Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Polling agencies often have an arm of PhD-types who make sure the formulation is meaningful. Statisticians can easily correct any "weighting" issues. Polling science is not perfect but is pretty good.
I have to say, I try not to pay attention to polls. It seems like the polls get published & whatever that poll will say, it influences peoples thoughts, so then the next poll comes out & the results are even more swayed because of the first poll.
Hmm, I could've sworn I heard on the radio about some state's unemployment rate & the commentator stated that it was right around the national average, which was 8%. I could be wrong since I'm usually in a frenzy getting ready for work when I listen to the radio in the morning.
Hmm, I could've sworn I heard on the radio about some state's unemployment rate & the commentator stated that it was right around the national average, which was 8%. I could be wrong since I'm usually in a frenzy getting ready for work when I listen to the radio in the morning.
Just read an article on MSN news that stated the real figure for unemployment is about 15.6%. The reason for the difference according to the article is the government figures don't fully take into account those unemployed that've given up looking and/or totally run out of benefits. From MSN money: An 8.5% unemployment rate is unmistakably bad. It's the highest rate since 1983 -- a year that saw double-digit unemployment, nearly 30 commercial bank failures and more than 15% of Americans living below the poverty line.
But the real national unemployment rate is far worse than the U.S. Department of Labor's March figure, announced today, shows. That's because the official rate doesn't include the 3.7 million-plus people who are reluctantly working only part time because of the poor labor market. And it doesn't include the workers who have given up scouring want ads for seemingly nonexistent jobs.
When those folks are added to the numbers, the unemployment rate rises to 15.6%.
Hmm, I could've sworn I heard on the radio about some state's unemployment rate & the commentator stated that it was right around the national average, which was 8%. I could be wrong since I'm usually in a frenzy getting ready for work when I listen to the radio in the morning.
U-6 isn't used by the fedgov. for their unemployment figures....as it always looks worse.
It basically includes all those who are unable to find work as well as those who want to work full time but can only find part time work...
Yes, six months from now, things may be worse...or they may be better. No one knows. One thing is sure. If people are pessimistic about their futures, the liklihood of a downturn is greater than if they are optimistic.
True, but when the credit defaults are starting because people can't pay the monthly fee, (even Nancy Oram(?), on Oprah is now telling people to save over paying even the monthly fees), and the next bubble of morgage defaults is coming, isnt' that playing with fire?
These things are real. The unemployment rate is around 18percent when you figure in the real factors. People without income who can't find jobs or jobs which pay enough to pay that morgage will not be paying off the credit card either. Will the government print more money to cover the cc company's losses?
The nice encouraging words are not backed up by reality. Yes, *maybe* it will be better but the great great likelyhood is it won't. Isn't it a huge disservice to *lie* to the people and encourage them to not do what they should *if/when* it goes worse when the government knows its not real?
Nobody expects things to magically turn around. But it has shown no signs of turning around. Where is the fall in unemployment? Where are the housing sales outside of the sharks taking advantage? Have forclosures reversed (not counting those which banks are holding off on either). Have the job losses stemmed?
People see these things too. Maybe they don't want to take them in *now*. But when it comes the time that things aren't better but worse and it hits them, won't those who were so optimistic feel at least a bit betrayed?
And remember those who feel betrayed *turn* on those who do so. If the president and his crew are the cheerleaders, then isn't this a great risk of sending the still happy into a sudden reverse? Honesty is a good and respectable policy even in politics (and this is not economics but pure politics).
I watched a video about the Alt-A mortgages and how they might affect us....quite interesting.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
