Real unemployment numbers
 

According to the official US Debt Clock.org...

In 2008 the Bush unemployment was 10.696 million (and moving)

In 2011 the Obama unemployment is 13.896 million (and moving)

The difference is only 3.2 million, not nearly as bad as we have been led to believe.

Re: Real unemployment numbers
 

3.2 million, but a 30% increase, which is non-trivial.

Re: Real unemployment numbers
 

It would probably be better to compare the numbers from when the economy bottomed out or a few months into Obama's presidency, rather than the numbers right before Bush left office, considering things were on a steep downward trajectory when Obama took office, and he couldn't do anything to immediately change that.

Graph: Unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted)

The unemployment rate was around 8% when Obama took office, but continued to fall to about 10% over the next few months. It has since improved to 9%. Not a big improvement, but nonetheless I would say that it would be more fair to say that it has improved (quite slowly, true) under Obama than to blame Obama for the fact that it's higher than it was on the day he took office.

It's also true that most Americans don't/didn't blame Obama for the state of the economy in the few months after he took office, so they would tend to assign responsibility to him for the slow recovery but not for the initial decline. Of course, some, such as myself, would assign most of the blame for the slow recovery on the obstructionist GOP caucus in Congress, and blame Obama to the extent that he was unable to push a larger stimulus through or negotiate well with the Bush tax cuts/debt ceiling debate (austerity measures are the opposite of what we should be doing right now). That's a failure with regards to dealing with the piece of shit Republicans, but obviously that's much better than actually being the piece of shit Republicans.

Re: Real unemployment numbers
 

And actually, comparing unemployment numbers to presidents is somewhat an exercise in futility. I know every presidential candidate promises jobs, but that's actually a pretty tall order now that the ever-expanding credit boom of the last 30 years has finally busted.

In my non-expert opinion, job growth is going to be slow and gradual, and recovery will be long and unpleasant, and it doesn't really matter who is in the White House.

Re: Real unemployment numbers
 

Re: Real unemployment numbers
 

:derp:

Re: Real unemployment numbers
 

This thread is better because I'm in it. I have embiggened this thread with my cromulent presence.

Re: Real unemployment numbers
 

You mean with your "cromulence" - you can't just use words like their meanings are made up.

Re: Real unemployment numbers
 

Today's unemployment numbers are much more improved than back then.

Only 3.20 million unemployed... Rejoice, be happy

Re: Real unemployment numbers
 

So what you're going to post this exact same half-assed OP every two weeks with slightly different numbers?

Re: Real unemployment numbers
 

They are not my numbers, here, check it out for yourself...

CompuServe Search

Re: Real unemployment numbers
 

That has nothing to do with what I said :whoosh:

Re: Real unemployment numbers
 

The thread is about official unemployment numbers, not percentages, and that was what I was referring to.

Re: Real unemployment numbers
 

Sister, you ain't just whistling Dixie.
Dear Rickoshay75 Pollyanna: thanks for the pick-me-up about how things really aren't so bad.... I mean unless you're one of the millions of unemployed or underemployed. Or their kids. Or unless the high unemployment rates have a negative effect on pay increases for the working class in general. Or the ripple effect of lower consumer spending results in a weak economy. But other than that, it is really rosy.

In related news, unemployed people now have a lot more free time, and zero work-related injuries! And we've been led to believe that unemployment is a bad thing!

Re: Real unemployment numbers
 

Also, funny that you use the word REAL in your title: your source lists a cell that reads Then on the 2011 current page, it reads:
So the increase in ACTUAL UNEMPLOYMENT, according to the site you're using, is 11,480,218 more people really unemployed and underemployed.

Plus roughly 15 million more Food Stamp recipients from 2008 to 2011.

Back to how things are actually better than we think

Re: Real unemployment numbers
 

It was either the official count and the actual count, and official sounded more official.