Some good news for your Thursday morning from the N.C. Department of Commerce’s Labor and Economic Analysis Division.
Unemployment rates fell in 84 of North Carolina’s 100 counties in February. The Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill area’s rate was 10 percent, a 1.4 percent decrease over 12 months.
Said Commerce Deputy Secretary Dale Carroll in the press release:
“A majority of North Carolina’s counties have lower unemployment rates compared to last year. While the over-the-year numbers are positive, we must continue our focus on job growth across the state. We have employment service offices statewide to assist custom- ers with job search opportunities and other workforce related programs.”
This article appears in Apr 3-9, 2012.
Yet unemployment was UP in 94 of 100 counties in January.
The only reason the unemployment RATE is falling is because the number of people out of the work force is rising. It now stands at 88 million, an all-time record. People out of the work force means people who have simply given up looking for a job.
The U-3 “official” unemployment rate is a pretty manipulated figure; U-5 and U-6, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics compiles but doesn’t publicize, are far more accurate measurements of employment.
Ana, can you tell me the difference between U-3, U-5, and U-6 without looking it up? Or are you going to admit that you’re utterly unqualified to be commenting on economic data and are just desperate to make Obama and Perdue look good?
To be more precise: 88 million people of working age are unemployed. With a polulation of around 300 million, you do the math. But don’t forget to figure in those older than working age and those under. Now, subtract the 47% of those who pay NO Federal Income Tax…that doesn’t leave a lot of working people to pay for all the sh*t everybody wants.