U.S. fails to create jobs in August, 9.1 percent jobless rate 'unacceptably high'

2011-09-04 02:57:30 GMT+7 (ICT)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) -- The U.S. unemployment rate remained unchanged at 9.1 percent as not a single job was created by the nation's employment sector, the U.S. Labor Department (DOL) said on Friday.

Despite the private sector adding 17,000 jobs in August, those gains were offset by the loss of 17,000 government jobs. Total non-farm unemployment, therefore, was unchanged last month, the DOL said.

"Consumer confidence dropped sharply last month as Congress took the nation to the brink of default," U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said. "We knew that this legislative gridlock was going to have repercussions, and the hiring slowdown reflected in [Friday's] report shows the real-life consequences that political gamesmanship has on business decisions and workers' lives."

President Barack Obama is expected to soon outline a bipartisan plan to create jobs and generate growth that is hoping to work jointly with both political parties. "If Congress is serious about job creation, the package will pass," Solis stated.

Describing the 9.1 percent unemployment rate as "unacceptably high," Katherine Abraham, Member of the Council of Economic Advisors, said the report underscores the importance for Congress to pass a clean extension of the transportation bill to keep workers on the job and keep critical highway construction, bridge repair, mass transit and other important projects moving forward.

"The time for partisan bickering is over," Hilda stressed. "The American people are fed up. Concerned citizens need to get engaged in this process, contact their leaders in Congress and hold them accountable."

Since February 2010, local governments have lost 20,000 jobs and shed 398,000 jobs. Meanwhile, state governments added 5,000 jobs as an estimated 22,000 furloughed Minnesota state workers returned to work.

Abraham said the outline will allow Congress to take immediate steps to put more money in the paychecks of working and middle class families; to make it easier for small businesses to hire workers; to put construction crews to work rebuilding our nation's infrastructure; and other measures that will help the economy grow while still reducing our deficit and getting our fiscal house in order.

However, Abraham also noted that the economy has added private sector jobs for 18 straight months, for a total of 2.4 million jobs over that period.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-09-04

Some would be surprised to know the real unemployment figures are probably closer to double that.

Figures that take into account those that never qualified for unemployment benefits

(self employed or small business owners etc. )

Also those who use to make 50-100k a year & now accept $8 an hour part time work to survive & are no longer

counted as unemployed etc.

Also of interest just the polling itself & how they come to their number of 9.1%

Basically Each month Census Bureau employees interview persons in the 60,000 sample households for information on the labor force activities.....Out of a 300+ million population?

Basically like the Nielson television rating agency that interviews 50,000 to see what they like on TV.

Accurate?

Lastly none including the puppets who promise the world & deliver nada can re-create all the

jobs that have been chased off shore to become competitive.

Just my 2 cents

I would say the real rate is AT LEAST double that, even as high as 25 percent. Too bad the tea partying people are blocking any major government action that could provide some relief just for their cynical political purposes to kick out Obama.

Too bad the tea partying people are blocking any major government action that could provide some relief just for their cynical political purposes to kick out Obama.

Little early or late as the case may be to be serving up spam

Those with eyes,ears & brains know it will take more than simple party rhetoric to cure the problem.

Edited September 3, 201115 yr by flying

I would say the real rate is AT LEAST double that, even as high as 25 percent. Too bad the tea partying people are blocking any major government action that could provide some relief just for their cynical political purposes to kick out Obama.

Please provide some instances of exactly what the 'tea partying people' are blocking.

Here is some info on the situation concerning numbers...

"Roughly 14 million Americans are unemployed. An additional 11.4 million are either working part time but want full-time jobs or have given up looking for work and aren't counted as unemployed."

...and the link... http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Employers-add-no-net-jobs-in-apf-4252098583.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=