[looscnnn]

Here is how they should come up with the numbers:

Are you self employed?
Are you in school?
Do you have a job?

Let's see, you come up with numbers of self employed, employed and students (both employed and unemployed).

These numbers would be honest numbers. As for the example you pointed out, are they employed? No, thus they are counted as unemployed. Just like they are now.

[Trust but Verify]

Housewives are unemployed. Do we count them as unemployed?

[expat_panama]

Let's see, you come up with numbers of self employed, employed and students (both employed and unemployed).

The BLS has these numbers right here, and all you have to do is check off what you want.  The site is down (or  v e r y slow) at the moment but when they come back a lot of us will be very interested. 

Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey

---

Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey
(Select from list below)

 

Employment Level - Civilian Labor Force - LNS12000000

Civilian Labor Force Level - LNS11000000

Civilian Labor Force Participation Rate - LNS11300000

Unemployment Level - Civilian Labor Force - LNS13000000

Unemployment Rate - Civilian Labor Force - LNS14000000

Civilian Employment-Population Ratio - LNS12300000

My predictions:

-- for the economy-- more people are working now than ever before making more money than ever before.

-- for politics--  the bush-bashers will say the world ended and they'll want to raise my taxes to protect them.