Projection! TPM - "Spicer: We Still Think Unemployment Percentage Can Be 'Manipulated'"

[NRaleighLiberal]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/spicer-employment-percentage-manipulated

By MATT SHUHAM Published MARCH 13, 2017, 2:13 PM EDT

Sean Spicer said the President continues to believe that the unemployment percentage was “manipulated” because, the White House spokesman said, surveys to determine the unemployment rate discarded those who were looking for work after a certain length of time.

Spicer was originally asked about the director of the Office of Management and Budget, who said Sunday that “the Obama administration was manipulating the numbers in terms of the number of people in the workforce to make the unemployment rate, that percentage rate, look smaller than it actually was.”

Spicer dodged that question, but said that the President believed that the unemployment percentage was “manipulated” because of how the government counts those who have been jobless for an extended period of time.

“To look at a number and say we have 4.7 or 4.8 or 5.9 percent unemployment is not necessarily an accurate reflection of how many people are actually working, seeking work or want to work. And if you know how they conduct those surveys, there’s a lot of times where people, whether they’re older or younger, or because of how long they’ve been searching for work, are not considered statistically viable anymore, and they’re quashed away,” Spicer said. “How you look at the percentage of people working can sometimes be a a manipulated number. The number of people that are added to the rolls every month is a much more accurate understanding of what's happening in the economy.”

snip - more to read - click the link above

[ProfessorGAC]

1. But Little Sean, Those Numbers Are Kept

They're not the easy ones that are published, but long term chronic unemployment is tracked by economists. So, there'd be no reason to manipulate the numbers. The ACTUAL numbers are out there for anybody that cares to look. Clearly, these guys don't care to look

[matt819]

2. The election is fucking over. Obama is no longer the president.

Okay, Sean my boy, your boy is president. So work whatever magic you want on those labor numbers. And, as in grade school, show us your work.

Just some reminders.

-- Stay at home moms and dads are not in the work force and should not be included in the calculations.

-- Disabled people are often not in the work force and should not be included.

-- As much as you would like older people to work forever, some older people are retired and should not be included.

-- Same with students.

-- I don't know how undocumented immigrants were treated in the statistics, but since you've deported them, they should probably not be included in your calculations.

-- Etc.

Now, let's see how your numbers compare to those from the Obama administration.

Oh, and one more thing, please let us know how many net new jobs have been created in the coal mining industry?