Take a closer look at latest jobs report before gushing praise‏

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riecken_2012 (175x220)INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana House Democratic Leader Scott Pelath from Michigan City issued the following statement on Monday (March 17) upon receiving word of the state’s unemployment figures for January 2014.

“While others may gush about ‘the largest one-month drop in unemployment in 20 years,’ I look at the report and find myself wondering many things:

“In December 2013, the number of Hoosiers who were employed is listed at 2,960,003 and the numbers of unemployed are 200,694.

“In January 2014, the numbers of employed Hoosiers are listed at 2,950,298, and the numbers of unemployed at 209,305.

“Now, I wasn’t the best math student in school, but those numbers show a decrease in the number of employed Hoosiers of 9,705. Just as important, the number of unemployed Hoosiers—you know, the ones who don’t have jobs—rose by 8,611.

“If you look at the 14 Metropolitan Statistical Areas included in the report, all but one saw an increase in numbers of unemployed. Only one MSA (Elkhart/Goshen) went down.

“Finally, 82 of Indiana’s 92 counties saw their unemployment rates increase from December to January.

“These disparities only serve to heighten the concern that many of us have about the so-called ‘job creation’ engine that the governor, his administration, and his super-majorities like to tout so often. What is so worrisome is that we may talk about unemployment percentages going down, but they are not going down as much as the continued 10-year decline in the household incomes of Hoosiers.

“People can talk about seasonal adjustments all they want, but I continue to be concerned about the raw employment and unemployment numbers. Those tell me who has a job and who is able to take care of their family.

“And if we’re talking about ‘the largest one-month drop in unemployment in 20 years,’ take the time to go back 20 and a half years when the rate dropped from 6 percent in June 1993 to 3.9 percent in July 1993. Now that’s the kind of drop we could afford to repeat.”

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34 COMMENTS

  1. As an bunch of Innovative Centrists,We’ve noticed that,as well.

    Note, the nation as a whole suffers the same confusion.

    Its inexcusable,while looking out of the depths of the “dried up well” the employment situation really is the same nationwide. They, will not even turn towards that “now blinding light” shining down onto them.
    It seems “the economy” while residing in the deep old dry well seems more concerned as to which 200/lb tick to “pull” outta or “add” to its collective back “before” it even “attempts” the incremental climb to the light of day.*

    Our take; Just go ahead and start the climb,when you break daylight,pull off the parasites and chuck’um back down the hole where they belong. And, once up there something will become more apparent. As a united unit,you yourself cast a pretty impressive shadow on those who might find any reason operate in one.

    We have an new “innovative kite design” on the 3D right now,thinking we might have found the right organization per location to field test the thing. All we need now is a “big open field,with no tall growth….Hey wait!

    “A vote is like a rifle,its usefulness, depends upon the character of the user.” (Theodore Roosevelt)

    • Geez: We’ve just agreed one wouldn’t have to give’um any OJT on holding the strings,as well.

    • It is rather tiring to have politicians of all stripes playing tricks on us with numbers. The bottom line is that incomes are stagnant for the luckiest among us, and that is a really, really bad thing.

      • I wish incomes were stagnant. Under Obama the average family is earning 10% less that they were before, gas prices have doubled, and now the healthcare law has driven the cost of insurance up. Your average American family today is at least 20% worse off now than they were when Obama was elected. Now the jerk wants to raise wages for burger flippers which will hurt middle class families by causing price increases in staples like food and rent. What will this jerk attack next to continue the assault on the middle class. The enemy of the middle class is not the rich, they are oblivious, it is the President that is destroying the middle class.

        • America’s traditional upward mobility, opportunity, and insufficient class hatred and envy has hampered the ability of progressives to bring about the revolution this country needs and that true progressives long for. President Barack Obama and Comrades Reid and Pelosi have done an excellent job of instilling rage and hatred into our cadres. The gradual demolition of the economy through higher taxes and regulations is the only way to generate the anger and despair that will allow members of the proletarian vanguard, such as myself, to seize power and lead us to a Cuban-style socialist system.

          Comrade Tiredofit, I strongly recommend that you align yourself with progressive forces. Reach down, like Comrades Benton, VR, and Elkaybee have done so well and so often, and find your inner entitlement.

          J. Coddington “Comrade Hugo” Fetlock IV
          Maximum Co-coordinator
          Organizing for Idiocy
          Evansville Cell

  2. “Where are the jobs Mr. President!” As Speaker of the House John Boehner would say.

    “Where are the jobs Governor Pence!” As Democratic Leader Scott Pelath would say.

    “Where is de damn plane, de damn plane.” As Tattoo would say.

    “Where is the real birth certificate ObamaNot.” As hair brained howler would say.

    So many questions.

    So early in the morning.

    Later

    • Redefining rape was more important than anything, including jobs per Ryan and Akin.

      Actions speak louder than words right Johnny “I’ll have another” Boehner?

      • And here was our alternative for president last outing:

        Mitt Romney: “I believe in an America where millions of Americans believe in an America that’s the America millions of Americans believe in. That’s the America I love.” – January 2012

        • In other words. I believe in America (wink, wink) and that other guy doesn’t see the difference between us (wink wink) America?

          We built this…. at the point of a gun, stolen from the Indians, on the backs of slave labor while raping the environment but hey we’re “exceptional”

        • Heh,heh…I still picture that guy standing in that crappy rib joint in evansville.
          Pitiful,not a vote changer, however,the guy in the brand new square pants jeans stretching the common look was an strong indicator to anyone in concern.
          I actually read FAIL into that mess,who ever set that up there sure blew it badly,made’em look foolish,as hell.

          Ole cousin Spud even said “shoot…look at that fool,guessing, We’re still stuck with O-Bee-blame-a for awhile yet.”

          Romney’s ribber fest….BwahaHahAAhhhaa! 😛

          “Eqe ibo manere centrist”

          “I’ll stay centrist”

          • LOL!

            Yep the owner had the words “We built this” on his plastic sign.

            Mourdock lost, Romney lost, and the place went under just a few months later.

            I wonder if Ms. “I built this” repaid her SBA loan.

          • BB: Never noticed the sign,only choked there once,however, the location is sporting a nice Italian/Mediterranean cuisine operation last time I stopped in.

            Been there a couple of times,food and service was great,real quick too considering the meals/menus complexities. Friendly people operating that now.

            “Bonam cibum valorem.”

            “Good dinner value”

  3. And how were jobs under Patty Bauer? When a politician talks creating jobs I zone out.

  4. I think the best chance Evansville has for bettering its employment situation is to bring the IU Med School into this county, someplace.
    Indiana, as a whole, seems to be trying to march backward to the manufacturing jobs of the 50s and 60s. Until we look to the future instead of trying to recreate the past, we’re in trouble, folks.

    • Someplace? Right down both sides of the Warrick Vanderburgh county lines would be the 21 century smart choice now. Pretty much a given,the areas capable of growing the plan real nice at that point. The throughput positive newer build forward type infrastructure is set for it…”abstract ready so too speak”. The USI location is also good as well.

      I’m afraid the downtown infrastructure rebuilt as needed to meet the newly required demands is already flat on its face. First, you would have to return that to a sustainable standing condition,that,shows the balance needed to start forward.

      They don’t do that there from what the past projects as completed have shown to date.

      Its more like putting new rims and the latest craze tater skin tires on a piece of crap automobile with a blue book worth less than one gaudy wheel outta the four.

      It’ll look good behind the tow truck,trouble is that’ll be on your dime as well as the students stuck with the crappy ride.

      “Boss Hoggs car lot”, with the salesman in the red sport coat, the short ankle length plaid slacks,white wingtips,red and blue argyle socks,and a big old grin too match his cola pop stained white tie flappin in the breeze.”…..”Best deal on the lot”.

      The best location anywhere in Vanderburgh with all combined community development aspects went unnoticed and passed over. Meah.

      Geez,they blew it on that opportunity, the location would have fueled every change needed to move Southwestern Indiana’s true needs,forward. Tonnage in jobs and education,and pure commerce flew away with the site projections and the RFP deadlines. Too bad.

      “renovationsis,quae communitas sit iusta”

      Community redevelopment means just that.

    • A good economy relies on a diversification of businesses. The IU Med School is just one piece.

      • I could easily connect allot of “dots” to it though. That’s what they don’t do well there.

        Whole plan focus with the connections as the plan forward.

        Trouble is the “dot focus” seems to be on who’s pocket goes in line first. “The dot starts here”,stops where?

        Till that is solved old danderburgh will stay in the doldrums of depredation its brought upon itself with short sighted self funding wants,by always sustaining, the “seemingly gratuitous transfers” type project focuses.

        Whole Unit Community unit based focuses are really whats needed today to launch communities balances forward in this century.

        Plans that are actually needed, and even mandated, should be met with blended project planning that holds the line on the communities sustainable balances* forward.
        This cue point always projected while growing the economy through related commerce to complete,maintain,AND,sustain, the projects to show positive affect on the growing revenue balances, thereof.

        Level the ground before the cornerstone,choose wisely with any added foundations,for future growth.
        Cornerstones are more ceremonial in today’s buildings, they hold plaques above the standing foundation line,show and tell historical’s,for the most part,just fluff. Not much work seen on the northeast corner these days.

        Evansville needs to level the ground,worthy of a foundation cornerstone before you go about building anything else on the public’s backs there. From the bonding issues,as seen from afar,those backs are dwindling to the point where the balance is spread a bit thin,thus kinda weakened for enough support to hold a line.

        “in campo umbras,nec vicissitudinis”

        “on level ground shadows cast not”

        “by failing to prepare,you are preparing to fail” (Benjamin Franklin)

    • I agree. I’m not sure of the real answer for future employment, but Americans are too good to work in factories so there’s no going back to manufacturing. I seriously doubt if the IU Med School will have much to offer the chronic unemployed or those who have never been in the workforce. If one doesn’t have a need or intrinsic desire to work we are truly lost. There’s factory jobs available in Tn. paying $15+ per hr. that are being filled with Mexicans because Americans won’t take them. We’re in trouble.

  5. Brian Howey has a piece in todays C&P. Tax breaks and how Indiana ranks with the nation in income, employment, ect. I believe he is bi-partisan as well.

  6. How much credibility can Mr. Pelath’s statement contain when:

    #1: Employment numbers in the dead of winter have so many contributing variables as to be considered statistically moot.

    #2: There is a distinct possibility that flight from the state and the MSA’s, which can’t be measured in real time, will skew these stats to an extent that they are worthless.

  7. I won’t believe any of these numbers until Morgan Freeman does a voiced over video assuring me that everything is getting better.

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