe is that this chart makes things look worse now than they currently are. (But things are still really horrible and likely to get worse before they get better.)
4
The point where the green line dives away from the others is the election.
Business, especially small business (that provides most jobs in the economy) know that Democrats and Obama have plans that will cost them big and they are battening down the hatches.
Government mandated employee benefits make labor too expensive and business responds by getting by with less.
We need fewer lawyers, community organizers and Ivy League eggheads and more actual business people (who have actually had to meet a payroll and who realize that in the real world you don't balance a budget by increasing what you charge your customers (taxes) but by making your operation more efficient) running government.
Business, especially small business (that provides most jobs in the economy) know that Democrats and Obama have plans that will cost them big and they are battening down the hatches.
Government mandated employee benefits make labor too expensive and business responds by getting by with less.
We need fewer lawyers, community organizers and Ivy League eggheads and more actual business people (who have actually had to meet a payroll and who realize that in the real world you don't balance a budget by increasing what you charge your customers (taxes) but by making your operation more efficient) running government.
5
@3
yep clicked on it. looks like you're right! proof that this recession so far is not nearly as bad as anything since 1952. the 80's-now, you know, big deal. since... thats all that was in pelosi's graph.
and fucking quit with the lolcats vocab, its not cute when you're not.
yep clicked on it. looks like you're right! proof that this recession so far is not nearly as bad as anything since 1952. the 80's-now, you know, big deal. since... thats all that was in pelosi's graph.
and fucking quit with the lolcats vocab, its not cute when you're not.
6
It's not meant to be proof of anything, it's just adjusted for the size of the workforce. If I told you that the US has lost a lot more jobs than Canada, you would not take that as good evidence that we have been harder hit. Likewise, the original graph is misleading because it shows our job losses in absolute numbers, which distorts the pattern.
In short: The point commenter #2 was making... let me show you it.
In short: The point commenter #2 was making... let me show you it.
10
@2 & @4: you're not fooling anyone. Republican attempts to whip themselves up into a frenzy because Obama hasn't, in three weeks, undone eight years of Bush fuckupism would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic. It's like dying of auto-erotic asphyxiation, which is a pretty good metaphor for you folks.
If, in a year and a half, the economy hasn't started to turn around, feel free to run with that in the elections. Until then, kindly STFU because you're looking like unpatriotic bastards who want America to fail so you can score points in your little right wing coffee klatches. Thanks.
If, in a year and a half, the economy hasn't started to turn around, feel free to run with that in the elections. Until then, kindly STFU because you're looking like unpatriotic bastards who want America to fail so you can score points in your little right wing coffee klatches. Thanks.
12
10
The country is at a critical juncture and decisions made now will make a big difference down the road.
While hoping for a total turnaround in a burst of light the moment Obama was sworn in (either time) like the Obama fanboys believed is unrealistic the rest of the nation may be forgiven for starting to see the word 'MALAISE' creep into the nation's consciousness as Obama putters around the Oval Office in a sweater.
Don't fret for us, however, we are cucumber cool.
We do hope the President is successful and the nation take a turn for the better.
If not, we will be around to offer alternatives to Obama/Carter in a couple of years.
The country is at a critical juncture and decisions made now will make a big difference down the road.
While hoping for a total turnaround in a burst of light the moment Obama was sworn in (either time) like the Obama fanboys believed is unrealistic the rest of the nation may be forgiven for starting to see the word 'MALAISE' creep into the nation's consciousness as Obama putters around the Oval Office in a sweater.
Don't fret for us, however, we are cucumber cool.
We do hope the President is successful and the nation take a turn for the better.
If not, we will be around to offer alternatives to Obama/Carter in a couple of years.
13
@10
Republicans would have to start flying airliners into skyscrapers to dethrone Democrats from the "Unpatriotic Bastard" title.
Seven years of ghoulishly savoring every American death in Iraq may come back to bite your ass, Karma is funny that way.
In the meantime why don't you get busy running the country like you've been whining to do for eight years and SHUT THE FUCK UP.
Republicans would have to start flying airliners into skyscrapers to dethrone Democrats from the "Unpatriotic Bastard" title.
Seven years of ghoulishly savoring every American death in Iraq may come back to bite your ass, Karma is funny that way.
In the meantime why don't you get busy running the country like you've been whining to do for eight years and SHUT THE FUCK UP.
14
Someone should write a program that allows one to graph in bacon. In the meantime:
http://bacolicio.us/http://samuelatgilga…
http://bacolicio.us/http://samuelatgilga…
18
How can you tell when a Republican is lying?
His lips are moving.
Eat shit and die, scum. How much did you rejoice when "not real" Americans died on 9/11? Your deflection fools no one.
Don't fret for us, however, we are cucumber cool.
We do hope the President is successful and the nation take a turn for the better.
How can you tell when a Republican is lying?
His lips are moving.
Seven years of ghoulishly savoring every American death in Iraq may come back to bite your ass, Karma is funny that way.
Eat shit and die, scum. How much did you rejoice when "not real" Americans died on 9/11? Your deflection fools no one.
19
@18, There is a good point although poorly stated. Those hoping for Bush's failure in Iraq are no different than those hoping Obama fails to wright the economy. And there is also a distinction of hope and belief. Many people believed Iraq would fail, but that doesn't mean they hoped for failure, and the same applies to Obama now.
23
@10: Incidentally, I'm not a Republican. I just care about good economic policy and intellectually honest graphs. And @17: Uhhhh, not so much (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/ed…).
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