[NC28203]

>>>Once again I ask, how are there less jobs and yet unemployment number goes DOWN? So confused. There are two different surveys that are used to determine the labor situation. One survey is of comapnies (payrolls) and the other surveys households (unemployment rate). Though both are trying to get a stab at the overall situation, because they two different things, the numbers can often tell a differnet story. This is often the case when the labor market is either bottoming or topping out.

The unemployment number is in not determined by the number of people filing claims for unemployment.

[NC28203]

>>>Once again I ask, how are there less jobs and yet unemployment number goes DOWN? So confused.

Reformatted:

There are two different surveys that are used to determine the labor situation. One survey is of comapnies (payrolls) and the other surveys households (unemployment rate). Though both are trying to get a stab at the overall situation, because they two different things, the numbers can often tell a differnet story. This is often the case when the labor market is either bottoming or topping out.

The unemployment number is in not determined by the number of people filing claims for unemployment.

[Oceander]

I didn't say it was limited to that; try reading something other than your own preconceived notions.

Clearly, as ought to have been obvious to even a liberal, I oversimplified the case so that the confused could try and get a handle on what was going into the statistic - to the extent that you want to make that a more nuanced statement - great, pile on in - but don't go off all half-cocked putting words into my mouth that I didn't say. And to cut you off at the pass before you get there - yes, I did say that it was, in general terms, based on the numbers of people filing unemployment claims - I did not, however (as you are implying I did) say that it was limited to that.