Zuckerman: I'm Flummoxed About Obama

[Kathianne]

Seriously, though it's not his title on the WSJ. Considering he's been an Obama supporter and holds the title of 'chairman and editor in chief of U.S. News & World Report,' a very respected weekly, without a following today. So he turned to where the numbers are:


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903327904576526611297517664.html?m od=WSJ_hp_mostpop_read




OPINION (http://online.wsj.com/public/search?article-doc-type=%7BCommentary+%28U.S.%29%7D&HEADER_TEXT=commentary+%28u.s.)
<small>AUGUST 25, 2011</small>

Obama and the 'Competency Crisis'Like many Americans who supported him, I long for a triple-A president to run a triple-A country.


By MORTIMER ZUCKERMAN (http://online.wsj.com/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=MORTIMER+ZUCKERMAN&bylinesearch=true)The rising impatience with the leadership of President Obama was epitomized on Aug. 8 in the middle of one of the now-habitual Wall Street roller coasters. His speech on the economy was 53 minutes late. What showed on TV screens was an empty White House podium, an image suggestive of the absence of leadership. When the president did speak, the best he could come up with was "We've always been and always will be a triple-A country." The market's response was a Bronx cheer, a drop of another 300 points.


Mr. Obama seems unable to get a firm grip on the toughest issue facing his presidency and the country—the economy. He now asserts he is going to "pivot" to jobs. Now we pivot to jobs? When there are already 25 million Americans who are either unemployed or cannot find full-time work? Does this president not appreciate what is going on?


Fewer Americans are working full-time today than when Mr. Obama took office. We have lost over 900,000 full-time jobs in the last four months alone, and long-term unemployment is at a post-World War II high. The public's faith in his ability to deal with the economy has plunged. As Doyle McManus of the L.A. Times put it, "Can this president persuade voters to let him keep his job when so many have lost theirs?" Even Jimmy Carter didn't plumb the depths of national dissatisfaction revealed in the stunning Gallup poll taken Aug. 11-13. The president's approval rating was only 39% with a mere 26% approving of his handling of the economy...

[KarlMarx]

It's a good bet that the unemployment rate is quite a bit higher than the 9.1 percent official figure. Here's why I think so. New York State claims that the average unemployment rate of the are where I live to be less than the national average. I think it has less to do with people finding jobs than people using up their unemployment benefits and dropping off the radar. The trick is how do you come up with an accurate count of the unemployed?

[fj1200]

The trick is how do you come up with an accurate count of the unemployed?

If you're not looking you're not counted. I think the Labor Force Participation Rate is what you're looking for; here is the sobering graph.

http://data.bls.gov/generated_files/graphics/LNS11300000_5402_1314380989376.gif
It wasn't even that great under Bush, never really rebounding from the go-go 90's. It's not just Zuckerman flummoxed, it's pretty much everyone. It's amazing how much a couple of percent really change things. The post-war years:

http://data.bls.gov/generated_files/graphics/LNS11300000_5495_1314381235827.gif

[Kathianne]

It's a good bet that the unemployment rate is quite a bit higher than the 9.1 percent official figure. Here's why I think so. New York State claims that the average unemployment rate of the are where I live to be less than the national average. I think it has less to do with people finding jobs than people using up their unemployment benefits and dropping off the radar. The trick is how do you come up with an accurate count of the unemployed?

The government actually does a good job of tracking the scenarios, they also publish them, but do not publicize the alternatives:

http://www.bls.gov/lau/stalt11q2.htm


Alternative Measures of Labor Underutilization for States, Third Quarter of 2010 through Second Quarter of 2011 Averages The six state measures are based on the same definitions as those published for the U.S.:


U-1, persons unemployed 15 weeks or longer, as a percent of the civilian labor force;
U-2, job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs, as a percent of the civilian labor force;
U-3, total unemployed, as a percent of the civilian labor force (this is the definition used for the official unemployment rate);
U-4, total unemployed plus discouraged workers, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus discouraged workers;
U-5, total unemployed, plus discouraged workers, plus all other marginally attached workers, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all marginally attached workers; and
U-6, total unemployed, plus all marginally attached workers, plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all marginally attached workers.



Stats given for country and each state.

[red states rule]

I am sure some in the WH, the liberal media, and at DNC HQ are hoping Irene will become a Cat 5 and cause massive damage so they can have a "stimulus" to jump start the Obama economy

What could be better than another couple of trillion buck going to union workers to rebuild the East Coast? That would "solve" the unemployment problem - right?

[Abbey Marie]

In the midst of an economic crisis, this prez gives us basketball terminology? :lame2:

Knowing we were already in a downturn, Obama he spent his initial political capital pushing health care legislation down our throats. Which only made matters worse for businesses who might have hired.

[red states rule]

In the midst of an economic crisis, this prez gives us basketball terminology? :lame2:

Knowing we were already in a downturn, Obama he spent his initial political capital pushing health care legislation down our throats. Which only made matters worse for businesses who might have hired.


Abbey, in 2010 Obama rammed Obamacare down our throats

In 2012 we will ram our foot up his ass at the voting booth

[KartRacerBoy]

:slap::beer:
Abbey, in 2010 Obama rammed Obamacare down our throats

In 2012 we will ram our foot up his ass at the voting booth

Your political analysis is, as usual, STUPIDfying. Dear god, why do you bother to get out of bed in the morning if this is the best you can do?

[red states rule]

:slap::beer:

Your political analysis is, as usual, STUPIDfying. Dear god, why do you bother to get out of bed in the morning if this is the best you can do?

I guess in your world, Obamacare is widly popular witht he unwashed masses, and Obamacare is indeed saving people money, lowering the cost of health care, and employers are giddy over the prospects of all the tax increases and additional increased costs of doing business

I guess you are puzzled why would any voter want to fire Obama over Obamacare. Perhaps you think the peasants just don't know how damn good they have it with Obama and living under Obamanomics

BUt you keep that attitude Kart. You keep carrying that chip on your shoulder like Obama is doing. You keep insulting those who have a different POV on the role and size of government like your elected libs do.

That is all you can really do since like Obama you have nothing new to offer as far as solutions

[SassyLady]

The only thing Obama wanted was to be famous ..... for something.....now he will be.

[red states rule]

The only thing Obama wanted was to be famous ..... for something.....now he will be.

A famous one term failure and will be along side Carter in the dustbin of political history

[SassyLady]

A famous one term failure and will be along side Carter in the dustbin of political history

Nooooo....he will be more infamous than Carter .... unless he performs a miracle in the next 18 months.

[red states rule]

Nooooo....he will be more infamous than Carter .... unless he performs a miracle in the next 18 months.

I just addeed another bumper sticker on my car SL

It has a picture of Obama and the words "and you thought Carter sucked"