Job Numbers: Real or Manipulated?

Did you hear about last month’s surprisingly positive jobs numbers? While an elated Team Obama cheered, the startling jump caused others to speculate how a phone poll managed to extrapolate 800,000 found work when the business survey indicated only 115,000 jobs were created.

Were these numbers skewed? Former GE CEO Jack Welch tweeted out: “Unbelievable jobs numbers. These Chicago guys will do anything … can’t debate so change numbers.” He later stood by his tweet: “These numbers just don’t go with the economic activity.” Welch said. “You draw your own conclusions.”

Of course the Department of Labor  and its supporters bristled at the idea they might have falsified or stretched the data.

Economic Policy Institute President Lawrence Mishel told the Business Insider:  “It’s a shock to hear that anybody can think that these numbers were manipulated. Having followed these numbers for 25 years and knowing the people who put them out it’s absolutely bizarre…It’s outrageous. The data is based on surveys of tens of thousands of employers and households every month.”

But agree or not the total number of employed is now 3 to 4 million fewer than in 2009. For many it still feels like it’s a tough market.

Business News:”The nearly entire reduction in unemployment from its 10 percent peak in October 2009 has been accomplished through a significant drop in the percentage of adults participating in the labor force — either working or looking for work,” University of Maryland economist Peter Morici said.

How many families have had to accept lower wage or part time work while they wait for a change in the economy? And are these people adequately represented in the Department of Labor numbers?

Whether we believe the September job numbers are true or not there are still too many struggling to find permanent, full time employment. For them this new ad by Americans for Prosperity depicts a real life scenario.