General Discussion

babylonsister

(171,072 posts) Fri Feb 3, 2012, 10:19 AM Feb 2012

This cnn chart tells the tale...

http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/03/news/economy/jobs_report_unemployment/index.htm?iid=Lead

8 replies

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This cnn chart tells the tale... (Original Post) babylonsister Feb 2012 OP

WTF happened from May through August? n/t Ian David Feb 2012 #1

Stimulus ended, and the repubs cut a lot of state jobs n/t n2doc Feb 2012 #2

Ahh, that makes sense. Thanks! n/t Ian David Feb 2012 #4

I wonder if the Repugs conspired to eliminate local and state govt jobs. LiberalFighter Feb 2012 #8

The Republicans fight over the debt ceiling and the doc03 Feb 2012 #6

At least we are on a positive track in job growth, however... abowsh Feb 2012 #3

What is the Labor Force Participation Rate? Ian David Feb 2012 #5

Maybe a more meaningful statistic than unemployment, which is subject to manipulation... JackRiddler Feb 2012 #7

Ian David

(69,059 posts)

1. WTF happened from May through August? n/t

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Fri Feb 3, 2012, 10:35 AM

Feb 2012

n2doc

(47,953 posts)

2. Stimulus ended, and the repubs cut a lot of state jobs n/t

Reply to Ian David (Reply #1)

Fri Feb 3, 2012, 10:37 AM

Feb 2012

Ian David

(69,059 posts)

4. Ahh, that makes sense. Thanks! n/t

Reply to n2doc (Reply #2)

Fri Feb 3, 2012, 10:58 AM

Feb 2012

LiberalFighter

(50,950 posts)

8. I wonder if the Repugs conspired to eliminate local and state govt jobs.

Reply to n2doc (Reply #2)

Fri Feb 3, 2012, 01:34 PM

Feb 2012

And if so, can it be proved?

doc03

(35,348 posts)

6. The Republicans fight over the debt ceiling and the

Reply to Ian David (Reply #1)

Fri Feb 3, 2012, 10:59 AM

Feb 2012

S&P devaluation they caused.

abowsh

(45 posts)

3. At least we are on a positive track in job growth, however...

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Fri Feb 3, 2012, 10:39 AM

Feb 2012

the labor participation rate is still very low.

http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS11300000

2011 64.2 64.2 64.2 64.2 64.2 64.1 64.0 64.1 64.1 64.1 64.0 64.0
2012 63.7

Ian David

(69,059 posts)

5. What is the Labor Force Participation Rate?

Reply to abowsh (Reply #3)

Fri Feb 3, 2012, 10:59 AM

Feb 2012

What is the Labor Force Participation Rate?

Question: What is the Labor Force Participation Rate?
Answer: The labor force participation rate is the percentage of working-age persons in an economy who:

Are employed
Are unemployed but looking for a job

Typically "working-age persons" is defined as people between the ages of 16-64. People in those age groups who are not counted as participating in the labor force are typically students, homemakers, and persons under the age of 64 who are retired. In the United States the labor force participation rate is usually around 67-68%.

More:
http://economics.about.com/od/unemploymentrate/f/labor_force.htm

JackRiddler

(24,979 posts)

7. Maybe a more meaningful statistic than unemployment, which is subject to manipulation...

Reply to abowsh (Reply #3)

Fri Feb 3, 2012, 11:12 AM

Feb 2012

A lower proportion of the people is drawing an income from labor than ever.

This is a clean statistic; no recategorization of the unemployed as "not looking" or "out of labor force."

However, I see it defines the age parameter as 16 and up.

Does this mean it includes the growing number of people in their 70s and 80s as labor force?

ON EDIT: According to above definition, it does not include over-65, but I'd love to see it on the BLS site as linked to be certain.

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