The Other 23 Million

Obama Touts The 23 Million Jobs Created Under Bill Clinton Over A Decade Ago, But What About The 23 Million Looking For Work Today?

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Obama: “Bill Clinton tried the approach that I’m talking about. We created 23 million new jobs. We went from deficit to surplus, and businesses did very well.” (President Barack Obama, Presidential Debate, Denver, CO, 10/3/12)

OBAMA WOULD PREFER NOT TO MENTION THE 23 MILLION THAT ARE LOOKING FOR WORK ON HIS WATCH

23.1 Million Americans Are Unemployed, Underemployed Or Have Given Up Looking For Work. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/3/12)

• The Number Of Unemployed Workers Is 12,544,000. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/3/12)
• The Number Of Workers Working Part-Time For Economic Reasons Is 8,031,000.(Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/3/12)
• There Are Currently 844,000 Unemployed Workers That Have Given Up Looking For Work. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/3/12)

Since Obama Took Office, The Nation Has Lost 261,000 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 7.8 Percent To 8.1 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/3/12)

• Including 1,043,000 Construction Jobs, And 582,000 Manufacturing Jobs Lost.(Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/3/12)
• In August, The Manufacturing Sector Shed 15,000 Jobs. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/3/12)
• July’s Job Growth Was Revised Down To 141,000. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/3/12)

The Unemployment Rate Has Remained Above Eight Percent For A Record 43 Straight Months. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/3/12)

• Congressional Budget Office: Unemployment Has Remained Above Eight Percent For The Longest Stretch Since The Great Depression. “The rate of unemployment in the United States has exceeded 8 percent since February 2009, making the past three years the longest stretch of high unemployment in this country since the Great Depression.”(“Understanding And Responding To Persistently High Unemployment,” Congressional Budget Office, 2/16/12)

The Average Duration Of Unemployment Has Nearly Doubled From 19.8 Weeks To 39.2 Weeks. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/3/12)

• In August, 368,000 Workers Dropped Out Of The Labor Force. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/3/12)

The Real Unemployment Rate, Including Those That Are Working Part-Time Due To Economic Reasons, Is At 14.7 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 10/3/12)

“The Tepid Jobs Recovery Has Spanned Virtually Every Sector Of The Labor Market Over The Past Year.” (Michael Fletcher, “U.S Adds 96,000 Jobs In August; Unemployment Rate Drops To 8.1 Percent,” The Washington Post , 9/7/12)

The Number Of Americans Leaving The Labor Force Indicates “The U.S. Labor Market Is Stagnating.” “Payrolls rose less than projected in August and the unemployment rate declined as more Americans left the labor force, indicating the U.S. labor market is stagnating.” (Shobhana Chandra, “Payrolls in U.S. Rose 96,000 in August, Jobless Rate Falls,” Bloomberg, 9/7/12)

• “The Percentage Of People Older Than 16 In The Workforce Reached Its Lowest Level Since 1981, According To The Labor Department.” (Michael Fletcher, “U.S Adds 96,000 Jobs In August; Unemployment Rate Drops To 8.1 Percent,” The Washington Post , 9/7/12)
• “Nearly 70 Percent Of Men Were Working Or Looking For A Job – The Lowest Percentage Since The Government Began Tracking The Statistic In 1948.”(Michael Fletcher, “U.S Adds 96,000 Jobs In August; Unemployment Rate Drops To 8.1 Percent,” The Washington Post , 9/7/12)

In 2012, Employers Have Added An Average Of 139,000 Jobs A Month, Barely Enough To Keep Up With The Normal Expansion Of The Labor Force. “This year, employers have added an average of 139,000 jobs a month, below last year’s monthly average of 153,000, and just over the number needed to meet the normal expansion of the labor force.” (Michael Fletcher, “U.S Adds 96,000 Jobs In August; Unemployment Rate Drops To 8.1 Percent,” The Washington Post , 9/7/12)

With The Worst Jobs Record Of Any Modern President, It’s No Wonder Obama Prefers To Talk About The Past

“Never Before Have So Many Americans Been Unemployed For So Long Three Years Into A Recovery.” (Paul Wiseman, “Economic Recovery Is Weakest Since World War II,”The Associated Press, 8/16/12)

The Associated Press : “The President Can’t Tell Voters About A Grand Economic Comeback Story Because There Isn’t One To Tell.” (Ken Thomas, “Obama Doesn’t Emphasize Issues He Fought Hard For,” The Associated Press, 6/12/12)

The Washington Post ‘s The Fact Checker Said “Obama Is On Track To Have The Worst Jobs Record Of Any President In The Modern Era.” “Unless the economy turns around in the next 18 months, Obama is on track to have the worst jobs record of any president in the modern era. That would be an accurate statement.” (Glenn Kessler, “Rick Perry’s Claim That Obama Has ‘Killed More Jobs’ Than Any Other President,” The Washington Post ‘s The Fact Checker , 8/22/11)

• The Washington Post’s The Fact Checker: “The Worst Numbers On Record Occurred Under His [Obama’s] Watch.” “The president said that policies from 2000 through 2008 produced the ‘most sluggish job growth we’ve ever seen.’ perhaps so, but the worst numbers on record occurred under his watch.” (Glenn Kessler, “Rick Perry’s Claim That Obama Has ‘Killed More Jobs’ Than Any Other President,” The Washington Post ‘s The Fact Checker , 8/22/11)
• The Washington Post’s The Fact Checker: “Obama Comes In Either Last, Second-To-Last Or In The Bottom Half Among Presidents Since The Great Depression.” “But Obama comes in either last, second-to-last or in the bottom half among presidents since the great depression, depending on which way you look at the numbers.” (Glenn Kessler, “Rick Perry’s Claim That Obama Has ‘Killed More Jobs’ Than Any Other President,” The Washington Post ‘s The Fact Checker , 8/22/11)