Friday the US Department of Labor released their "Employment Situation" numbers. It was reported that nationally we have an unemployment rate of 6.1%. Not true! The real answer is we don't know. I called the US Department of Labor.
See:
http://www.bls.gov/lau/laucont.htm
According to a representative with the "Bureau of Labor Statistics" the national number is based on a survey not the actual unemployment numbers from each state. I asked "if you don't have the state numbers then how is CNN reporting 'The unemployment rate rose to 6.1%?'"
See
http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/05/news/economy/jobs_august/index.htm
I was told that the number reported is based on a survey across the country of a select number of individuals. When I said so the number can be totally wrong. They guess at an error of +-.20 or so... so is it 6.1 or 6.3 or 5.9? Was the number stretched to make the news? You have to love the MSM!
My original purpose was to find the state by state numbers so I could complete a study of Blue vs Red state unemployment. He said he would not have the state numbers till the 19th. He referred me to the calender.
See 09/19 at: http://www.bls.gov/schedule/news_release/200809_sched.htm
-- Peter L. Mathias
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