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Recession declared over; but job losses mounting
Associated Press ^ | 10/27/09 | TOM RAUM

Posted on 10/27/2009 11:29:05 AM PDT by Baladas

WASHINGTON — It's about to become official: The recession is over — but not the pain.

The government will release figures this week expected to show that the economy has awakened from its deepest slump since the 1930s and is in the early stages of a recovery. But the following week, the government will issue another set of figures expected to show unemployment continuing to rise toward and possibly above a clearly recessionary 10 percent.

How can both be possible?

The government releases third-quarter Gross Domestic Product figures on Thursday. Many forecasters say they will show GDP growing at an annual rate of about 3 percent, validating a widely held belief among economists that the recession ended in June or July.

But try telling that to the more than 15 million still unemployed, the small businesses and individuals who can't get loans and the people whose homes are worth less than their mortgages.

Assertions by government and private economists that the recession is over — issued amid graphic examples of continuing wide distress — are raising fresh questions about economic scorekeeping.

The national recession may be technically over, but the state of the economy remains in the eyes of the beholder.

Or, as Ronald Reagan liked to say, a recession is when your neighbor loses his or her job. Depression is when you lose yours.

A survey of economic forecasters prepared by Blue Chip Economic Indicators, a research organization, predicted GDP growth to remain positive in each quarter through the end of 2010. In a survey by the National Association of Business Economics, 34 of 43 economists polled said the recession is over.

"From a technical perspective, the recession is very likely over," said Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: gdp; recession; stimuluspackage; unemployment
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How can a positive quarter of the GDP square with a climbing unemployment rate? I know the answer to this one - governmental spending increases the GDP whether jobs are created or not. The stimulus bill created few, if any.
1 posted on 10/27/2009 11:29:06 AM PDT by Baladas
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To: Baladas

Cash for clunkers would have provided a large chunk of the rise, but don’t look for this rate to be maintained. You want to see where we’re REALLY at? Wait until Black Friday.


2 posted on 10/27/2009 11:30:26 AM PDT by OCCASparky (Steely-Eyed Killer of the Deep)
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To: Baladas

does anyone see any evidence of the recession being over? or even getting less severe?


3 posted on 10/27/2009 11:30:36 AM PDT by GeronL (http://tyrannysentinel.blogspot.com .... I am a rogue nobody. One of millions.)
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To: Baladas

The Obama Depression will continue until the regime is tossed under the bus.


4 posted on 10/27/2009 11:30:55 AM PDT by muawiyah (Git Out The Way)
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To: Baladas

It is no longer a recession recession, and Whoopie is now part of the administration...


5 posted on 10/27/2009 11:31:08 AM PDT by GraceG
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To: Baladas

It’s over because I say it’s over. Next subject......


6 posted on 10/27/2009 11:31:31 AM PDT by Ben Mugged (Unions are the storm troopers of socialism.)
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To: Ben Mugged

I declare myself King of the Universe.


7 posted on 10/27/2009 11:33:08 AM PDT by WOBBLY BOB (ACORN:American Corruption for Obama Right Now)
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To: Baladas

Only the most Brain-Dead Liberal Free Trader Globalist Communist Chinese George Soros Lover would claim the recession is over.

This could be the biggest BS story of the year...the recession is still quite on....


8 posted on 10/27/2009 11:33:17 AM PDT by UCFRoadWarrior (The Return of America)
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To: Baladas

The concept of a “jobless recovery” is pretty much lost on me. I guess it means the recession is over for economists.


9 posted on 10/27/2009 11:34:16 AM PDT by freespirited (Liberals are only liberal about sex & drugs. Otherwise, they want to control your life. --DHorowitz)
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To: Baladas

Dont even try figuring this out. Remember Baghdad Bob when he said “the Americans have been driven out” when you could hear the US tanks rolling in the background?


10 posted on 10/27/2009 11:34:19 AM PDT by max americana (i)
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To: Baladas
Many forecasters say they will show GDP growing at an annual rate of about 3 percent

3 Percent? No way in Hades has this economy grown 3% annualized over the past quarter.

11 posted on 10/27/2009 11:34:25 AM PDT by Night Hides Not (If Dick Cheney = Darth Vader, then Joe Biden = Dark Helmet)
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To: Baladas

I no longer believe in any numbers from the government.

I can see the situation clearly with my own eyes.
Commercial Real Estate, anyone?

The BIG question is, what’s next?
From Farm to Factory to Office to .......
What ever is next there will be fierce resistance if it is government driven.


12 posted on 10/27/2009 11:35:05 AM PDT by griswold3 (You think health care is expensive now? Just wait till it's FREE!)
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To: Baladas

They’re right - the “recession” is over.

What they did’t tell ya is that NOW the “depression” starts.


13 posted on 10/27/2009 11:35:09 AM PDT by LibFreeUSA
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To: Baladas
How can both be possible?

Creative Accounting.

14 posted on 10/27/2009 11:35:22 AM PDT by nina0113
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To: Baladas

Mission Accomplished.


15 posted on 10/27/2009 11:35:38 AM PDT by SJSAMPLE
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To: Baladas

the bad news for the US Treasury is that there is no room for monetary expansion and no incentive to invest. Any “recovery” will be still born.


16 posted on 10/27/2009 11:36:26 AM PDT by Perdogg (Sarah Palin-Jim DeMint 2012 - Liz Cheney for Sec of State - Duncan Hunter SecDef)
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To: freespirited

I guess it means the recession is over for economists.

This situation has created a demand for economists to tell the future of the economy. (I loaned them my crystal ball.)


17 posted on 10/27/2009 11:36:30 AM PDT by griswold3 (You think health care is expensive now? Just wait till it's FREE!)
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To: Baladas

The AP has gone way past absurdity and parody and is now headed into the invisible area of the spectrum.
The Media/Left hive are now a 24/7 clown show.


18 posted on 10/27/2009 11:36:58 AM PDT by Carl LaFong (Experts say experts should be ignored.)
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To: Baladas

So, if governmental spending of printed and borrowed dollars increases GDP and brings the recession to end, why don’t they just print up another eleventy-bajillion dollars and declare instant prosperity?


19 posted on 10/27/2009 11:37:51 AM PDT by Zeddicus
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To: Baladas

They are playing with the inflation numbers to make it look like growth, but it’s not.


20 posted on 10/27/2009 11:39:37 AM PDT by henkster (0bamanomics: The "Final Solution" to America's "Prosperity Question.")
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