Posted on 02/27/2011 2:27:52 AM PST by Scanian
The government in Washington D.C. seems to be going out of its way to obfuscate and confuse the American citizens as to various economic factors and what the reality is of the situation the people find themselves in. Instinctively the people know matters are worse than what they are being told and with the most incompetent and unscrupulous resident of the White House in the country's history in charge there is great unease that their government is not being honest with its citizens. More than ever the American people deserve to be told the truth.
Among the most confusing of statistics is the unemployment rate. The government adjusts for "seasonal factors", those who have supposedly dropped out of the labor force and some who are collecting or not collecting unemployment benefits. The result of these adjustments is a number no one accepts as reality.
There is one simple way to look at the job situation that, while not 100% scientifically accurate, does reflect the real employment situation.
In 2000 the population of the United States was, per the US Census, 281,421,906. In that same year the US Payroll Employment: Total Non-Agricultural was 130,781,000 or 46.6% of the population. The Bureau of Labor Statistics showed an unemployment rate then of 4.0%. Thus full employment in 2000 would have been 136,000.000 people or 48.3% of the population.
The most recent national census completed in April 2010 revealed the population of the country had increased to 309,745,538. In the same month of 2010 the US Payroll Employment: Total Non-Agricultural was 129,750,000 or 41.5% of the population. Per the full employment factor of 48.3% in 2000 there should be a full employment labor force of 149,607.000 in 2010.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
No regime can obfuscate economic reality for long.
That's because the signature behavior of this beast is its mark, the character by which it is known: lies, deceit, and treachery 24/7/365. Those who speak the truth used to be merely ridiculed, marginalized, and labeled as kooks, lumped in with assorted crazies. Now those who protest and reject the brazen lies of the beast are systematically demonized and destroyed. The beast's head (Obama) is way past its sell-by date and the entire cast of characters is operating on borrowed time. Time is money, after all.
No but some seem to have the ability of getting the population to accept mediocrity. Zer0’s seems to be one of them.
After 3 lousy economic years-—more in some industries (like mine)-— you would think the people would be a whole lot more agitated.
It’s a matter of conditioning. I think people got used to the idea of drawing off investments.
There’s more than one point of economic gravity and perhaps we’ll manage to gyrate out of the impending disaster. I think the odds are in our favor.
All one needs to do is go to the grocery store and look at the prices on the shelves for one to know this to be true. Let me cite a few examples:
* Coffee. A 2 pound, 5 ounce container is around $12. 6 months ago it was around $7. Prior to that, the average price was $3.99.
* Dozen Eggs. Last year, 99 cents. On sale, 79 cents. Yesterday, $3/dozen.
* Milk. $4/gallon. The price has fluctuated so much it's hard to tell what it USED TO BE. Last time I picked it up at the local convenience store near the house about a year ago, I paid something like $2.49/gal for 2%.
* Canned Gren Beans (Generic). 8 months ago, 33 cents for a 12 ounce can. Yesterday, same brand was $1.49
* Flour. 5 pound bag yesterday was $7. 8 months ago it was under $2.
* Sugar. 5 Pound Bag yesterday was $8. 8 months ago it was under $2.
* Chicken. Over $3/pound here, it used to be around 79-99 cents per pound in the last year.
* Beef. We don't even look at the price anymore, it's gotten that expensive and is no longer a part of our diets.
We've known this corrupt government led by the community organizer in chief has been lying for a very long time. Never believed a word this POS has said from the get go.
I'm fortunate enough that my wife saw all this coming months ago and began stockpiling our pantry and freezer. With the exception of milk (and occasionally eggs..) we no longer buy any of the above as our pantry has been well stocked for awhile now. We can pass these prices up until they come back down, but not everyone we know is as fortunate. My wife has done a great job so she could "splurge" when something like coffee went on sale for $3.99-$5.99 some months ago and stocked up. I just counted our pantry, I have 24 2 pound, 5 ounce Maxwell House Mountain Roast cans on the shelves. That's well over a year's worth of coffee for us. At today's prices, that's about $300 worth of coffee that should've cost about $94 at "uninflated" prices.
Yep, every family in America that has to go to a grocery store knows that hyper-inflation is already here. Our government hides it by not including food and fuel costs in the calculation. I cannot imagine what those on retirement/fixed incomes are going through just trying to put food on their tables at these prices.
BTW Gas here: $3.60/gal for 87 octane, $3.85/gal for Diesel. That's the highest price since 2008.
Thanks Obama! (/sarc)
Also - many more people are aware of the lies than in 2000 as far as economics go.
Yes, and Zer0 would make Ghaddafi’s behavior look tame.
0 condemned G. for shooting his own people...as if he would do anything different to stay in power?
The only difference would be that the media would let 0 get away with it.
I have my own inflation gage. One small cup of coffee and two stick donuts purchased at the same mom and pop shop.
1999 cost $.90, 2008 - $2.50, 2011 - $2.85
You do the math, but I believe out paces health insurance.
By the way, the stick donuts got smaller and coffe cup went from 8oz to 10oz back to 8oz.
Every government’s first instinct is to lie—the IQ of people who believe their government statistics is dropping every year—and has now reached room temperature.
If the Republicans want to save some money just ban all statistical reporting by federal agencies—if they want to collect the data and let outside observers review it, fine—but no summaries, reports, or other opportunities to push an agenda.
(Of course then they will have to deal with the CPI problem, since some gov benefits are based on CPI. That is a mess.)
I go to BJ's where the milk is $2.70/gal but butter is $2.79/lb. I don't get it. Milk prices are low but butter is almost double what it was year ago.
thanks for the info. I have been judging inflation by a can of Rotel.
I wish I had more storage space. Storage space is the problem.
There is no inflation.
There is just product shrinkage .... caused by globull warming.
[/s]
I remember one liberal I worked with back when Clinton got into power and he remarked that we needed to bring inflation back like the Carter years ! I told him that was ridiculous. I am sure today, he is happy about it today !
What is bad is when I go to the grocery, it is easy to blow a $100 or $150 !
“Another area of obfuscation is the true cost of living and the rising cost of commodities and industrial raw materials.
The worldwide commodities markets are in a turmoil brought about by the lower yields for food staples, the upheavals in the Middle-East, the beginning of an economic recovery in the rest of the world and the inflationary impact of the Federal Reserve quantative easing programs. Some commodities such as cotton are up 140% over a year ago.
A key factor in the rise of commodity prices has been the decline in the value of the dollar. As points of comparison over the past two years: the Dollar has declined 16% versus the Japanese Yen, the Canadian Dollar by over 21%, and the Swiss Franc by 22%.”
Thank you banana ben for monetizing our debt, devaluing our dollar and allowing obozo’s spending to continue.
His discourse on employment is flawed because it depend s on all things being equal when they are not. His figures have no rational basis when the factors controlling the aggregates are quite different.
His discussion of rising prices is much better
That is Obamafuscating.
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.