Policy choices matter and this is PATHETIC!!

As a public service, I have asked Miranda to recap today’s business news headlines as I suspect she’ll focus attention where I cannot.    

September 9, 2012    

 A recap: 

U.S. employers added 96,000 jobs last month. The unemployment rate fell to 8.1 percent from 8.3 percent in July. But, that was only because more people gave up looking for jobs. People who are out of work are counted as unemployed only if they're looking for a job. The government also said Friday that 41,000 fewer jobs were created in July and June than first estimated. The economy has added just 139,000 jobs a month since the start of the year, below 2011's average of 153,000. We're not even keeping up with population growth!

The number of people IN THE WORKFORCE dropped to its lowest level in 31 years (63.5%). 43 straight months in which unemployment has now exceeded 8 percent. This is the slowest recovery in 70 years, and job creation has not recovered since the recession began in 2007.

More than 12.5 million people were unemployed last month. But when discouraged workers and those who have part-time jobs but would prefer full-time work are included, more than 23 million Americans are under-employed. And the "under-employment" (U-6 rate) is 14.7 percent.

Policy choices matter and this is PATHETIC!!