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This Chart on Labor Force ‘Growth’ Will Shock You

Oct. 15, 2012 6:45pm Becket Adams

The Senate Budget Committee Republican staff under Ranking Member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) on Monday released the following chart illustrating that, since January 2009, for every one person added to the labor force, 10 have been added to those not in the labor force:

As the chart clearly indicates, since taking office in January 2009, the labor force under President Barack Obama has grown by a mere 827,000 while 8,208,000 have been added to the “not in the labor force” category.

“The numbers represented in the chart are a measure of growth from January 2009 through September 2012,” the senator’s office explains. “The data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Population Survey, a sample of 60,000 households conducted by personal and telephone interviews. Basic labor force data are gathered monthly.”

“The labor force consists of all people aged 16 and over either employed or actively seeking work. It does not include discouraged workers, people who have retired, or those on welfare or disability who are no longer looking for work. The ‘not in the labor force’ group is defined as the total civilian non-institutional population minus the labor force,” they add.

And as the Alabama senator himself stresses, this chart isn’t meant to set one party against another — it’s to make the American people aware that our country as a whole is “on the wrong track” and that we have serious economic issues that need addressing.

“The essential point of this chart is not simply how many people are employed or unemployed, but to illustrate that more and more people are simply not part of the U.S. labor force. This confirms that we are on the wrong track. It is unsustainable to have such a large and growing number of people who are not part of the productive economy,” explains Sen. Sessions, according the Weekly Standard.

“This is not a political argument, but a description of the underlying instability in our economy that has so many Americans worried about the future. The question is what can we do to reverse these trends and start moving in the right direction,” he adds.

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This story has been updated.

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Comments (71)

Rowgue
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 8:21pm
There is no question we’re on the wrong track, but the “not in the labor force” numbers are misleading. That number includes babies and children and elderly and tons of other people that would never realistically be considered part of the labor force.

A more meaningful number would be the number of people that actually should be part of the labor force but aren’t. Or a chart showing the number of people in the workforce in comparison to the number of people that are dependant upon that workforce for their pensions/social security/etc.

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- The-Monk
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 8:28pm
  “That depends upon what your definition of “labor force” is……”
  
  Bill Clinton
  
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- Gold Coin & Economic News
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 8:48pm
  I hope Romney uses stats like this to hammer Obama tomorrow night in the debate:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPxzQo2MRb8
  
  Report this comment
- Oneirishman
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 8:51pm
  Alright Monk!
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 9:33pm
  Oneirishman,
  
  ” > )
  
  Report this comment
- BWH
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:05pm
  Rowgue, you need to go to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and look at the labor force participation rate. That number s currently about 63%. In 2004 it was 66%. At the current 155 million labor force, that 3% represents 4.65 million people not in the labor force versus what it would be if the participation rate was the same as in the last year of the Bush 43 term. Maybe that gives you something to think about.
  
  Report this comment
- intrepidorator
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 3:14am
  No, the not in labor force number only include people of working age.
  
  Report this comment
- yougottabekidding
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 5:56am
  FORWARD = 180 degree turn then go with determination
  
  This seems kinda simple to me!
  So this is even low it reads does not include discouraged workers
  
  The labor force consists of all people aged 16 and over either employed or actively seeking work. It does not include discouraged workers, people who have retired, or those on welfare or disability who are no longer looking for work. The ‘not in the labor force’ group is defined as the total civilian non-institutional population minus the labor force,” they add.
  
  Report this comment
- poorrichard09
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:22am
  Reminds me of when Spain went with a “green” economy: for every green job created, two real jobs were lost. No wonder they’re in trouble.
  
  Report this comment
- Valezka.Vidra
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 12:31pm
  ROWGUE:
  
  This is what you said:
  
  “…the “not in the labor force” numbers are misleading. That number includes babies and children and elderly and tons of other people that would never realistically be considered part of the labor force.”
  
  This is the definition– as quoted from this very article– of the not-in-the-labor-force population: “…the total civilian non-institutional population minus the labor force…”
  
  The key term here is civilian noninstitutional population. This is its definition, according to businessdictionary.com:
  
  “People who live in the United States, are older than 16, and who are not in a institution (criminal, mental, or other types of facilities) or an active duty military personnel. This population figure is used in many statistics, including the civilian unemployment rate.”
  
  I really don’t **think** babies were included in the chart above.
  
  Report this comment
- Patti-Momma-Ewok
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:01pm
  Five million people have left the workforce since January 2010.
  
  Report this comment
phrogdriver
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:58pm
I’ve been watching how these numbers have been manipulated by the gov’t. They do the same with the inflation numbers. It makes me wonder – with all the stats coming out of the gov’t, how many can we really trust? I heard the other day foreclosures were at a 5 year low. I don’t believe it. Frankly, I don’t believe much of anything I’m told any more unless I can confirm it myself.

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- Fear The Voices
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 8:08pm
  No doubt. Nothing presented by the regime is trustworty. Even the numbers used for determining the efficiency of these hybrid cars they want us to buy have been altered under this regime. One of the automotive sites looked into this some time ago. They stated that the formula the Clinton administration devised was the most accurate, so 0bamao changed it to make them look even better.
  
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- phrogdriver
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 8:40pm
  fear, it isn’t just this regime. Consider GDP. It now includes gov’t spending. (It has for quite a while, but not always..) So now if you cut gov’t spending, you cut the GDP. If it weren’t for the increases in gov’t spending, we would be in recession right now. If Romney actually cuts spending, it’s instant recession. It’s a lose/lose on paper, even if the reality is exactly the opposite. Propaganda is built into the system.
  
  Report this comment
- drs1969
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:45pm
  They’ve managed the foreclosure fraud by bailing the banks out w/ the FED puming them full of ‘funny money’ istead of foreclosing and driving the market further down. Some folks are squatting for a couple of years.
  They manage employment numbers by not counting anyone after a certain time or by putting them on SSI. There has been over 3.5 million put on SSI in the last 4 years. I’ve known several who have gotten on it in the last 10. Around here the road fills up on the 1st of the month!
  
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- Detah
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 11:12pm
  “So now if you cut gov’t spending, you cut the GDP. If it weren’t for the increases in gov’t spending, we would be in recession right now.”
  @Phrogdriver. No. That is not accurate. It is true that C+I+G+NX=GDP. But if you lower G, that means that current and/or future taxes are reduced. That means that people get to keep more of their earned money. That means that C and I will increase. And that C+I is greater than the decline in G. Do you get more benefit out of $1 that you spend or out of $1 that the government spends for you? That is why C+I is greater. This analysis can be shown more clearly using two periods representing current spending and taxes and future spending and taxes, but I assure you, the analysis is the same.
  
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- phrogdriver
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 7:03am
  @detah – that would be true if gov’t spending were real money. It isn’t. Certainly money otherwise taken out of the economy would stay there with a tax cut, vbut if spending continues to automatically increase (as it does) that spending is counted as GDP. Gov’t spending increases at 2 – 3% (or more) per year. That is a 1 for 1 reflection as an increase in GDP. Just a freeze in spending would reflect a decrease of 2-3% of GDP, which would be reflected as a recession, even though there would be no real change in the economy. The economic response would certainly be positive, but there would be a lag time during which you would hear the words “Romney Recession” incessantly droned over the airwaves.
  
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sgtstubbs
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:50pm
It will not make any diff, who get elected in the Senate or Pres,. No one has the guts to do what needs to do. Cut the gov
Departments like the Dept, of Education and others.Freeze the employing of gov workers. Cut SS payments by not allowing the Cola for several years. Allow the States to handle the Local problems. Stop the silly Grants they have given to the Teachers in college to study the fleas that dogs get.

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Mudd
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:43pm
It is unsustainable to have such a large and growing number of people who are not part of the productive community.

The key word here is productive. We are no longer a very productive country, we produce virtually nothing compared to the “good old days” when we were encouraged to buy American. To buy American today would mean no one would buy anything beyond automobiles and a few high end luxery items. What we have now is a large and growing number or people who are not part of the service community and the bottom line is that a service based economy can’t lead to prosperity. I give you fifty bucks to mow my lawn and the landscaper gives that fifty bucks to someone for taking care of his kids, who gives that fifty bucks to someone to wash his windows who gives that fifty bucks to someone to cut his grass. As long as we sit on our resources and don’t produce more of the necessities and junk that people need in their daily lives we’ll continue down this same dead end, service based path we’ve been on since the late 1970′s, passing the same piece of old currency back and forth.
I’m sure Mitt will encourage job growth, unfortunately it’s going to be a lot of low pay, dead end, service related jobs which are more of a threat to our economy than anything or anyone else.

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- chicago76
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 8:09pm
  Well said. Service jobs create nothing. To create wealth a country has to produce goods. There is no other way around it. Otherwise it is printing money and passing it around.
  
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- AxelPhantom
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 8:26pm
  There are some “service” jobs that produce something indirectly like Nurses, IT professionals and such as they are “services” that you could not perform yourself without education and make the jobs of those who “produce” tangible goods possible.
  
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- drs1969
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:49pm
  Out-sourcing is sucking the US dry, just like Ross Perot predicted. Healthcare jobs will only last as long as Medicare.
  
  Report this comment
- Detah
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 11:28pm
  I have no idea what you are talking about. It makes no difference to the tailor whether he sells you a new suit or tailors your old one. And yes that same “$50″ that you pay him, will be exchanged for even more goods or services to a third and fourth and fifth person. Goods are no different than services in determining the size of an economy or in making an economy expand. The size of an economy is determined by specialization and your ability to exchange your labor for something that you want. If you have crafted a completely new economic paradigm where $1 of goods is somehow superior to $1 of services, please enlighten me. No. You should just go straight to publishing it.
  
  Report this comment
psadie
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:35pm
NOTHING will change until Obama is voted out of office. Companies are sitting on cash, cutting workforce and benefits, making do with what they have because the future is unclear. If Romney is elected the fog will clear with the goals of a businessman who can relate to the free market society. It is a waiting game for EVERYONE. I for one do not believe that nothing can be done immediately. It can be done by neutering the EPA, getting behind all energy sources that are viable, giving confidence to the market. That in itself will lift the nation into great relief and you will see us soar. Put GOD back in the picture and rely on him for everything. WE will be all right.

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Buddynoel
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:32pm
Here’s the answer – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adz1aWRsDw8

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possom
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:32pm
The next chart should include people losing work and medical insurance because of obamacare!

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JohnQTaxpayer
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:29pm
Obama could hold a press conference sacrifice a goat drink it’s blood on public TV
and because they believe he gave them an “Obama-phone” and promises to tax the rich.

They would still vote for him

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- BIGWUN
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:39pm
  Keep in mind that these leftists are people are very lazy…all talk. Many simply will not vote so we mainly need to deal with how votes are counted.
  
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- shogun459
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:40pm
  30% of the country is trying to crash the capitalist system for the same reasons Obama is, Their Marxists and wish to rule the rest of us.
  
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Claudius
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:29pm
I looked at the graph and thought French flag. Socialism hasn’t helped the French and it hasn’t help us.

2012 Romney/Ryan

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taxpro4u03
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:28pm
Here’s the ‘Gary Johnson, Ron Paul’ from back in the day — while he makes PERFECT sense — we know the ‘rest is history…’ Where’d the ‘jobs’ go and WHY? —->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAHM9rXjdUo

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Gary_K
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:20pm
That chart is not shocking to anybody who has his/her eyes open and paying attention.

Huge recovery indeed….moochelle, the country will not recover until you and barry are out of DC for good. Jan 2013 cannot get here soon enough.

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Dougral Supports Israel
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:15pm
From each according to their ability, to each Obama supporter according to what they wish to take.

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- PilgrimStuckInBizarroWorld
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:31pm
  You made me spit coffee out my nose! LOL
  
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Just_Bubba
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:14pm
It amazes me that no one will push the numbers and show how the metrics have changed. There needs to ba a single ad made that simply shows the old way of calculating these numbers vs their “new” methodology. Inflation and unemployment are both calculated differntly now than they have been in the past and it’s just another pack of lies for them to exploit.

People need to wake up and see the lies these lib tard regressive back stabbers are foisting upon us. It’s simple math; there has been NO recovery and there never will be with this idiot fool in the WH. PERIOD!!!

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progressiveslayer
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:12pm
Barry we salute you! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW-i1LTDxR0

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For my Liberty!
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:10pm
“The question is what can we do to reverse these trends and start moving in the right direction,”

EASY ANSWER–GET RID OF OVOMIT and his CROOKED ADMIN! TRY the ALL for TREASON, then HANG THEM!

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- TheDarkOne
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:48pm
  Hang them?
  
  I like the sound of that… I’ll get the rope ready, just show me where to put it.
  
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honor007
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:09pm
This makes me want to vomit.

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Salamander
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:06pm
Gosh, for every ‘calorie’ left out of the school lunch program, there are probably 100 calories consumed on the black market to make up for the nutritional deficiencies!

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- Two Sheds
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:27pm
  :D Spot on! Amazing these liberal money grubbers like Pelosi don’t understand simple economics.
  
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flatbroke
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:04pm
If this is all the Dems have to run is this AH, they have really gone down hill fast, i predict in 2016 they will have no one to run, b/c if their best is BO, their best sucks.

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Salamander
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:03pm
‘New Math’! A product of our education system!

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Fatheroftwo
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:03pm
I think there should be a third column that shows the number of people added to the Government hand out list!! Now that would be a REAL telling chart!!!!

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- PIGSWILLNEVERFLY
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:08pm
  Yes, and another bar graph that show how many new government jobs have been added.
  
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Stryker
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:01pm
It is clear the government and media needs to routinely report all the labor statistics, not just the ones that make things look good. If you have all the information it’s easy for the people to make a wise informed decision.

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- phillycornerboy
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:14pm
  “a wise informed decision.” exactly why they skew the numbers. if you were “informed” you would see the crimes and treaons they are committing. what will YOU DO about it is the important question. well?
  
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progressiveslayer
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:00pm
That chart is Barrys wet dream and will lead to his Marxist utopia,the end of America as we know it.
Barry who will pay for all the parasites you’ve created? You’re destroying the economy by design so who will pay for all your slackers?

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- skippy6
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:07pm
  Who will pay for it??? The people who have jobs will be taxed so much they will just give up..That is what is down the road!!!!Yep…. Hope and change!!!
  
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- Stelex
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:21pm
  Endgame is the destruction of the constitution, by taking down America and our pesky little constitution the door is open for the NWO. We the people…..at least the patriotic people…. ain’t taking it lying down. I don’t see much of an option to civil war either way. America has a very bad infection, multiple varieties as a matter of fact. How do you eradicate an infection? You know the answer. McCarthy tried, came close but it came back. I’m very familiar with infections…..you can’t leave so much as one microbe or it comes back. If America is a person, its got the flesh eating disease, with a brain eating amoeba with a touch of Ebola. Thats our status………
  
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- PIGSWILLNEVERFLY
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:28pm
  This is ALL due to 0′s contribution to the mortgage market meltdown. He was one of the chief Acorn people in Chicago demanding the banks make sub-prime loans to the unqualified. Then 0bamacare. then massive new regulations on business, scaring the daylights out of every company except his chosen few. Suing Boeing, Suing States….a nightmare on steroids. I though Clinton was the worst thing that happened to our Constitution but then there was Bush and now this is evil beyond words the whole lot of them. ROMNEY.RYAN 2012
  
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smokeysmoke
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 6:56pm
that is how you get the unemployement rate down…

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AvengerK
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 6:52pm
But Michelle Obama said Barack’s made huge gains in the economy….perhaps she was right, he’s made huge gains in more Americans not working.

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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 6:50pm
I wish Romney would bring this up in the next debate.

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- Ducky 1
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 7:40pm
  I think there were lots of prayers answered at the last one so lets pray again on this one.
  
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