Business

Unemployment Drops On Non-Existent Job Growth

The January Jobs Report has shown a significant drop in the overall unemployment number as the government reports a move to 9.0% from 9.4% .  A nearly half-point drop in the jobs number will be seen by many as important, but behind that number is a startling statistic.  Job growth was significantly less than expected.  Dismally lower than expected.  Only 36,000 new jobs were created in January and that was 110,000 fewer than anticipated in earlier reports;

WASHINGTON (AP) — Economic growth is gaining momentum, with factories busy and service firms expanding, but one critical area still lags: job creation.

The Labor Department will issue its January jobs report Friday, and economists are forecasting that it will show only modest hiring. Employers are expected to add a net total of 146,000 new jobs. That’s barely enough to keep up with population growth. The unemployment rate is likely to tick up to 9.5 percent from 9.4 percent in December.

If you recall, December’s Jobs Report showed a drop to 9.4% unemployment on anemic job creation of 106,000 jobs.  That drop in unemployment was credited to a large group of people, over 240,000 of them, just giving up on the job search.

Job creation is going to take the spotlight as there are an average 5,000 job seekers in every county across the country, but 36,000 new jobs works out to fewer than 12 jobs added per county. The government tells us we need 240,000 jobs added each month to lower the unemployment number and yet last month the number dropped significantly, why only 36,000 new jobs were added. Are we to assume that several hundred thousand people have given up on finding work?

Aside from the obvious benefit all Americans will reap if and when the economy improves and more people are back to work,  the unemployment number looms to any politician hoping to be re-hired in the 2012 elections.  MSNBC‘s Chris Matthews appeared on Morning Joe today and made a bold statement about the unemployment number and the President’s future;

“He needs to get that number to 8, if he get to 8, he gets re-elected.”

Comments (137)

  • G man
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:36am

    I’ll tell ya why this is good and not good. First the good. Hummmm…9% collecting from the government -vs- 9.6%? Sorry thats all I’ve got on the good side of the ledger. OK, now the not so good. Only 25% of the job growth needed to keep up with those entering the job market on top of the 15% that have just said “Uncle”. Just remember the unemployment number equals those we are sending unemployment checks, not the actual unemployed figure. I’ll take a SWAG at the real unemployment number….17.8%.

    Report Post » G man  
  • Canyouhearus
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:36am

    People haven’t stopped looking for jobs…there are no jobs to look for! It’s all the fault of the businesses. Their buildings aren’t energy efficient. If they were, they could hire more employees… elpresidente said so yesterday! Shade of 1984!

    Report Post »  
  • chuck
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:32am

    LOL, I don’t care if unemployment goes to 0%, BHO needs to go in 2012!

    Report Post »  
    • 2gether
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 12:45pm

      Amen, Chuck! There is no job growth and Bernacki now says that we can expect that it will be YEARS before the job market responds. I imagine he is factoring in all the jobs now going offshore because the US is now close to being the country with the highest corporate tax rate in the WORLD. Our government is considering farming out a defense contract for weapons to China Seriously? Incandescent light bulbs can no longer LEGALLY, so they will be manfactuered in the US just other parts of the world. GE has solved that issue by moving the plant to China! GE’s corporate tax rate 3.5%…Target….I believe between 33% and 35%. My brother-in-law has been unemployed for 2 years there are no jobs and there will be no jobs. The government is well aware of this and they are now sucking those who feel they have no hope for anything else, into the web of deceit and lies. The feds cannot support the masses of people who are truly unemployed (along with all those undocumented illegal aliens the feds want to add to the system) because the people of this country cannot.
      Every day, the world gets hotter and hotter, the US spirals even faster into class warfare and our government overregulates this country’s jobmakers into oblivion as the large corporate companies suck up the profits and “LOANS” given to them from a wonderful government that continues to nail down the lid of the coffin for this nation of wonderful people. Be vigilent. Do not hide. The Lord calls all His people to stand firm. The citizens of this country are not the problem like the government and the uber left and right would have you believe. The government is the problem. The people did not send our troops to war, in fact we wanted our soldiers home to remain here on our borders. The citizens of this country didn’t make the deals with the dictators, the citizens are not the ones who took bribes from large corporate entities; we are not the ones who made deals to get around the regulations already in place to protect us. The politicians did. Why is it so hard for us to see where the blame needs to be put? We need to stop arguing about the petty bulls#$%t and focus our energy on the real problems. We all desire the same things in life. Peace, equal opportunities for a chance to succeed and less government intrusion in all of our lives. Get out of the way and let the small private sector companies do their thing.
      We cannot run from our own shadow, we have to turn and fight our demons before we end up falling on our own sword.

      Report Post »  
    • rfycom
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 1:58pm

      Balance is the word of the day.

      Report Post »  
  • Broadsword
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:30am

    I’m one of those no longer counted. I was laid off in May 2009, have applied to 165 jobs and had four interviews. I am testing for certification in a medical low-skill trade that will pay $10 an hour, half of my former salary as a researcher and minor newspaper journalist. Interestingly, I was due for a raise under our contract in a few months because I had been doing A-scale work for B-scale pay, but it was right before the stockholders meeting. Salaries are “overhead’ anymore. Now they have two part-time people doing what I did with no benefits.
    I can’t contribute much to the local economy, and if I didn‘t have a wife with a trade and a boarder I’d be living in my parents’ spare room.
    450,000 jobs lost each month, REAL unemployment around 16 percent, and they say there’s a “slowdown in the recovery.”
    Even Donald Trump is talking about an imminent economic collapse.

    Report Post »  
    • waitin42012
      Posted on February 5, 2011 at 1:16am

      I hear ya! I was layed off in June 2009 from a real estate industry job. The only thing worse than the job market in Arizona is the real estate market. I have never had a difficult time finding a job, until now. I have an excellent resume, I am 30 years away from retirement age and I got 1 phone call resulting in 1 interview in 1.5 years of searching for a job. In January I surprisingly received 3 phone calls from employers, 2 for part time and 1 for full time. The full time job was for a whopping $13.50/hr. which is less than what I made in 1993. Although, there seemed to be a few more jobs posted in January, most of the ads are bogus (fake jobs from recruiters trying to drum up clients for non existing jobs and scammers trying to get dumb people to fill out credit reports and steal their identities or make money from “free” credit report scams). Even with the jobs that are real, they are extremely low paying with no benefits, temporary or part time. I don’t believe for a second that the economy is improving in any way. Obama needs to go, can’t even stand hearing that voice or smug face any longer.

      Report Post »  
    • DonnaAngelStar
      Posted on February 5, 2011 at 3:23am

      Trump is right. We should have already collapsed and been on the road to recovery except for the Keynsian/Monearist policies that Obamanomics have given us. I give Obama Administration F’s on economoic and foreign policies, may as well include their domestic policies as well. How can any educated person believe the trash they put out for labor statistics. They‘ll crunch the numbers to make obama come out smelling like a rose and it’s all lies and propeganda.
      How many people, like yourself are struggling in this economy and have been “dropped” from being counted within the labor market. You won’t hear much about this on the DOL government website. Just more hype about job training and from the looks of it, this administation is throwing money to programs withing the DOL that are redundant at best.
      Hang in there guys, it will get better but we’ve all got to work on it and stay optimistic for 2012.

      Report Post » DonnaAngelStar  
  • behonest
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:29am

    Should we start by saying Nov2, 2010 and keeping the Bush rates in tack helped drop the unemployment rate? It should be headline news.

    Report Post » behonest  
  • scguitar
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:26am

    Hey, if everybody stops looking for jobs, the unemployment will drop to zero!

    Report Post »  
  • CaptVideo
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:26am

    All this means is that .4% of the unemployed fell off the benefits list.

    Report Post » CaptVideo  
  • Eyeball
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:23am

    Obama has picked up on Bush’s fuzzy math.

    Report Post » Eyeball  
    • GhostOfJefferson
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 11:45am

      Yes, who picked it up from Clinton, who picked it up from Bush I, who picked it up from Reagan, who got it from Carter.

      Politicians and their figures lie. Always have, always will. It’s a non partisan condition.

      Report Post » GhostOfJefferson  
  • sbenard
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:23am

    U-6 unadjusted unemployment, which most people consider to be the REAL unemployment rate, ROSE from 16.6% to 17.3%.

    Report Post » sbenard  
    • GhostOfJefferson
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:56am

      Interesting, do you have a link to the official numbers for that particular stat? I’d love to have it handy for future debates with statists. :)

      Report Post » GhostOfJefferson  
  • BRAVEHEART
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:17am

    Since we are all just a bunch or Homer Simpsons the Government has to do our math for us, grope us at the airport, tell us what to feed our children, force us to buy health care so they can kill us at just the right time to satisfy the system, then destroy our political and economic system so the rest of the world can feel better about themselves. Sounds like the real homer is the guy in the White House!

    Report Post »  
  • behonest
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:09am

    I am going over to daily kos,huffington puff, and media matters maybe I will really get a laff and learn the new socialist math. It is astonishing at least we got sunday talks shows Paul grugmann and the like you thunk they can explain it to us under elistest.

    Report Post » behonest  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:07am

    Okay…{Emperor “Lord Vader, have you used the mind alteration techniques again to cover up the real losses of the Empire from everyone else? Oh, you used the light sabre ‘hack and slash’ on the bill boards instead…Vader, vader, vader…”

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • luvtheright
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:07am

    I guess a so-called “ivy league” college degree doesn‘t guarantee that you’ll be smarter than a 5th grader! This just proves it!

    Report Post »  
  • imareader
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:58am

    ..Can we report this to fudged #s.gov?

    Report Post »  
  • TeaParty_InTheSky
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:53am

    people are giving up. and ballonhead chris matthews is delusional because even if its down to 8 percent that still means hundreds of thousands of people are still out of work. the only possible chance of him getting re-elected is if unemployment drops to 5 or 5.5 percent

    Report Post » TeaParty_InTheSky  
    • Puddle Duck
      Posted on February 6, 2011 at 3:21am

      Obamma cannot be given a secoind term no matter how the employemnt numbers look…clearly this Admin has no qualms about presenting fiction as fact……..I think it’s high time we demanded from Congress common sense approaches to measuring true unemployment figures (which take unto account under employed and thos that ahve temporarily given up) and inflation figures (removing the cost of energy and food in the calculation is lunacy). An honest depiction of the truth reveals actual rates beinbg anywhere from 9% to 24% (depending on State) unemplyment and roughly 7% inflation rate with a big spike in the cost of critical commodities (cotton,corn, grain,rice, beef, etc) cong in the last quater of 2010. The trend for 2011 in terms of adding jobs and keeping a lid on onflation in spite of the WH admin’s crazy economic policies does not paint a rosy picture at all…combine that with foreign policy crisis in the absolute worst place on Earth (the middle east) and we have a recipe for econimic disaster……I predict in the next 6 months (or less) the double dip will recure and stagflation will take hold. In this mix if the dominos in the middle east fall in favor of an Islamic Caliphate the outbreak of WWIII will almost certainly be heralded in by a Nuke strike (low yield long range missile) on Tel Aviv by the Iranians.

      Report Post » Puddle Duck  
  • Cadcamtrainer
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:52am

    Hopefully, Barry will create at least two new jobs in 2012. A new President and a new VP. The ones we have now are a joke at best.

    Report Post »  
  • Blackhawk1
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:51am

    Just goes to prove Liberalism is a mental disorder. Now they can’t even do simple math.

    Report Post » Blackhawk1  
    • IntheKnowOG
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:58am

      They can do math; they are simply lying to the MTV minions who feed off of the propoganda the MSM vomits up everyday. Go to MTV’s website and see which “newz” organization they “like” on the banner…the huffingtonpuffington post.

      Report Post » IntheKnowOG  
  • ultraman
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:46am

    Talk about fuzzy math!

    Report Post » ultraman  
  • ComeAndTakeThis
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:42am

    Every job report that has come out under this administration has been optimistic and then the following week the numbers have been quietly corrected. If the fish stick , smell it.

    Report Post » ComeAndTakeThis  
  • booger71
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:41am

    I wonder which branch of Government the Labor Dept is under, oh yeah using Little Chuckie’s term, the Presidency.

    Report Post » booger71  
  • Cape_Lookout_RW_Extremist
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:40am

    So here we go. 171,000 jobs created in October, 100K+ in November, 93,000 in December and 36,000 in in January. Wow the success! Idiots! The reason the drop to 9% is that people have given up and quit looking. Also, many are taking adventures into self unemployment. So of coarse the stats are gonna look better. But if we need 230K each month instead of 36K, I don’t exactly call that success. Thats about 12 jobs per county nationwide.

    Report Post » Cape_Lookout_RW_Extremist  
    • Cape_Lookout_RW_Extremist
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:43am

      That would be self employment. sorry!

      Report Post » Cape_Lookout_RW_Extremist  
    • roxee
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:03am

      They probally just opened a prison, and got some men out to work at the TSA for job growth.

      Report Post »  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:05am

      @Cape_Lookout

      If the blasted government would get off the backs of the American people and the businesses we could make the recovery happen on our own efforts; it would take time yes, yet it would happen in spite of all the administration nay sayers.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • GeauxAlready
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:36am

    .
    Guess Obammy’s prayers fell on deaf ears. I told you that Don’t let my daughter look like a Hoochie prayer was not gonna do the trick……..

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
  • behonest
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:35am

    Wtf!!!! I was aways good in math, this really is amazing math – = + I get it.
    The Dumbing Down of America

    Report Post » behonest  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:48am

      No, the dumbing down of the administration in regards to just how stupid they feel the people of the land really are. Americans can figure it out, the administration cannot accept the fact we can.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • sjssb
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:39am

      Yes you are correct. Of course the EPA is now in charge of the country and Michelle Obammer is the chief community organizer now. The election is approaching fast and all the crooks are re-assembling in Chicago to ensure all the SEIU, ACORN and other Communist/Socialist/Marxist parts are in place. Will the Obama Army materialize within the next year. Remember he stated he wanted a force as large as the US Defense Department to protect him when he declares a state of emergency like is going on in Cairo now and refuses to leave office when the PEOPLE rise up and vote him out in 2012.

      sjssb  
  • Oh, God!
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:33am

    There is no way the unemployment rate came down that much by only adding 36K jobs. I smell something fishy going on.

    Report Post » Oh, God!  
    • Hugh Williams
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:03am

      Don’t you know the truth is what Obama says it is!

      Report Post » Hugh Williams  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:03am

      Fishy indeed, remember that DC originally was nothing but swampland. Guess that could be what you are smelling.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • wifezilla
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:32am

      I agree and I am calling SHENANIGANS! This is same kind of number massaging we saw over the last year with the USDA crop reports. One minute we had plenty of corn and the next minute we are in a shortage.

      Report Post » wifezilla  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:33am

      @Wifezilla

      Too true indeed.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • DirectlyUnPCman
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 11:41am

      Because all those jobs were fishing jobs.

      Report Post » DirectlyUnPCman  
    • youguysready_letsroll
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 11:52am

      Isn’t the unemployment rate based on the percentage of Americans that are receiving unemployment benefits? It doesn’t count part-time underemployed or those that have exhausted all of their unemployment benefits, yet remain unemployed. I wonder what the REAL unemployment rate is.

      Report Post » youguysready_letsroll  
    • rfycom
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 1:54pm

      Don’t you both sides lie. Aren’t you tired of it. I am.

      Report Post »  
    • ozz
      Posted on February 5, 2011 at 7:13am

      Sides? Are you kidding me? It’s an act like pro wrestling there both taking orders from old money. Republicans march slowly to serfdom why Democrats sprint. There are few exceptions, the ones that are libertarian inclined like Bachmann and the TEA party. They are our only hope of a peaceful return to liberty. Well aside from the almighty himself.

      Report Post » ozz  
  • SnapTie
    Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:32am

    The new Obama math. You Lie.

    Report Post » SnapTie  
    • mikem1969
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:43am

      liberal progressive math, 2+2 = 5.

      Report Post »  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:47am

      It is the new Obama math based on the old Progressive and leftist math – when the truth is not of any conveinence to your cause, make up the ‘truth’ to suit your needs of the time.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • HillBillySam1
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:49am

      I would have been an “A+” student in High School and college if we had been able to use this kind of math…..If I could have just discarded my bad grades as “grades that stopped looking for work”, my GPA would be a whopping 17.0!!! Yeah, so who is the “idiot savant” now, Miss Guidance Counselor?!?

      Report Post »  
    • hickoryrat
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:51am

      Who are you going to believe?
      The tyrants in DC or your lyin eyes?

      V

      Report Post »  
    • MAULEMALL
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:51am

      Seemns that a whole buttload of Americans have given up even looking..

      WooHooooooo…. Obama wins..

      Report Post » MAULEMALL  
    • BMartin1776
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:17am

      Makes sense when they are nolonger including ppl that arent looking for jobs anymore who have given up looking. They are clearly fudging the numbers esp with everything going on overseas, part of the reason for all those protests is lack of jobs. Also have to remember this number they are using is based on those still collecting UEI. The true UE number is really like 16-17% when you factor those who arent collecting UEI or have given up looking for work.

      Welcome to the new reality of this govt where 2+2=5, to question them means you are just a thought criminal!
      http://www.savingtherepublic.com

      Report Post » BMartin1776  
    • the_zazzy
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:25am

      BOLD PREDICTION: By November 2012, unemployment will miraculously be around 6.5%, gas will be $1.85/gallon, global warming will have ended, and the Community Organizer will get a second term!

      the_zazzy  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:28am

      @Mike 1969

      Liberal math: 2 + 2 = whatever we want it to be. Correctly you have made the connection in their own mathmatics of chaos.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • IntheKnowOG
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:49am

      Denmark+rotten= unemployment numbers……what a sham. Let the newspeak begin! We are in serious trouble.

      Report Post » IntheKnowOG  
    • Miguelito
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:49am

      The Obama administration is full of lies.

       
    • Rogue
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:58am

      The 99er‘s are about to become the 486er’s, just in time for the next election.

      Report Post » Rogue  
    • AzDebi
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 11:55am

      We are soooo WAY onto them! Our “learning curve” is going off the charts…we’ve just about got the entire puzzle put together…AND…THEY KNOW IT! It is hard for me to believe that THEY will “allow” us to maintain our “way of life/freedoms” into the 2012 elections…They will take the beating of their lives and THEY KNOW IT…Both the Demorat and Repugnant Parties will be destroyed…fasten your seat belts fellow patriots…I think we are REALLY in for the ride of our lives…

      Report Post » AzDebi  
    • lillymckim
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 12:10pm

      More fuzzy math little Timmy and Ben are at it again?

      Report Post » lillymckim  
    • carlosSM559
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 12:28pm

      Sorry to say but unemployment has not gone up! and to be truthfull America is still in a reccession! These liberal online surveys prove nothing! Anyone can forge a lie and the American people are being lied to!

      Report Post »  
    • Tony
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 12:34pm

      Where is Joe Wilson when we need him. If there is any good news to be had with this report, it is so unbelievable that even the disinterested will be tweeked. “Baghdad Chris” will be challenged to report this with a straight face….but he will.

      Report Post »  
    • Mr.Nick
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 12:54pm

      I think when psycho‘s aren’t running around with oversized gavels in their hand and there is an attempt to to cut spending, businesses will retain some workers – especially after the push to repeal Obamycare.

      I suppose its Americans faith retuning for a second dose of an Obongo slapfest.

      Report Post »  
    • decendentof56
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 1:29pm

      Mike
      You are right that it doesn’t add up, but I think 2+2=19. Not 5.
      Just remember; Figures don’t lie, but liars figure.

      Report Post »  
    • decendentof56
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 1:31pm

      Oh, I forgot. Negative means Plus. It’s the new math of the future, you know.

      Report Post »  
    • Polwatcher
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 1:51pm

      The Dems that can’t add or subtract will be happy.

      Report Post »  
    • rfycom
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 1:53pm

      Let‘s be honest it is both Obama and Bush’s fault. No I don’t support either party cause both sides are nuts

      Report Post »  
    • GONESURFING
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 5:41pm

      Yes, exactly. Obamanomics 101=say anything but the truth.

      Report Post » GONESURFING  
    • peterinwc
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 7:36pm

      BMARTIN 1776, below, is spot on. My reply is ditto and I am one of the “give ups”.

      Report Post »  
    • FoundersRedPill
      Posted on February 4, 2011 at 8:29pm

      If the employment rate improves too much more, we are all going to be out of jobs.

      Report Post » FoundersRedPill  
    • DonnaAngelStar
      Posted on February 5, 2011 at 3:27am

      Correction:
      2 + 2 = 10
      OBAMANOMICS and Exponential Growth.
      Now, someone correct my math so it comes out to 20, ad infinitum till we explode into chaos and cannibalism.

      Report Post » DonnaAngelStar  
    • Highland
      Posted on February 5, 2011 at 8:13am

      Million Moron Math. Obama learned it from Calypso Louie.

      Report Post » Highland  
    • scotts
      Posted on February 5, 2011 at 12:36pm

      I’m thinking that employers are worried that taxes are going to be thrown at them and they want to hold on to their money just in case.Clearly,the govt. is not giving employers alot of confidence that they are going to be able to expand in this economy,as well are not making this capitalist society feel like they are going to stay out of our way in order for us to innovate and work to fulfill our goals as free enterprise entrepreneurs.I’m sure anyone with a business is wondering where the money is going to come from to pay down the deficit and are figuring that the govt. is going to get it from those business owners which is a bunch of @#^%$.What a mess our politicians have gotten us into,no wonder we have no confidence in the economy.They had better get on the ball.

      Report Post » scotts  
    • patriot4all
      Posted on February 6, 2011 at 12:54am

      ALL LIES–new Comrade Obama Math-moral values–Christian-American–hell if his mouth moves it’s a lie of some form.

      Report Post »  

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