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Eric Risberg / AP
Mei Chou, left, a sales director with Mary Kay Cosmetics, interviews Liza Cruz, right, at a Career Fair event in San Francisco, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. The number of people seeking unemployment benefits plummeted last week to the lowest level since April.
New applications for unemployment benefits dropped to near a four-year low in the latest week, government data showed Thursday, providing further evidence that the U.S. job market has gained a bit of momentum.
The Labor Department reported that seasonally adjusted jobless claims fell 50,000 in the week ended Jan. 14, to 352,000 from a revised 402,000 the prior week. Economists polled by Reuters had expected claims to fall only to 385,000.
The 4-week moving average, considered a better gauge of labor market trends because it smooths out wrinkles in the data, was 379,000, a decrease of 3,500 from the previous week's revised average of 382,500.
"We have to see if there are some seasonality issues involved here, but on the surface this number looks to be very positive and is pretty much consistent with other data we've seen recently that suggest improvement in underlying fundamentals in the U.S.," said Omer Esiner, chief market analyst at Commonwealth Foreign Exchange.
Meanwhile the agency also reported that consumer prices were flat for a second straight month in December as gasoline fell and food rose moderately, suggesting scope for further monetary easing should economic growth falter.
Inflation appears to be peaking after rising steeply last year. Prices rose 3 percent in 2011, up from a 1.5 percent pace in 2010 and the most since 2007. But that's down from the 12-month increase of 3.9 percent in September.
Lower inflation gives consumers more spending power, which boosts growth. It also gives the Federal Reserve more leeway to keep interest rates low and take other steps to boost the economy.
A Labor Department spokesman cautioned that volatility in the jobless claims data at this time of year is common. Applications jumped two weeks ago, largely because companies laid off thousands of temporary workers hired for the holidays.
When weekly applications fall consistently below 375,000, it usually signals that hiring is strong enough to push down the unemployment rate.
Hiring improved in the second half of 2011. In December, employers added 200,000 jobs. That marked the sixth straight month in which the economy added at least 100,000 jobs. And the unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent, a three-year low.
For all of 2011, the economy added 1.6 million jobs. That was up sharply from 940,000 in 2010. Economists say they expect roughly 1.9 million more jobs to be added this year, according to a survey by The Associated Press.
Still, the job market has a long way to go before it fully recovers from the damage of the Great Recession, which wiped out 8.7 million jobs. More than 13 million people remain unemployed. Millions more have given up looking for work and so are no longer counted as unemployed.
The manufacturing sector remains a bright spot. Factory output jumped 0.9 percent in December, the Federal Reserve said this week. That was the sharpest monthly gain in a year. Manufacturing gained 225,000 jobs last year, the most since 1997.
The pickup in hiring reflects stronger economic growth. The economy likely grew at an annual rate of about 3 percent in the final three months of last year, economists estimate.
That would be a sharp improvement over the 1.8 percent annual growth rate in the July-September quarter. Rising consumer spending is thought to be fueling much of the gain in the current quarter.
Even so, economists worry that growth could slow in the first half of 2012. Europe is almost certain to fall into recession because of its financial troubles.
And wages failed to keep pace with inflation last year. Without more jobs and higher pay, consumers might have to cut back on spending. That would weigh down growth next year. Consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of the economy.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Don't get so excited about the jobless claims number, says CNBC's Steve Liesman. Weekly jobless claims dropped 50,000 to 352,000 last week. CNBC's Rick Santelli also weighs in.
Leave a Comment:
"seasonally adjusted jobless claims fell 50,000 in the week ended Jan. 14"
I'm waiting for that guy to chime in 'just wait until February', still not comprehending the seasonally adjusted part.
ya, and we all KNOW dc wouldn't just make up some data to get teh results they wanted to show...naaaaa...never...they have solid proof, just like the proof they had on WMD's in Irag we went to war over...
The idea that "anyone" even suggests that 352 Thousand "NEW" Applications for Unemployment can in any way be considered Good News?
Wow! That proves how incredibly blind and ignorant some idiots truly, truly are.
I'm sure those 352 thousand people do NOT consider it "Good News!"
Reps whined when the rate dropped so much last month, they howled to was CHristmas (Ignoring seasonally adjusted) The Whine when the new applicants drop, they try to spin this negatively.
Too bad for them, they want failure. THey hate Amrica. And when the actual rate drops again this month, they will howl about that and spin it again.
Too bad the American People will see through that.
THe Glass is half full and getting fuller, not the other way around.
Speedy, as you might not have realized, the job growth is calculated with hiring minus firings. That growth has been a few million in the last two years, but even if we were netting ten million new jobs a month, people will still be fired. The four year low part means we're at normal levels of layoffs you would expect during an up economy.
Frankly True
No wonder our country is in the shape it is with it being frankly true that you can fool some of the people ALL of the time. Fewer NEW claims means there are fewer jobs left to lose. DUH, not good news. Actually it would be good news if the numbers suddenly jumped if it was from all the added Obama government jobs being cut out and our debt beginning to be paid.
But then those who support Obama never could understand logic, elsewise they wouldn't be supporting him.
the propoganda machine is at full work in this unemployment farce. If you were not ignorant you would actually research anything you heard of stats released by the propoganda machine. Of course unemployment is gonna drop when you base your unemployment stats off of the few people on unemployment compared to all the people who have no jobs who lost their benefits and still have no job and not counting all the people who have their own small business and cant get work(construction contractors) and can't collect unemployment period who havent worked for 2-3 years. the sad truth of the matter is 50% of americans are jobless Yet you wil never hear our govt admit that the country has failed so much they need to make it a police state just to be able to stay in control when pretty soon we will be living in the 3rd world. And they ask ows why are you in the streets? Wake the @!$%# up.
The idea that "anyone" even suggests that 352 Thousand "NEW" Applications for Unemployment can in any way be considered Good News?
Wow! That proves how incredibly blind and ignorant some idiots truly, truly are.
I'm sure those 352 thousand people do NOT consider it "Good News!"
Take a look in the mirror and view the biggest idiot of them all. These are good numbers you ignoramus, even in a robust economy with low unemployment you can expect 300k to file new claims for unemployment.
Folks, we need to realize what Obama and the Dems have brought us...."The New Normal"...only now, with Odummy (who clearly never took an econonics class or knows how to read a profit and loss statement) is 8.5% unemployment welcome and 350,000 new applications for jobless benefits good news...
Oh to return to the 3 to 5% unemployment and $350 billion deficits of the Bush years...sigh....
Ahem.
As the raw numbers prove, government jobs have gone away in record numbers under President Obama:
For future reference if you want to avoid looking foolish, you might try removing your head from Fox News' hindquarters for a few minutes.
@Paul-4412303, LOL! Do you not realize Bush left office is a budget deficit of $1,413 billion??? The deficit under Obama has decreased each year since, in spite of the sluggish economy Bush left him, meaning few tax revenues. When the economy seemed strong under Bush, we were experiencing a real estate bubble. Under Clinton, we had a tech bubble. It's been more than 20 years since we've had a real economy. Unfortunately, for the last 30 years our national resources have been squandored (e.g., pointless wars and excessive tax breaks for billionnaires who have been the biggest beneficiaries of what this nation has to offer but haven't created jobs) to the point we haven't been making investments in infrastructure and education. So now, thanks to 30 years of bad policy-making, starting in the Reagan Administration, we're ill equipped to deal with a real economy, and we're watching other nations, who unlike us have been investing in themselves, pass us by.
The recession ended in June 2009. However, unlike the previous 11 post WW II recessions, increased economic activity and growth in the private sector has been virtually non-existent.
Small businesses, which are the driving engines of our economy, have been especially affected. 89% of all businesses in the U.S. employ less than 20 employees. Large businesses account for only 0.3% of all businesses. The Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy reports that small business bankruptcies increased 115% between 2007 and 2009. Small business job losses outnumbered large businesses in all but one quarter. This is usually the inverse. Large businesses have done better than small business, their earnings for S&P 500 index companies exceeded their 2007 record, while small business remain below pre-recession levels. Optimism in the vast small business sector remains much lower than large business.
The recent recession, caused by an asset bubble in residential real estate linked with a broader financial market panic, subsequently collapsed. The contagion created lost confidence in the credit worthiness of businesses and financial institutions regardless of their investment in real estate or even to make good on its obligations. The usual flow of capital and liquidity stopped and a panic resulted. The government intervened and with the Federal Reserve, expanded existing lending institutions, created special lending facilities, reduced inter-bank lending rates to historic levels and recapitalization via TARP. Others efforts to create demand have included the $770 billion Stimulus, extensions and enhancements to the Bush Tax Cuts and domestic money supply through Quantitative Easing, among others. Despite these efforts growth of the economy is barely exceeding pre-recession levels with unemployment far above also. The reasons are multifactorial.
Economic uncertainty remains the leading indicator for our anemic recovery. Companies are reluctant to invest in new employees, expansion or capital investments. Significant risk vs. benefit remains in the private sector. An ill-timed investment can have significant consequences leading to decisions to retain resources and delay new investments that contribute to job creation. As uncertainty is the leading concern for businesses there are other factors.
Political and economic policy uncertainty influences economic business cycles. Unresolved and potential policy changes have significant effect on future economic expectations and subsequent well being. Studies have shown that policy uncertainty has significant negative effects on small business owners plans to hire or other capital expenditures. Research has shown that hiring by small business would have been 6% higher if it weren’t for the current administration’s policy uncertainty.
The following are reasons of concern among small business regardless of industry.
Taxes: Most small businesses are taxed at individual levels, these are subject to progressively higher rates. In 2001 tax relief provisions were enacted, EGTRRA was passed and subsequently followed by JCWAA in 2002 and JGTRRA in 2003. All of these had ‘sunset clauses’ attached to expire on Dec. 31, 2010. This was extended to the end of 2012. Businesses weigh the costs and benefits of investment, uncertainty interferes with these decisions. Temporary policies, which create uncertain future outcomes such as potential taxation, are less conducive to new investment than long-term policies that create certainty. As most small businesses pay at the individual level, which may increase to 39.6% for earners incomes over $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples, they generate 72% of all small business income and pay 82% of all small business taxes. This seems to escape contrarians grasp.
Spending/Budget: More policy uncertainty affects small business in many ways. High annual budget deficits, demographic shifts and increased demand for government-funded entitlements have created significant concern on how the federal government will resolve these critical fiscal costs. Major reforms to entitlements, higher taxes to pay for these programs, increased government borrowing with resultant increased debt are all factors affecting business expansion decisions. The failure of current fiscal policy has resulted in the first ratings downgrade in history. Concerns that investors may lose confidence in the sovereign debt leading to increased costs of borrowing will extend to private individuals and businesses alike. Access to capital is a significant part of healthy economic expansion, losses in this crucial area can affect commerce significantly.
Regulations: Government regulations cost small businesses $1.75 trillion dollars in cost. These costs affect small businesses much more than large businesses. Regulations affect small businesses, those with less than 20 employees, 36% higher than large businesses, those with over 500 employees. Compliance with environmental regulations can be 364% higher for small businesses and the cost of tax compliance can be 206% higher than for large business. These costs, and subsequent reductions in certainty, show no signs of decreasing. In 2011, 15 new major regulations were issued. Estimated annual costs are $5.8 billion and one-time implementation almost $6.5 billion. These are among more than 75 new major regulations proposed since January 2009. Most of these regulations will create substantially higher energy costs and resultant reductions in employment. Small businesses will face a 30% increase in electricity and a 20% increase in natural gas compared to large business. The recent EPA Green House Gas regulation alone is estimated to increase the cost of gasoline by 50%, electricity by 50% and natural gas by 75% over the next 20 years alone. Permit and compliance costs will affect small businesses disproportionately against large business.
PPACA (Obamacare): Significant concerns regarding PPACA exist over the scope and possible consequences to their small businesses. Businesses with less than 50 full-time equivalent employees to provide government approved health insurance or pay a penalty of $3,000 for every employee that receives tax payer subsidized coverage an exchange. Higher health insurance premiums also weigh heavily on small businesses. Recent studies have shown that the PPACA tax on health insurance companies will increase costs by up to 3%, or nearly $5,000 per family over the next decade.
Contrary to popular opinion, especially by the proponents of bigger government, policy uncertainty is a real and measurable factor that can and will have significant implications for small business and the broader economy. Both individuals and businesses may delay or abandon activities important to economic growth and job creation. Any level of uncertainty will dramatically affect our current recovery. Our government must make a significant reassessment of its policies and direction.
If not we may make Japan’s “Lost Decade” look like a vacation in Disney World.
Cbawl....DC make stuff up? come on now why would they ever do such a thing...However I will have to disagree with you on the whole WMD thing in Iraq...if you remember correctly we didnt just storm over the borders claiming WMD's no for months and months on end we (the US) had been demanding Iraq open up their former WMD processing plants for Nato inspection in which Saddam and denied access to inspectors over and over again, that with our "new" war on terror and with Saddams brutal Dictator rule and proven willingness to use WMD's such as he did to exterminate nearly the entire Kurd population to the north by deploying Nerve Gas over the Kurdish cities then those that made it out found when they returned there entire cities had been burned looted and destroyed by republican guard........regardless of whether there were WMD's if you look at the span of Saddams brutal rule.....he just plain and simple needed to go....to speak of it they are still digging up mass graves
On the last note....I am still trying to figure out what they mean by "Seasonally Adjusted Claims"....
Right on!!! Gamer4Life. You hit the nail on the head. If all the figures show that the unemployment is decreasing, where did all the tradesmen go. (Long time pastures). They are trying to make ends meat. From making $20-$40 per hour to less than $10 working at Donald Mac. Giving up there homes and pride.
All this "good" news about jobless claims slowly dipping seems to be the perfect smoke-and-mirrors cover story for msnbc to ride out until election day.
Good point! Tell the 10million who have no jobs how good things are going!
As the old saying goes, figures never lie, but liars often figure.
There really is no way to hide this as positive news. It's not a sign of roaring times, but it is a sign that the economy is recovering.
The number of first time jobless claims is never zero, even during a good economy. The fact that this number is at a four year low is promising. This is also first time claims, meaning it would not be impacted by people who have exhausted their benefits.
Your right the figures never lie. Too bad the liberal media never provides all those figures. Or they would report that the participation rate is low, the overall job creation totals are generally low. You have to be above 250,000 every month to just keep up with population growth and new graduates from high schools and colleges. The underemployed has gone up. Tell me why you liberals ignore these figures?
Super x,
Take a shower and get your lazy A$$ out there and get a job!
I'm really getting tired of listening to you whine about NOT having a job!
It is NOT the governments place to "get you a job"! GOSH DARN....
oh...wait...that's the Republican's mantra....sorry. I'm so confused this morning, with all this good news about our economy....
John, those figures aren't even true. Underemployment is down over 2% in the last two years. We only need 110k to keep up with the population. Over 2 million jobs have been created in the last year and a half. You say liberals, but I suppose I don't have the luxury of tapping into whatever alternate universe you dreamt your bit from.
John,
Are you saying that FOX news presents ALL the facts? I agree that all the media outlets are guilty to a degree of bending the news to fit an agenda, but FOX is the worst and they are the largest "conservative" outlet there is.
I would be hard pressed to call FOX a "News" outlet since "News" is The fair and impartial dissimination of information, without Opinion, Bias or Inuendo.
jo ann but it is the govt job to regulate these corporations going overseas and hiring child labor and basically making slaves. i guess you forget the civil war and why the @!$%# we kicked the @!$%# out of you south ass bitches for thinking you have the right to enslave anyone you think is under you. and i also assume you think its the govt job to protect the real crooks of america and arrest the avg citizen for some new law made up so basically when we walk out of our house we are breaking some new law and get fined more money we dont have the sad thing is even if you make 1 million a year you are still part of the 99% and are seriusly a joke to the 1% but you defend them like you are somebody important to them wake the @!$%# up
Gamer,
what Republican policies help the average middle class American?
Keeping their foot on Harry and Obamy's heads.
Is that because they got jobs, or ran out of unemployment??? Most people are running out of benefits, so therefore the claims go down in that case. So, which is it?????
IF you read the first two words of the article, it is "New Applicants".
This means the number of people filing for unemployment for the first time.
Why ask when we all know the answer?
Do we have to write with a crayon for you?? NEW APPLICANTS" JC
Yes, morons, new applicants fell.
You all are clueless, so I will try and help you out.
It is like foreclosures falling, eventually once most of the houses are foreclosed the number of new ones will be minimal, is that good news?
So only 352,000 people lost their jobs last week instead of 402,000? That's good news for maybe 50,000 Americans. You guys and your "NEW APPLICANTS" are not really being honest. Kind of like this administration and this report.
JimPA - write in BOLD RED CRAYON "only 352,000 jobs lost last week".
Yes JH-479998 Last week - 402,000 This week 352,000 That means BETTER, 402,000 is more than 352,000. OK, where out in the rural country do you live? JC
Seriously? The report doesn't show how many jobs were lost, it shows how many people were fired. If you want the number of jobs, you'd need to know the number of people who were hired as well.
Jimbo
I live in a big city. I also own my own business and employ good people. I'm tired of the doom and gloom crap we have been hearing for the past 3 1/2 years. I see average Americans everyday that aren't doing as bad as you would think if you listen to this administration. There was a report out last week saying that most Americans are not struggling. Why does this administration keep pounding the envy drum? I'm tired of it and we need good change at this years election. America will always have poor people living here. I don't believe we should drag the top down to lift the bottom up.
When 352,000 Americans lose their jobs in one week I don't see it as good news for our President. You may say it is BETTER than 402,000 but I say it is still bad news.
JH, why go through the trouble of contradicting yourself by saying things are better than they seem and then dogging a good UB number? Obviously the right has had a vested interest in attacking every piece of economic data and the presidential candidates are no different.
Also, have you ever heard the expression "a rising tide lifts all boats?" If we say, educate the poor, the rich will benefit because the economy will benefit from skilled producers and consumers. The rich didn't suffer when we invested in the highway system or when we instituted social security. If you increase demand for goods, everyone benefits.
Obama hasn't dragged down the rich in any case. The only time some of the rich lost any money at all was before he came to office. Corporate profits have soared ever since. Obama only wants to repeal the useless Bush era tax cuts that were in place the whole time we went through this mess. It isn't redistribution, it's paying bills instead of subscribing to voodoo mathematics where lower taxes on the rich creates revenue. God forbid we go back to Clinton economics. 25 million new jobs would be too good for those "poor" people.
I guarantee you that if the wealth gap increases, the overall economy will suffer including the rich. The essence of America is upward mobility, not "let them eat cake" feudalistic mentalities.
Neither Wendy,
Fewer NEW means there are fewer jobs left to lose. And the seasonally adjusted can mean anything they want their government math to mean.
So we're talking about 352K people in addition to the millions that have been on the dole for nearly two years?
Was going to respond to JH Dante+numbers, but I don't have anything to add to your already elegant response. It sad that a business owner has no concept of the theories of supply and demand, OR fact from fiction, and blames everyone else for their failures in life.
Idiots...Anything around 380K means steady job growth. Anything around 400K means jobs are mostly stagnant. Anything around 420K means you are likely losing jobs. These are good numbers. Our economy could be growing at 9% GDP, and you'll still have 300K people filing for unemployment.
Thanks Obama!
Yes thanks for continuing the capitalist cronyism of the Bush administration, the same warmongering of the Bush admin, the same needless spending of the Bush admin, and the same stripping the citizens of our Constitutional rights as the Bush admin!
In short, great job being Bush 3.0!!! Now it's time for someone else in the White House. Ron Paul 2012!
I live near an artsy city and there was a mural that I think you would have appreciated, it was a painting of Obama taking off a GW Bush mask. Highly appropriate I think.
I've seen something like that: http://weknowmemes.com/tag/george-bush-obama-mask/
Annon, appropriate how? Just for hyperbole? Bush and his health care reform, gay rights, financial reform, ect?
I finally figured it out Prohibition doesn't work
I'm beginning to notice a lot of posters, claiming to be for Ron Paul actually are for Obama and using Ron Paul as a way to make the Tea Party look stupid with thier comments and continue the BLAME BUSH game.
These Obama "voluteer" posters get sneakier all the time.
Shaking, that's quite a conspiracy you conjured there. Does the Tea Party really need help after Perry? No it wouldn't be feasible for Obama to send volunteers to pretend to be Ron Paul supporters when the Tea Party isn't even up for election this presidential season. It would be much more efficient for Obama supporters to let the clown show play itself out on the national news.
Bush2=Obama=Romney
not much more to it than that. None of them are acceptable.
A bit late on reposting but if you read it dante here's your answer, ALL politicians are alike. They are all lying, thieving bastards who don't give a whit about the people who actually make up this country, they only care about the corporate "person" (legal entity that it is) and keeping their pockets so full of money and high on the hog that the state of the union no longer matters. All politicians are at fault for running this country into the ground, Bush threw us into a couple of wars that profited a very few and killed many while costing the country billions of dollars and Obama and his generosity continues said wars as well as bailing out Wall St. at the expense of the tax payers while doing nothing to reform these sleazy parasites as well as forcing everyone to have healthcare but forces the insurance companies to do little in return. Sure the insurance companies have to accept everyone now, no pre-exisisting conditional denials, but they are not told to relax the costs, oh no that would NOT be the capitalist way. There is no public option for health care either. So back to my original point, it could be most any president on that wall taking of the mask of any other president of the last 30-40 years and in general the effect is the same.
Capitalism = Economic Cycles of Expansion and then Contraction (Recession)
We are now transitioning into the expansion phase, so this news was already expected, just a question of how soon.
Wealthy economist, true there are expansions and contractions, but I don't think we're back to expansion yet, otherwise the real unemployment number would be much lesser, say around 4-5%. And I think your question would be more appropriately posed, "a question of how much longer?"
How much longer?
1/20/2013 - the end of an error
Didn't we say that on 1/20/09 too?
annon
Did things go the way you thought they would after 1/20/09? I feel cheated and lied to. And I will not blame anyone but the party who was in charge. I believe that any good news coming out now is directly related to the hope that real change is coming.
JH, your reaction to the economic conditions improving is to revert back to the party that was in charge when the economic conditions were in free fall? That's just crazy enough to work!
Mitt Romney must be our savior. He's been unemployed long enough for all of us.
Yes Jenny, just what the Obama haters WILL SAY!
Facts are stubborn little buggers aren't they?
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
Facts are great
Fact are great, and the fact that there is 16% real unemployment hurts the libs.
If the libs can't tell a lie they have nothing to say.
Dave
Soooo Sorry You had bad news with this report. I know it just puts a new lemon in your Tea. Try to be a positive person...not a the sky is falling TB/uninformed GOP.
Don't Ya see Fox & Company will have their panties in a wad over Any good news?
The Rep/TB are a real circus to watch, along with the sorry excuse for a nominee They have put forward.
OBAMA is the Only choice.
Obama is an idiot and a liar. The numbers are getting smaller because they are falling off the unemployment rolls as they have expired. It is going to get worse when they gut the military another 75,000 troops and they can't find work either. The news is not good. It is just being distorted to make it look better. Look at the economy. It is flatlined. When that happens it is not growing. If it is not growing it can't be getting better.
Obama just got re-elected.
Isn't that the same comment you made the two or three other times this happened before they were adjusted upward? Don't recall a comment from you when that happened.
Lying gets you nowhere Dan G.
LOL
"obama just got re-elected"
oh..that was funny.
Good economic news won't hurt his chances Keck.
I wish people would take this article for what it is - an economic indicator that happens to be positive at the moment. That's all it is - a snapshot in time.
Politicians like to take credit for the economy when times are good and lay blame on others when times are bad. That's politics. The fact is, neither side (Republicans or Democrats) has any real control over the economy.
Don't bet on it
Unemployment will be at 6.8 percent in November! The Republicans will ask for and get an award from Congress to give to Obama for moving the Country without political help. S Palin has been asked to present this with McCain. Mitt is a guest speaker to describe how he supported health care and then said it was a bad idea. L Graham will have a chance to make a case for another war to get the level back to three percente.
Mitt says he will employ another 100 people with the addition to his house worth 12 million plus
But I thought Sarah Palin was mad she wasn't vetted properly in the last election?
I guess because the prior week was adjusted up so much it makes it look better. What's next weeks adjustment going to look like?
NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! I wanted Newt to win... he has such nice words.
At least he has a better hunting ground than Perry...
Eventually the economy will get better despite Obama. It just takes longer when you have of President who lacks leadership and promotes poor economic policies. We should naturally come out of this in another year or two provided Obama isn't reelected.
uhh....you mean DESPITE any Congressional help!
You guys just can't take it that Obama' policies have HELPED this country!
Very Un American of you!
jo -an-4354969 why when someone disagrees with you there are un-american... tell me why that is with out calling me un-american since i'am a 10 year marine vet.... so that kind of makes me american..
His policies have helped this country achieve an unemployment rate over 8%, amass a debt over $15 TRILLION dollars, give illegal aliens executive order amnesty. We can't take much more of that kind of help!
Sorry Lar,
when "someone"s response is
I call that UN-AMERICAN,
my opinion....
Sorry Janice,
that was started by Bush's policies, NOT Obama's!
janice22 - look at the numbers. Obama has deported more illegal aliens than GW Bush. Again, stop watching Fox and look at the real stats.
livingandlearning,
you should START watching Fox and quit listening to Obama's liberal media wh0res.
Obama's claim that he has DEPORTED more illegals than Bush is just another of his LIES.
As with so many other things, Obama has changed the way that number is reached.
They have been counting any illegals CAUGHT TRYING TO ENTER the country and turned back as "deported". These were NEVER previously counted as deported.
The TRUTH is that actual administrative deportations have dropped greatly and are continuing to drop now with BO's back-door amnesty.
Dan And Foolish
How about some FACTS to back up your posts??? Oh ya, you Can't Find Any facts to support your pitiful views.(fox let ya down?)
Foolish:
MEENA HARTENSTEIN
NY Daily News
November 24, 2011
If Fox News viewers want to be informed about current events, they might as well turn off the TV.
A poll released by Fairleigh Dickinson University on Monday found that people who get their news from Fox News know significantly less about news both in the U.S. and the world than people who watch no news at all.
In a survey of 612 New Jersey natives, Fox News fans flunked questions about Egypt and Syria when compared with people who don’t watch the news. Fox viewers were 18-points less likely to know that Egyptians toppled their government and 6 points less likely to be aware that Syrians have not yet overthrown theirs.
“Because of the controls for partisanship, we know these results are not just driven by Republicans or other groups being more likely to watch Fox News,” Dan Cassino, a Fairleigh Dickinson professor who served as an analyst for the poll, said in the report. “Rather, the results show us that there is something about watching Fox News that leads people to do worse on these questions that those who don’t watch any news at all.”
Says it ALL!
Says NOTHING
Just NBC tring to promote obama. Everyone knows employment was up last month due to temp Christmas help and claims have fallen because people who have been on unemployment compensation for the last 3 years have exhausted their benifits.
Not to mention those laid off after Christmas have to wait two weeks before they can file a claim.
That is what the term "seasonally adjusted" means...
Look it up...it's not that hard!
WOW!
Gaithersburger,
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I respect your right to your opinion. Now to confuse and dismay you with some facts regarding your apparent opinion of the Republicans: The Democrats had control of both the house and the Senate from January 2008 until January 2011 with a Democrat POTUS at the helm since January 2009. During this time we have seen the unemployment rate start out at 7.7%, with 11,919,000 people reported themselves as
unemployed and actively looking for work. This rose (not declined under the watchful eye of the Democrats and their fearless leader Obama) to 10.1% in April 2009, and now stands at 8.6%. The number of unemployed eclipsed 13 million in March 2009, and has remained above 13 million for 31 straight months. And this is just the first few months that Obama after Obama became POTUS!
So yes, I would say that based on the FACTS not opinions, Obama is doing a GREAT job and deserves to be re-elected. Doing a GREAT job and deserves to be re-elected that is if you want to see the real possibility of the continual decline of the American economy. Would a Republican POTUS do better? Hard to tell and it would depend on what he wanted and how he wanted to accomplish it as well as how much cooperation he got from congress. To be fair, lately Obama hasn't had much luck with congress in areas such as his "JOBS BILL." To be equally fair please remember that this bill was killed in the Democratically controlled Senate not the Republican controlled House. However all WAS not lost. Obama has had a more than one chance to prove that creating jobs really are his #1 priority as he said in 2008 and 2010. What does our Liar in Chief do? He kills everything and anything that would create jobs (the Keystone pipeline is a great example of this) and if there is a chance that the private sector might make a profit and hire new people he creates new and unnecessary regulations to make sure this is not likely to happen.
Opinion: Obama wants to see private sector jobs that he as POTUS can not directly control, go away. He wants more government control and less private sector control/jobs and the only logical conclusion for this is that he wants the federal government to increasingly control the lives of American citizens. They say that actions speak louder than words. Well Obama's actions counteract his words and speak volumes for his true intentions for America.
Ernie,
Name one law the President can pass without the Congress? Can he just by fiat make a jobs bill pass? No?
Oh, he had a Democratically controlled Senate that killed his jobs bill? How many votes do you need to pass somthing in the Senate to avoid a fillibuster? 60? Is there a 60 vote majority in the Senate? No?
Oh - well, maybe if you'd perform a rectal-cranial extraction you'd realize that the do-nothing GOP under the leadership of Mr. Boehner and the Geriatric Turtle McConnell are the root of your problems...
Opinion: You think POTUS wants private sector jobs to go away? WHY? He can't stay in office more than 4 more years without a constitutional amendment - he can't even really hold Federal Office afterwards - so why would he want everyone to be part of the Federal Government? So they can contol him? Wait - a Black man wants the Government to control his life? A Constitutional Scholar at that? Are you just stupid or do they make tin foil hats in your size?
If you want control - just look at how the Tea Party Twits have hijacked the legislative process and any sense of compromise.
Keystone Pipeline create jobs? All 20,000 of them? Who foots the bill for the environmental crap that comes with that? The Government or the people living by the pipeline? Oh - I get it - the 20,000 jobs are the government contractors who will need to work with the EPA to clean up Big Oil's mess a la Love Canal.
Grow a Medulla Oblungata, attach it to a Frontal Cortex and THINK you stupid Right Wing Sheep!
Gaithersburger - You have a similar handle in all the regional newspapers, and you keep with the same opinions, who is paying you ?
Ebeneezer, here's what you said:
"Oh, he had a Democratically controlled Senate that killed his jobs bill? How many votes do you need to pass somthing in the Senate to avoid a fillibuster? 60? Is there a 60 vote majority in the Senate? No?
Oh - well, maybe if you'd perform a rectal-cranial extraction you'd realize that the do-nothing GOP under the leadership of Mr. Boehner and the Geriatric Turtle McConnell are the root of your problems..."
You know, if you weren't spinning bs while you told the other guy to pull his head out, I probably would have just kept reading along, but that made me feel the need to respond. So let's look at what really happened, shall we?
Obama flew all over the country, making a big spectacle of himself, shouting "pass this bill now"
However, because he is an inexperienced leader, and because of his arrogance, HE NEVER BOTHERED TO LINE UP SUPPORT WITHIN HIS OWN PARTY!
The republicans forced it to a vote in the Senate - they called his bluff. Harry Reid had to use a procedural move to stop the vote from taking place, because it did not have the votes to pass in a simple up down vote.
The President looked foolish. Not because of the republicans, but because of his own actions. A more experienced leader would not have made such a stupid mistake.
Harry Reid had to block the vote. The filibuster was never a factor.
Do you know who changed the filibuster rules to what they are today? The Democrats did it. In 1980. Sen Byrd.
Besides, every President in history has had to work with the other party.
Only Obama whines because he can't have total control of all three legislative branches.
I like Beer and funnels too, but not when I'm looking at politics.
Keep going, U.S.! We need to keep going in this direction! Keep pushing!
Cue all the conservatives who would rather this country fall into the pits of Hell rather than see a democratic predident succeed.
Country has been at the bottom of the pit for 3 years. He is a Socialist, not a democrat.
No, they just want to point out the facts rather than try and BS the public.
Dean - the socialists would disagree - and Reagan would think he was a republican (not kidding, just look at Reagan's record with Labor, and Tax increases, and Government spending...)
Dan: Fact: Obstructionists in the Senate keep filibustering the President's Jobs bill(s) so they can blame him for their own assholitude.
Pay no mind to Dean or Dan. They are just haters. Leave the haters to themselves.
Dan, Conservative citizens maybe, yes want facts, but conservative politicians are full of just as much BS as democratic ones are.
william again why when someone has a different idea then you,that they want the country to go to the (pits of hell) ????? don't call names just answer me that question please.
Um - because facts speak loudly Larry - When there's a Healthcare bill based on GOP proposals but submitted by a Democrat its "EVIL" - they just want to repeal it to pass it under a GOP administration...
When there's a Stimulus plan proposed by a GOP president it's an emergency (Bush's stimulus) - but when the president signs it, it's EVIL (when Obama signed it after innaugurated).
When there's a debt increase needed to prevent default, it's EVIL under a democrat, and business as usual under a GOP president. Even now, they had to @!$%# up the law so badly that voting against the debt increase doesn't prevent it from happening, but allows the president to veto the vote against a debt increase which allows the debt increase to go forward... (seriously that's what's happening this week).
When there's a Jobs Bill proposed by a democrat using the GOP's own ideas, it's SOCIALISM.
When there's a tax increase to pay for the deficit, it's Socialism, but when the deficit increases because of tax cuts, it's OK.
I mean really - It's not that the ideas are different - it's that there are morons playing politics and counting on people to be too stupid to figure it out.
I'd say it's both sides doing it - but we ALL know that just ain't true. Just look at the GOP website vs. the DNC website and look at the t-shirts.
Who has the Hater shirts and who has the more positive messages? (You don't see a "Fire Boehner" t-shirt on the DNC site. Hint Hint.)
The unemployment rate is under 8% today, right?
Vote the Socialist out in 2012!!
We're trying, but the GOP just won't die....oh, you said socialist, and not Fascist
Dean....
it took Bush 8 years to F%(*& up the economy, you can't expect it to turn around in 3!
But it SURE is LOOKING BETTER!
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
I believe Obama promised it would not be over 8% by the end of his first year. Guess you forgot all those campaign promises he made and didn't keep
I also believe, the "mess" this country was in, was much worse than any of the "experts" back in 2007 said it was! Look it up!
spin,spin,spin
It's easier to keep promises when the people whose job it is to actually pass laws don't just filibuster everything like that geriatric turtle, Mitch McConnell.
It's easier to keep promises when your legislative agenda isn't sabotaged at every turn by a vindictive right-wing who think you're from Kenya.
It's easier to keep promises when your Jobs Act is passed and not stalled.
It's easier to keep promises when your opponents' supporters start hiring people instead of dumping money into Super PACs and Gold Bars.
It's easier to keep promises when the people against you help lift the country up instead of doing everything they can to tear it down while blaming you for their own stupidity...
Ebeneezer.........I like your post. It's too bad Republican and Tea Party supporters don't consider these facts when passing judgment.
That being said, the Democrats, including the President, can also be accused of playing games as well.
The fact is, the politics of winning has trumped the practicality of managing the country's affairs for the benefit of all. The art of compromise is lost in Washington.
Yes, but our games are more fun - and usually involve drinking and beer funnels!
Right on Ebeneezer!
I like it!
I think obama had 2 full years to pass everything he wanted. Where was all the job creating legialstion then..oh yeah, he was too busy trying to pass his obamacare, and the only way he got his own party to pass the bill was through bribery.
pinkfloyd.......he didn't have 2 years to pass everything he wanted. The Democrats had the majority in the Senate, but not the 60 votes needed to prevent the Republicans from philibustering legislation. The Republicans set new records for the use philibuster during this time. As I recall, they used this tactic well over a hundred times in both 2009 and 2010.
I believe Reid used the nuclear option to thwart the Republican attempts.
I'm not going to disagree that Harry Reid played some games with the rules as well. These are the reasons why I don't have a lot of use for any of them.
Same here, Can't stand either party. Can't remember which President said the 2 party system would destroy America.
Don't be fooled! This is because so many people have finally exhausted their unemployment benefits and/or have stopped looking for a job. This is another ploy by the media to get O'Bama re-elected.
Fox Business News is in on the ploy?
Truer words never spoken!
Thank you! I knew Fox Business News was in on it!
LOL
new applicants = just lost their job
those already on unemployment and those that ran out of unemployment are not included as new applicants.
READ THE ARTICLE PLEASE quote (new applications) i know the numbers are not right and reading the story it is slanted really bad... like when it says gas prices are falling and food is going up modestly.... in northern calif it is going up on both of these.. don't know if i can blame obama for this,i don't think so... but i see the pipeline isn't going to go through now i can say that is obama's fault to me that is jobs real jobs. not on paper..
The real news and the most important fact are the new (NET) jobs added of 200,000 jobs and a trend of over 100,000 jobs a month. Anemic growth to be sure, but a trend in the right direction. Net new jobs means (eventually) a decrease in all unemployed, counted or uncounted.
If corporate profits are up substantially, and personal wealth is increasing for the top tier, and a significant number of new jobs are STILL not being added - why would more tax cuts equal new jobs? It hasnt worked yet.....
By the way - you do all understand what INITIAL claims are? Right? These are the newly unemployed - not 'people who just give up'.
The fact is that any number under 400k per month is considered growth (because that's the break-even point for a normal economy. That many people out of all 300 MILLION of us tend to lose their jobs in any given week. You know - people who do stupid @!$%# to get fired as well as people who are getting laid off or people whose contracts end, etc.
TO put it in perspective - that's 1/1000 of 1% that file claims in any week. It does NOT show how many people get hired in a week. The ADP numbers are better for that.
Even so - this is good news, so we'll have the tin hatters out saying it's a liberal media spin...
Even if Fox Business news is reporting the SAME DAMNED THING on their front page.
Write it with a crayon and maybe just maybe the Fox news watchers might comprehend it, but I doubt it.
Watch carefully as the Republican party take this obviously good news and spin it to a negative then watch the Republican field go even more to the extreme right to appease the loons in their base who takes any good news under President Obama as a personal attack on their non melanin standing in the world.
despite all the gop have done to slow down the economy, the stimulus has worked. sorry mcconnel and boehner, can't say no to everything.
Yahoo, long live Obama, we are saved, how dumb are we..... the pablum puking nonsense we are asked to swallow.....
You're trying to say something intelligent...I just know it...
It's like a thousand monkeys banging away on a thousand typewriters, eventually Jim will say something intelligent, maybe...
Election year propaganda. This government can't accurately keep track of anything, from unemployment claims to homeless statistics to the number of vehicles and computers it owns. Hell, the FBI a couple of years ago couldn't account for the number of guns it had!
And Faux is in on it??? Right!
I could care less what party you support OR which news source you choose to believe. The FACT is that this government (DEM, REP, IND) is incompetent, insensitive to the nations needs and corrupt. They no longer represent the people. For that reason incumbents should be sent packing in 2012. Who you put in their place is a local issue. But if you believe that your representative or senator is not just out for him/herself, you are mistaken.
Danno.....term limits would be a good start as well.
Danno - couldn't agree more!
This unholy alliance between government and (certain - not all) large corps, including bailed out banks, failed investments (e.g. Solyndra), and corrupt financial institutions (Corzine/MF Global of late) - has been at the expense of the real stakeholders - the middle class taxpaying citizens.
Wake up America!
Continued smoke & mirrors propaganda at work- they try to suggest that employers have been hiring in droves beneath the awareness of the public while a look at the Sunday Want-ads suggests otherwise. They ignore the masses of people who have dropped off radar; gave up looking for work, exhausted benefits, etc. This is a narrowed view of reality, purporting that improvement is occurring while ignoring the facts that people are not actually returning to work... because it simply isn't there.
whatever....
You complain about a "narrowed view of reality" and yet clearly demonstrate one with your post. Go ahead, keep denying that things are improving. This is only one of many economic indicators that show the economy is improving.
The fact is, President Obama has no more to do with this recovery than the Republicans, Democrats, or Tea Party members in Congress and the Senate. The economy moves in cycles and it's now started on an upswing - that's all. You're just mad because a stronger economy helps the President with his re-election.
That's certainly an insightful comment. Couldn't find anything else on the Daily Kos to cut and paste into this forum?
Janice, sweetheart,
Blah, blah, blah....You people just don't want to believe the economy IS improving under Obama, and it won't matter what is said, what the "facts" are....you just want this president to FAIL!
Maybe, yawn, would be more appropriate!
absolutely......I have to agree with Jo-An on this. I doubt you, and other Obama bashers, would be saying these things if a Republican were President at the moment.
Nobody in Washington, including the President, has much control over the economy. The fact that it's improving is good news for everyone. It's certainly better than the alternative.
The Giligan........I agree, he'll probably try to take credit for this. On the other hand, the Republicans will also try and take credit as well. They'll say it was their resistance to President Obama's initiatives that caused things to improve.
Basically, we'll get to see more political BS from both sides for the next week or so.
Sheeple seldom understand anything outside of their narrow perception of things because they used to depending on their daily feeding of whatever lies are given to them... and digest them readily. Enjoy the feast!
The Giligan.......there's a lot of truth in your post.
Unfortunately, I don't believe there are any true leaders in government anymore. Qualities like honesty, integrity, respect, and the ability to compromise no longer define elected officials. Now it's all about sound-bites and spin doctors. And people wonder why things don't get done.
This report is NOT TRUE. The whole article is one big lie.
The only reason it seems like it has dropped is because the benefits of all those people have run out, and they are not counted any more so the data that these people are employed is bogas.
What this news agency will not do to help out their lord and master Obama. The persons who name is on this report:
Your word is as good as NOTHING. You have a great career ahead of you at MSNBC.
It said NEW APPLICANTS! You have the IQ of a gerbil!
You OBVIOUSLY didn't read the article Steven. It says"NEW APPLICATIONS".
Moveforward, obviously you don't understand math.
Hey Steven - if it's so untrue, why is FOX BUSINESS NEWS REPORTING THE SAME DAMNED THING?!? (I'd link it, but it's on their FRONT PAGE).
The report is about new claims not continuing claims. Also the unemployment figure counts as unemployed anyone who is looking for work whether they are receiving benefits, their benefits have run out or even if they have never even had a job.
lmao, did someone really use Fox as a source thinking its a legit news organization.
Once again ignorance is amazing. Word of advice, Fox news is not honest, it never has been. It has a pure and simple agenda and if you can not see it then you are simply brainwashed.....we can not help you, sorry!!
No No No! I never said that Fox is a legitimate source of news - but even THEY can't ignore the news (at least on their Business side - after all, True Capitalists are Ayn Randian Pricks who will sniff out bull@!$%# that threatens their bottom line. This helps their bottom line, so they'll condone it....for now)...
We've Had 22 consecutive months of private sector growth. SPIN THAT RIGHTIES. Tissues?
ahahhahahha!!!
Loving it!!
WAH, WAH, WAH.....
ahahhahahha!!!
Loving it!!
WAH, WAH, WAH.....
When you cherry-pick the data, choosing a time frame favorable to Obama of course it looks good. To start from the beginning of Obama's term -- rather than half way through his first two years -- you would have been stuck with a net loss of 3.4 million private-sector jobs, not the increase of 777,000 that was publized for the first eight months of 2010. They essentially started counting from the low point for jobs and only counted the upward part of the trendline.
When you control the numbers, anything is possible. The minor increases don't mean squat to the millions of unemployed that are off the books..
And of course, computerization, outsourcing etc, has nothing to do with the lack of jobs in this country, right???
It took 8 years of Bush's, unfunded wars and ridiculous policies to get us to this point! You would think it might take more than 3 years to right the ship!
Old & Tired..........so I take it you have access to all the raw data? You're a career statitician right? I assume you have first hand knowledge that the White House is manipulating the numbers right?
Why can't people just accept the fact that the economy is improving. That's what happens when you come out of a recession - the economy improves. This has nothing to do with anything the President has done; just like it has nothing to do with what Congress and the Senate has done. This recovery is occuring in spite of their stupidity.
The economy is improving. It has a long way to go but it is improving. It's better than the alternative. If you want to blame someone, blame everyone in Washington - not just the President.
Shot up Vet, I challenge you to prove those numbers. I suggest you stop watching/reading anything from the tabloid network called fox news. They have ZERO intentions of being honest. Just look at the owners history for why that network is NOT honest.
1. What was the Jobless claims Jan 2009??? That is the start of Obama's term.
2. Even 6 months into his first year you logically/intelligently have to understand that the economy is STILL Bush's economy since government policies generally take almost 2 years to have an effect.
I read posts from the extreme right all the time and its like they think Feb 2009 was the time when there should have been a change.....ignorance!!!
Sadly the web is not a place that can filter out ignorance. Did you get shot in the head???
Yahoo 22 consecutive months of job growth - we are heading into a Utopia
Yea, being pulled by Bushes chain of job loss...
OK guys and gals... how many of you really believe fox news or msnbc???? reading this crap tells me only one thing this country is so torn between parties... i have to go to work now but god people can't we all just try to stop the name calling... we all tell our kids not to call names and on here i see it everyday... grown-up and i use that very loosely...calling each other repubtards and libtards if i heard my son or daughter calling anyone a tard of any kind they would get me all over them...how sad that we have to name call to make a point... good day folks..
And speaking of ignorance, why don't you do you OWN research and disprove my numbers. But its just simpler to be a bomb thrower isn't it..... My main source was from a liberal publication, the Tampa Bay Times.
1. 589,000 per CNN
2. Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on earth........ This guy can heal the planet, so I wouldn't think adding a few jobs would be a tough assignment..
As for the last, I was hit just about everywhere else. My head and BRAIN are totally intact and unlike others, very functional.. Have a nice day.
ole shot up is feeling a bit testy today? rofl
U3 is not an accurate estimate of unemployment. There are many people who have given up and do not get counted. Another way to look at unemployment is to count who is actually employed. Google for "Unemployment Kondratieff Wave" to see another employment chart.
the reason unemployment numbers have dropped is because there are FEWER jobs to lose. LESS JOBS means LESS Layoffs...DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Real unemployment is still around 16-18 percent .Tell a former Construction worker,teacher or college grad with student loans who is flipping burgers at Mickey D's that they is gainfully employed and the $8 an hour they are making will support their spouse and kids..Government economic news is strictly for those who are either brain dead or Liberals grasping at straws to keep Bernanke's puppet in office.
question you gopsters blew up the economy and now your bitch about the recovery....wow i'm listening to you guys ....you are yet to take responsiblibilty for the mess you created during the bush years, that created the need for obama ....if you want to have an opinion first owe up to the ones that you've had before like bush cheney 2000 and 2004... you got no street cred guys only blame except for the blame that should go to you guys for voting in george w...
When did the Democrats take hold of the purse strings, 2008. When did things turn real bad? Right after that.
Do you want me to draw you a picture.
Also, if you think we were happy with our party, why did we fire so many?
How many D's have been voted out by their voter base? Zero!
You all bitch about the war but don't vote any of your reps out that voted for it and then blame us. Grow up and look at your side of the aisle, we are working on our side and you children have your focus there also.
No, actually it was the economic policies of George "Dumba$$" Bush (and other Repugnantcans over the last 30+ years) that caused the stock market crash of September 2008, MONTHS BEFORE OBAMA WAS EVEN ELECTED, LET ALONE TOOK OFFICE, that got us where we are now!!
Actually it was 2006 when Pelosi and Reid (and the rest of the dems) took over the congress. The economy tanked just shortly after! The fall accelerated after Obama was elected in 2008.Things started to level off in 2010 when the Dems lost the House but won't acutually get much better until they lose the Senate and White House in 2012. Hope is just around the corner.
MTpolitico........you seem to have left out the Republican influence during this time. Although the Democrats held the majoity in both houses, they did not have the minimum 60 votes in the Senate to prevent the Republicans from holding up legislation. The records shows the Republcians used a record number of philibusters during this time.
I'm not excusing the Democrats, or the President, for their poor performance. They should have done a better job. I'd just like to see people like you acknowledge the fact that Republicans contributed to this mess by consistently sabotaging any effort to fix the problem.
Games were (and are) being played by both sides. Open your eyes and you'll see both sides are responsible for this mess.