Friday, April 02, 2004
Jobs numbers finally improve, despite Bush policies
For all the people who were finally able to get jobs this month, I'm happy.
For Bush, who will now claim, based on one month's numbers, that he's made his numbers for his whole term, I'm happy.
For the millions who have left the work force entirely because they don't feel they can ever get jobs, I'm not happy.
For the millions of US citizens working on the minimum wage ($10,000 a year), I'm not happy.
For the millions who depend on overtime to pay their bills, and who Bush is still trying to screw, I'm not happy.
For the millions who are putting in more hours and working harder for the same money because of "the lash," (back), I'm not happy.
When will the total number of jobs under Bush gets back to where it was under Clinton? When that happens, maybe Bush can claim some success. Note that unemployment is at the same high rate as it has been, since people who were formerly discouraged have returned to the jobs force.
As it is, we're still in "the operation was a success, but the patient died" mode.
UPDATE An interesting final paragraph from the AP article touting Bush's elation:
Like Edwards said: Two socities.
For Bush, who will now claim, based on one month's numbers, that he's made his numbers for his whole term, I'm happy.
For the millions who have left the work force entirely because they don't feel they can ever get jobs, I'm not happy.
For the millions of US citizens working on the minimum wage ($10,000 a year), I'm not happy.
For the millions who depend on overtime to pay their bills, and who Bush is still trying to screw, I'm not happy.
For the millions who are putting in more hours and working harder for the same money because of "the lash," (back), I'm not happy.
When will the total number of jobs under Bush gets back to where it was under Clinton? When that happens, maybe Bush can claim some success. Note that unemployment is at the same high rate as it has been, since people who were formerly discouraged have returned to the jobs force.
As it is, we're still in "the operation was a success, but the patient died" mode.
UPDATE An interesting final paragraph from the AP article touting Bush's elation:
West Virginia had the lowest labor force participation rate in the United States last year, 54.6 percent. Many people simply stopped looking for work and were no longer counted among the unemployed.
Like Edwards said: Two socities.
