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S A T U R D A Y , A U G U S T 2 0 , 2 0 0 5Mild Job Growth! Bush's Economy Must BeGreat, Right?by Michael in New York on
8/20/2005 05:32:00 PMBush's tepid job growth -- far lower than almost every quarterduring Clinton's presidency -- is being seized on as evidencethe economy is picking up steam.The report, from the Labor Department, says there are newjobs - that hiring at the end of last year was the strongestsince June 2002 and that employers at last added topayrolls in earnest. In the fourth quarter of 2004, thenation gained 8.1 million jobs, the most since the firstquarter of 2002, according to the report.What they're not detailing in this summary: what kind of jobs arebeing created, part-time work with no benefits? How many arefreelancers with no benefits or vacation time at all? How many ofthese are second jobs? A growing trend among the middle class inmiddle America and the poor on the coasts is people holding downtwo or three jobs just to make ends meet. So if you work full-time atWal-Mart and need to get a second job just to stay out of debtorsprison, that's somehow good news because another job has been"created."Another point to remember:Among the most comprehensive employment figuresavailable, the data confirm what less rigorous surveys havesuggested and what the monthly employment figures haveonly hinted at. (While the monthly job report is based onsurveys of employers and households, the figures releasedyesterday cover roughly 98 percent of the work force.)When there's a discrepancy between a survey covering 98% of thework force and a survey covering 100% of employers andhouseholds, be wary of people who prefer the mildly "positive" newscoming from the less complete data.So how is your financial situation? Anyone working two jobs?
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A B O U TA M E R I C A B L O GWhy AMERICAblog?Because a great nationdeserves the truth.What issues do youcover?US politics overall with aparticular focus on theObama Administration, theradical right, and civilrights.Who are you?John AravosisEditorWashington, DCJoe SudbayDeputy EditorWashington, DCChris RyanAssociate EditorParis, FranceRobert ArenaContributing EditorBaltimore, MarylandJacki SchechnerContributing EditorWashington, DCAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Mild J...http://www.americablog.com/2005/08/mild-job-growth-bushs-e...
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© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Mild J...http://www.americablog.com/2005/08/mild-job-growth-bushs-e...
5 of 57/24/09 6:46 PM
8/20/2005 05:32:00 PMBush's tepid job growth -- far lower than almost every quarterduring Clinton's presidency -- is being seized on as evidencethe economy is picking up steam.The report, from the Labor Department, says there are newjobs - that hiring at the end of last year was the strongestsince June 2002 and that employers at last added topayrolls in earnest. In the fourth quarter of 2004, thenation gained 8.1 million jobs, the most since the firstquarter of 2002, according to the report.What they're not detailing in this summary: what kind of jobs arebeing created, part-time work with no benefits? How many arefreelancers with no benefits or vacation time at all? How many ofthese are second jobs? A growing trend among the middle class inmiddle America and the poor on the coasts is people holding downtwo or three jobs just to make ends meet. So if you work full-time atWal-Mart and need to get a second job just to stay out of debtorsprison, that's somehow good news because another job has been"created."Another point to remember:Among the most comprehensive employment figuresavailable, the data confirm what less rigorous surveys havesuggested and what the monthly employment figures haveonly hinted at. (While the monthly job report is based onsurveys of employers and households, the figures releasedyesterday cover roughly 98 percent of the work force.)When there's a discrepancy between a survey covering 98% of thework force and a survey covering 100% of employers andhouseholds, be wary of people who prefer the mildly "positive" newscoming from the less complete data.So how is your financial situation? Anyone working two jobs?
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Ben SmithRemainders: Sit-down - Obama gambles on biggovernment, Brownstein writes. The final act ofBush and Cheney. An Iranian journalist waits for14 minutes ago
Daily KosCNN President Tells Lou Dobbs To SYFP - Okay, I'mparaphrasing ... *CNN* President Jon Klein did nottell Lou Dobbs to "SYFP," but he did send an emailto: ... "Lou Dobbs Tonight" staffers tell...18 minutes ago
HuffPost PoliticsGavin Newsom Warns of Dire Results WithoutHealth Care Reform - San Francisco Mayor GavinNewsom warned on Friday that local governmentsthroughout the country would find themselvesbankrupt if the current health care cri...30 minutes agoThink ProgressHutchison attacks Perry for turning down stimulusfunds that she voted against. - Back in February,Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) voted against theAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act in partbecause she said the bill “doesn’t actu...34 minutes ago
EschatonWanker of the Day - Jon Klein.1 hour agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S
Show AllA M E R I C A B L O G T V
Next 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Mild J...http://www.americablog.com/2005/08/mild-job-growth-bushs-e...
1 of 57/24/09 6:46 PM
Visit our AMERICAblog TV site.see all 329 videos >I collect with
vodpod
A two minute explanationof the warped and cynical
The economy is better.But....
Judge order San Diego toget rid of the seals
Massive brawl in SouthKorean parliament
Mormons may havesecretly baptizedAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Mild J...http://www.americablog.com/2005/08/mild-job-growth-bushs-e...
2 of 57/24/09 6:46 PM
Ezra KleinTrapped in the FinePrint13 minutes agoDaily DoseWill Doctors in theHouse, SenateInfluence Debate?1 hour agoThe TreatmentDoes the GOP ReallyHave an AlternativePlan in the Works?1 hour agoWonk RoomHouse RepublicansConfused About TheirHealth Care Alternative2 hours agoManaged CareMattersFresh Health WonkReview awaiting yourperusal10 hours agoGuardianObama invites race rowpoliceman for a beer35 minutes agoCNNDemocracy groups planglobal Iran rallies1 hour agoABCObama Unveils Race forSchool BillionsG AY P O L I T I C S
Visit our new gay politicssection, AMERICAblog Gay.F E E D S
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Get the blog by email:
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Top AdAdvertise in this spot.H E A LT H C A R ER E F O R M
Show AllT R A D I T I O N A LM E D I AAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Mild J...http://www.americablog.com/2005/08/mild-job-growth-bushs-e...
3 of 57/24/09 6:46 PM
S E A R C H
AMERICAblog
Web
SearchS E N D U S T I P S &C O M M E N T Samericablog@starpower.netB L O G A R C H I V E
Blog ArchiveS I T E S W E L I K EAir America RadioAlan Colmes' blogAri Melber (The Nation)Ben SmithBicycleMark's blog &podcastBilericoBradBlogBring It OnCarrie FisherCrooks and LiarsDailyKosDan Savage's "Slog"Daou ReportDemocratic UndergroundEschatonEzra KleinFire Dog LakeFiveThirtyEight.comFreeway BloggerThe Gavel (SpeakerPelosi's blog)Good As YouGlenn GreenwaldHoly Bullies and HeadlessMonstersHuffington PostHullabaloo (Digby)Jack and Jill PoliticsJed ReportJesus' GeneralKenneth in the 212Margaret and HelenMatthew GrossMedia MattersMike Signorile's "The Gist"MudflatsMyDDOpen LeftPlum LinePolitical Punch (JakeTapper)Political WirePolitics 1Pop SurfingProgressive Blog DigestQueers UnitedRawStoryRex WocknerRude PunditSmirking ChimpTalk LeftTappedTaylor MarshThink ProgressTowleRoadVetVoice.comWashington NoteWayneBesen.comWonketteWorth Repeating
N E W S L I N K SUSWashington PostNYTAP PoliticsReuters PoliticsRasmussen PollsTimeNewsweekRoll CallThe HillABCNews
P L E A S E S U P P O RTA M E R I C A B L O GOne-time donation$
Recurring monthlydonation$
Donations are nottax-deductible.L A B E L S
Select a labelL A S T 1 0 0 V I S I T O R SRecent Visitors
A B O U TA M E R I C A B L O GWhy AMERICAblog?Because a great nationdeserves the truth.What issues do youcover?US politics overall with aparticular focus on theObama Administration, theradical right, and civilrights.Who are you?John AravosisEditorWashington, DCJoe SudbayDeputy EditorWashington, DCChris RyanAssociate EditorParis, FranceRobert ArenaContributing EditorBaltimore, MarylandJacki SchechnerContributing EditorWashington, DCAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Mild J...http://www.americablog.com/2005/08/mild-job-growth-bushs-e...
4 of 57/24/09 6:46 PM
© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Mild J...http://www.americablog.com/2005/08/mild-job-growth-bushs-e...
5 of 57/24/09 6:46 PM