Employment Situation Summary: Employment +227K, Unemployment unchanged at 8.3%

Bureau of Labor Statistics ^ | March 9, 2012 | Staff

[C19fan]

Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 227,000 in February, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 8.3 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment rose in professional and businesses services, health care and social assistance, leisure and hospitality, manufacturing, and mining.

[1rudeboy]

I think you meant to direct your comment to someone else.

[xzins]

They are already doing that:

1. They give unenemployment checks for nearly 2 years.
2. They take discouraged workers off the numbers if those people have provably looked for a job in ONE MONTH.

So, you get paid to sit on your butt, and because you’re sitting on your butt your number doesn’t count.

[Qbert]

“NFP Prints At 227K On Expectations Of 210,000, Unemployment Rate At 8.3% Boosted By Temp Jobs”

“...Professional and business services added 82,000 jobs in February. Just over half of the increase occurred in temporary help services (+45,000).” Also, that Birth Death added 91K is also taking away from the lustre of the headline which is diamtetrically opposite of what Gallup found yesterday.”

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/nfp-prints-227k-expectations-210000-unemployment-rate-83

[kabar]

Are you nuts? These figures are anemic. They don't signal anything near a recovery.

If the economy adds about 208,000 jobs per month, which was the average monthly rate for the best year of job creation in the 2000s, then it will take until March 2024—over 12 years—to close the jobs gap. Given a more optimistic rate of 321,000 jobs per month, which was the average monthly rate for the best year of job creation in the 1990s, the economy will reach pre-recession employment levels by February 2017—not for another five years.

227,000 jobs a month is barely treading water. Hell, we bring in 125,000 LEGAL foreign workers a month now. If anyone thinks that 8.3% unemployment (closer to 9% if you believe Gallup) and 227,000 jobs a month guarantees Obama a second term, then you must be an Obamabot hooked on his hope and change rhetoric.

[kabar]

The whole GOP economic argument for unseating Obama is losing steam as well.

LOL. You can't be serious. Do you think that most people will buy the WH spin or believe their own lyin' eyes. You can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig. 227,000 jobs a month is barely treading water. It will be more than 12 years before we reach pre-recession levels of unemployment. This is the weakest recovery since the end of WWII.

And there are more shoes to drop in Europe, a slowing economy in China, rising gas prices and possible conflict with Iran, reaching our debt ceiling now in September or October rather than the expected January 2013, and the largest February deficit in history topping the previous one of 2011. I really can't believe that people believe that these numbers are good. Stop drinking the Obama Kool-aid.

[Pinkbell]

The average voter will lap it up.

Watch this. Obama voters interviewed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_JJLLfTR8I&feature=related

[kabar]

The average voter will lap it up.

BS. 50% of the American people believe Obama's presidency to be a failure. Why do people seemingly ignore what happened in 2010, the most historic midterms since 1938? In 2006 when the Dems regained control over Congress, it was obvious that 2008 would spell big trouble for Reps. It was a harbinger of things to come, yet the pundits and others seem to think that 2010 was meaningless or just an aberration. I think they will be just as surprised in 2012 as they were in 2010.

The real indication of Obama's electability will be how many Dem candidates will want to be seen with him on the campaign trail. Nelson of Florida avoided Obama when he was recently in FL. Let's see how many of the 24 Dem senators up for reelection in 2012 want Obama to campaign for them.

[khelus]

If you use non-seasonally adjusted numbers, and take the BLS U-6 number [which includes under employed], then add back those not in the civilian labor force who want a job, you come close to Gallup’s 19.1% unemployment number.

[C210N]

direct your comment to someone else...

Yes, thanks for the correction!

I know mr obama is graded on a curve but not this curved

Are you sure? They can get pretty darn curvy!

Consider that last month the total workers engaged in working declined by... 1,200,000 workers. If that ain't a curvy curve, I don't know what is [is]!

[Pinkbell]

Hey, I sincerely hope you’re right. I tend to be pretty cynical.

[ScottinVA]

LOL. You can't be serious. Do you think that most people will buy the WH spin or believe their own lyin' eyes.

Yes... they'll buy the WH spin. Remember, Obama doesn't actually have to achieve success.. just the appearance of it. WE know the numbers are cooked with "seasonal adjustment special sauce;" WE understand it's the weakest recovery since the end of WWII. The conservative movement here at FR and beyond understand all that.

However...

Backed by nearly all "media," Obama has a hold on American voters that transcends policy matters. He drew them into an emotional attachment with vague rhetoric about Hope and Change. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't have a high degree of confidence the American electorate will turn on him that quickly. That requires a self-admission of fault and Americans don't readily admit they're wrong. The most recent polls still show majorities of Americans still -- laughably -- blame Bush for the country's economic ills.

I never drank the damned Kool-aid, but 63 million voters did in 2008. Come November, we'll know whether whatever drug that laced it has worn off.

[cymbeline]

“The civilian labor force participation rate, at 63.9 percent, and the employment-population ratio, at 58.6
percent, edged up over the month. “

These are the most important single statistics as they tell how many people are living off of the labors of those that are working. Doesn’t matter why the nonworkers aren’t working. A bunch aren’t working because they are retired or for other reasons unrelated to the state of the economy.

Also, automation puts people out of work.

The “unemployment rate” fiddle faddles with the definition of who’s “unemployed”.

In the final analysis, a society becomes unhealthy when too few workers are supporting too many nonworkers.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Only on paper. They will lie. That is why they are late with the govt. figures by one full week and are also afraid of internal leaks of the bad numbers before they have a chance to re-doe them and re-rig them on director orders from the Assistants to the President for Domestic Policy at the White House, as well as Treasury. Oh yeah, it will all look good on paper with the media covering it up and not digging, all through the Fall, but in talking with people in your neighborhood or family, you will nothing has changed for the good. With Mussolini reelected, watch for the numbers to be revised back to reality ASAP, and pleas that we we need another four years of Obama to fix them over this “long process”, and then another four years for VP Biden to continue the effort. They lied through their teeth about “Hope” and “Change” eight years ago.

[khelus]

It's even worse than you are describing.

The 227,000 is the seasonally adjusted number from table B-1.

The raw [not seasonally adjusted number] is [131,164,000 - 130,313,000] or +851,000. However the +851,000 is achieved through the magic of the Birth and Death model which adds in +851,000.

So ... a raw number of 0 jobs created, after the application of two tools [Birth and Death Model and Seasonal Adjustment] becomes +227,000.

[COBOL2Java]

Just once...is there any department in this administration that can tell the truth?

I found one!

[kabar]

Yes... they'll buy the WH spin. Remember, Obama doesn't actually have to achieve success.. just the appearance of it. WE know the numbers are cooked with "seasonal adjustment special sauce;" WE understand it's the weakest recovery since the end of WWII. The conservative movement here at FR and beyond understand all that.

Buy the spin? Pure unadulterated BS. What happened in 2010? The American people are not buying the spin. You can piss on people's legs and tell them it is raining outside, but that doesn't change the facts or their perception except for the Obamabots who are far from being a majority

I hope I'm wrong, but I don't have a high degree of confidence the American electorate will turn on him that quickly. That requires a self-admission of fault and Americans don't readily admit they're wrong. The most recent polls still show majorities of Americans still -- laughably -- blame Bush for the country's economic ills.

Obama benefited from a "historic" election. He now has a record. Been there, done that. We have had our first affirmative action President, now it is time for competence. The American people don't want four more years of the same. In fact, they realize that the very survival of the country is at stake. Four more years of Obama and it is game, set, and match for this Republic.

[StAnDeliver]

"Romney's main argument for being POTUS is losing steam."

If you buy Bobo's numbers. I don't.

[upchuck]

Forget the BLS. 100% cooked numbers to make nobama look good. They will cook themselves down to 7% by Sept/Oct.

Want REAL, believable numbers? Go to Gallup.

[Kit cat]

They can spin these numbers anyway they want to! Folks WILL vote their
own pocketbooks. Every time I grocery shop I am in shock!!! Women who
do the shopping KNOW their dollars are NOT going very far!!! This is one
thing they can not lie about each individual KNOWS THEIR OWN financial
situation and will vote accordingly they can spin, spin, spin, it will not
work!!!

[tobyhill]

Frankly I'm tired of the BLS acting as though we were just born yesterday.

There are over 2 million more than a year ago “not in the labor force”. Gone, just gone!

The participation rate is still .3% less than it was a year ago. Gone, just gone!

Add those components back to where it was a year ago and I guarantee the Unemployment Rate will be exactly where it was a year ago, 9%.