Perhaps ABC is just over-eager to find some of those "green shoots" of economic recovery we're supposed to be seeing. Despite the nationwide unemployment rate of 9.7 percent - a 26-year high - the network still managed to find some "welcome news" on the jobs front.
On September 23rd "World News'" Charles Gibson reported that a whopping 12,000 people are being hired in the "recession-battered city" of Las Vegas. While Gibson did mention that "160,000 people applied" for those jobs, Gibson failed to contrast the 12,000 against the 14,988,000 other Americans still out of work.
But flash back to 2005 when, under the Bush Administration, the economy created more than 2 million new jobs (not counting the other 2.8 million jobs that had been added since August 2003, totaling 29 straight months of positive job growth). The unemployment rate in the U.S. had dropped down to 4.7 percent, the lowest in three decades. But, ABC, CBS and NBC, ignored the strong growth and, instead, emphasized negatives, such as corporate layoffs and outsourcing, in more than half of their stories. On November 4, 2005, Gibson's predecessor Bob Woodruff complained that the 56,000 new jobs the government reported were "half of what analysts had expected."
When negative job growth predictions didn't pan out, and when the government employment reports were revised upward, the networks refused to revisit and correct their reporting.
Not surprisingly the jobs coverage seems to depend more on who's in the White House than how many are on the unemployment line.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Who Is Hiring Those 12,000? The Government?
September 24, 2009 - 12:14 ET by John Galt1776The Federal government has continued to add head count ever since Obama started to sit as POTUS.
My bet is that if the Fed or State or City government is not hiring most of those than it is some contractor who just got a government job.
I just read today
September 24, 2009 - 12:33 ET by CobraManI just read today about the "unexpected decline" in the number of people applying for first time unemployment benefits. The article highlighted the "declining rates" of the last three weeks and said that the latest four week total of new applicants was somewhere around 530,000 people. I posted the following in the comment section: "We only lost a half a million workers this month! Great Job, Obama! NOT!"
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.
The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus.
The US Supreme Court
Mass layoffs increased nearly 25% last month alone
September 24, 2009 - 12:36 ET by R D Helm...and there are more on the way.
"Officially," the unemployed here in Georgia is said to be about 450,000. I am guessing the real number is well over half a million.
Our nation's economy is crumbling, not recovering.
I do not see that changing until Obama has been sent back to Chicago to resume agitating the communities therein, his economy-destroying policies reversed, and a huge, across-the-board tax is put in place.
Failing that, we're screwed.
-Dave
I agree with Rush. It's time for Obama to resign.
And yet I keep hearing how
September 24, 2009 - 12:42 ET by general companyWe are almost out of the recession? Just heard on the radio 10 min ago "unemploment claims were lower then exspected last week, experts claim this is because we are almost fully recovered from the recession" Who are these experts, and what are they experts at?
My Gov. thinks I am dangerous, so be careful
"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg
"Happy Days Are Here Again"
September 24, 2009 - 12:55 ET by CarlosSSigh..., 1929 all over again
→ Carlos
September 24, 2009 - 13:00 ET by Cool ArrowBuddy, can you spare a Krugerand?
gc,
September 24, 2009 - 13:28 ET by R D HelmI think there are a lot of economists out there that have pretty well destroyed their professional reputations lately.
We have more job-losses coming, another huge wave of foreclosures on the way, and a nation full of states with rapidly-emptying treasuries, not to mention Uncle Sam has empty pockets himself.
I am starting to hear rumblings that some major retailers out there are getting uncomfortably close to bankruptcy, and I am guessing that unless they have a really huge Christmas, we may see a few of them go TU early next year.
More lost jobs.
With the tax hikes we all know are coming (even without ObamaCare and Crap & Tax) employers are going to continue to shed workers for the foreseeable future.
The only things currently bucking the employment trend is government and health care, but how long can that even keep going given that government revenues are tanking.
You cannot have a "real" economic recovery if people don't go out and spend money. Problem is, as each day passes, fewer and fewer people have any to spend.
I see no evidence that we are even nearing the bottom, much less recovering.
-Dave
I agree with Rush. It's time for Obama to resign.
you're absolutely correct
September 24, 2009 - 14:27 ET by jon_torlinDave,
You are 100% correct about that, I've been saying and seeing the same things happening. I touched on this in a different post, as seen in the below link:
http://newsbusters.o...
Most people just don't get that this is how economies work. It's really a domino effect when you think about it, cause and effect as it were. A leads to B leads to C and so on. If all this crap that's been happening in the last 8 months can be reversed, maybe we have a decent chance of recovering in a few years.
But we are certainly in no recovery of ANY kind right now so as usual, the Soetoro administration and his lackeys are lying to the people. As usual.
-Jon
All true. And the
September 24, 2009 - 14:35 ET by celatorAll true.
And the really huge anchor that cancels out an "improving" economy is our national debt. There is no way to a recovery with that thing dragging the ship of state down to the bottom. There is no recovery in sight. Period.
No citizen's right to life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, or property is safe as long as Obama is President of the United States.
EDIT for above post
September 24, 2009 - 13:33 ET by R D Helm"...and a huge, across-the-board tax is put in place."
Sorry, should have read "...and a huge, across-the-board tax CUT is put in place."
My bad.
LOL-I am a lousy screen editor.
-Dave
I agree with Rush. It's time for Obama to resign.
Uh, Stimulus--3 million jobs?
September 24, 2009 - 12:56 ET by StarAZJust reminding us...another complete pipedream from our national dream team.
By the way
September 24, 2009 - 12:57 ET by StarAZMy kid was laid off 5 mos ago and Arizona still can't get her claim straight. Guess who is paying.
Las Vegas City Center
September 24, 2009 - 13:01 ET by Kingfish17Truly the "Project Too Far", the City Center was conceived and started at the height of the latest building boom in a city that has gone through building booms and busts since it's inception. And just like the last bust, when the City Center was conceived, Vegas was believed to be in a never ending boom cycle, "this time".
But the jobs created by the City Center will not be 12,000 extra jobs in the Vegas economy. The City Center will attract new touritsts and new business, but those tourists will have to come from somewhere, and that somewhere will be established properties and businesses in Las Vegas. Only when it becomes allowable again to have a convention in Las Vegas, and the Vegas economy as a whole picks up, will there be net new jobs created in Las Vegas.
And remember, every job created while Obama is President is a high-tech, green-friendly, life-enriching, society-fullfilling, career-enhancing community work experience. Every job ever created while Bush was President was a hamburger flipper earning minimum wage. But it was easier to get a burger back then.
"I've sentenced boys younger then you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it, but I felt I owed it to them." Judge Smails
→ Kingfish
September 24, 2009 - 13:03 ET by Cool ArrowIs it true only the lower stories are being developed while the uppers are on hold indefinitely?
CA, That sounds like the
September 24, 2009 - 13:28 ET by Chris NormanCA,
That sounds like the "see-through' buildings they used to refer to in Dallas in the early Eighties.
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
→ I remember
September 24, 2009 - 13:35 ET by Cool ArrowThings have changed somewhat since then.
It should strike Las Vegans (they don't eat meat?) as a betrayal that SEIU boxed Hillary out of the Nevada Primary, then Obama condemned travel to Las Vegas.
The media has been involved
September 24, 2009 - 13:20 ET by mattmThe media has been involved in a con-game since the 1960's. They have to keep playing the con all the way to the end. This is why economic collapse under a Democrat is reported as the beginning of a recovery, and a recovery under Bush was characterized as a weak, temporary blip.
It's also why they keep fearmongering on Global Warming when the facts showing a cooling trend are piling up every day.
Their job is to lie for the cause of socialism.
liberal media theory of relativity
September 24, 2009 - 13:38 ET by katainkentdEm = BS²
____________________________________________
The Emperor, he has no clothes
The Focus
September 24, 2009 - 13:47 ET by JDWUnemployment equates to increased benefits.
Those earning less than $109,000 equates to increased benefits (more than they pay in taxes).
Bottom line, 70% of the nation will be supported by the top 30% by 2012. These additional 500,000 plus new unemployed added each week simply strengthen redistribution, more people receiving more from the system than they pay into it.
JDW
DAILY WAVE
I didn't know ACORN was getting a lot of money
A Contrast
September 24, 2009 - 13:53 ET by onewiseguyEight years of endless stories of economic prosperity followed by eight years of doom and gloom while the economy was experiencing excellent growth with the same or better economic numbers followed by an economy in the tank and getting worse while the stories are of recovery and "hope".....
Re Contrast
September 24, 2009 - 14:22 ET by slickwillie2001And, recall that during the administration of President George W. Bush, even when jobs were added the liberals would sniff, "yes but they're not quality jobs."
Very true. Check out the
September 24, 2009 - 15:39 ET by FlashmanVery true. Check out the use of the term 'McJobs' on a lefty site.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=site%3Awww.democraticunderground.com+mcjobs+-mcdonalds&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
The City of Dallas laid off
September 24, 2009 - 15:04 ET by Dan The Man 2The City of Dallas laid off 840 bodies, real people and then proceeded to hire 500 jobs provided by the stimulus funds. I betcha the city rcieved the funds on the condition that they hired the 500 instead of funding the positions we already had. That way Barry can claim 500 jobs created. Duplicity at its finest.
I am one of the 840 and no job in sight yet. I am practicing a phrase my wife says will be a surefire winner to get me a job, "Would you like fries with that?" another is "Welcome to Walmart". Fun.
Employment News?
September 24, 2009 - 16:53 ET by slickwillie2001What's wrong with this picture?
Stimulus Funds Boost Number of Federal Jobs: http://www.usatoday.com
"...the continued growth of the federal government, which increased by more than 25,000 employees, or 1.3%, since December 2008, according to the latest quarterly report."
Administration Will Cut Border Patrol Deployed on US-Mexico Border: http://www.cnsnews.com
"Border Patrol Director of Media Relations Lloyd Easterling confirmed this week--...--that his agency is planning for a net decrease of 384 agents on the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal 2010, which begins on October 1."
Remember the Bamster's sneering speech a couple of months ago where he snidely informed us that all federal spending is stimulative?
How much longer are the
September 24, 2009 - 22:24 ET by RR GOPHow much longer are the American people going to buy this BS, and how much longer are these MSM drones willing to spread it around?
Indefinitely on both counts I fear.
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 86% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory.