Posted on 05/02/2016 8:53:11 AM PDT by RavenATB
As with all economic statistics there is an element of “fixing the bicycle while you are riding it.” They start collecting data, and over time the experience leads them to realize that things could be better done in slightly different ways. This is neither a sign of a conspiracy nor that the original statistical designers were stupid. It’s just that over time doing things, people learn more and come up with better ways to do them.
The paranoia about politically manipulated economic stats on FR is one of the stupidest and scariest aspects of this forum.
See my post at #7. There was a major revision in 1994, but the data on alternative measures of unemployment apparently go back to 1976.
...they will BAFFLE us with bullshit...
The Consumer Price Index also has been revised a dozen different times to mask inflation. I think that started in the 70s.
Clinton had the BLS stop surveying inner city populations. Then he re-included inner cities just before leaving office to make the unemployment numbered look bad under Bush.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.