

Discover more from Wonkette
Get excited for the Jobs Numbers! President Norms Molester was hyping them up yesterday, in yet another attempt to goose the market to make himself look better.
Really Good Jobs Numbers!
— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1567690853.0
A regular president doesn't talk about employment data before its release to the public, since his comments can cause market swings. But when you're a washed up reality TV star, they let ya do it!
In point of fact, the numbers are just okay. The economy gained 130,000 jobs in August, which is 30,000 fewer than economists had projected. About 25,000 of those jobs are temporary hires for the Census. In addition, the number of new jobs created in June and July has been revised down by a total of 20,000.
The economy is clearly slowing down, adding an average of 143,000 jobs per month in 2019, compared to 192,000 in 2018. Obama averaged 223,000 in his last three years in office, but Stephanie Grisham failed to mention that when she was hyping Donald Trump's masterful understanding of ECONOMY this morning.
“Another incredible jobs report. Under President Trump, the economy has defied the doubters who failed to see the i… https: //t.co/rODGMd1HyR
— Stephanie Grisham (@Stephanie Grisham) 1567777656.0
These people are so bloody aggrieved! They can never just tell a lie about the INCREDIBLE jobs numbers, they always have to add a SUCK IT, HATERS! Because when you're a Republican, pissing off liberals is a perfectly good substitute for actual accomplishments.
Grisham's link to Brent Bozell' s CNSNews is some impressive cherrypicking as well. WhileIRL journalists are collectively noting that this number could be a whole lot better , CNS is bizarrely trumpeting the total number of Americans employed as "a record 157,878,000 in August, the 21st record set under President Donald Trump." That's definitely not the top of the line number here, and no one else is talking about it. America's population is increasing by about 2 million per year, so the total number of people working could actually rise, even if the employment rate fell, because ... MATH.
CNS is also super psyched about black unemployment which remains at 5.5 percent -- always a priority for Bozell, who once likened Barack Obama to a "skinny ghetto crackhead."Of course, Mr. Bozell once referred to Donald Trump as"the greatest charlatan of them all," so we know he does possess a certain, necessary moral flexibility.
And speaking of moral flexibility, let's check in with renowned swamp monster and Trump's very own campaign manager Brad Parscale.
Jobs report shows economy still STRONG and adding JOBS! Historically low unemployment and lowest ever for blacks.… https: //t.co/FJTuJa9j5T
— Brad Parscale (@Brad Parscale) 1567778201.0
Wow, sounds like wages are going up more than 3 percent per month! They're not, but it's no accident that you might get that impression. Nice of Brad to mention The Blacks though, because we know that's a big priority for Donald Trump.
CNBC reports: Black unemployment rate “at the lowest level on record” https://t.co/FTF5QpBFgq https://t.co/DHflYtTiBz
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1567774536.0
The thing is, the employment numbers are basically okay. Mining and retail jobs are down, and manufacturing appears to be stagnating. But unemployment is low, wages, hours, and labor force participation are slowly ticking up, and the service sector looks all right. Your Wonkette is not A ECONOMIST, but the Times's economics reporter Ben Casselman has a great thread breaking it down.
Census hiring added 25k jobs, so private hiring was weaker. No question that job growth has slowed. https: //t.co/wLiSvzpvlW
— Ben Casselman (@Ben Casselman) 1567775184.0
Basically, we might be headed for a precipitous downturn, but we might not. If Donald Trump would just act like a not-crazy person and acknowledge that manufacturing is taking a hit from the trade war, while promising that he's going to fix that shit pronto, he might just stumble through.
LOL, we are silly on a Friday.
The Economy is great. The only thing adding to “uncertainty” is the Fake News!
— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1567780718.0
Great, now lie some more about who pays those tariffs.
“China is eating the Tariffs.” Billions pouring into USA. Targeted Patriot Farmers getting massive Dollars from the… https: //t.co/2vDquqQM2C
— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1567782860.0
So there you have it. The economy has had several years of strong growth which is clearly slowing down, and instead of a leader we have Grandpa Bugfuck yelling at the clouds and pretending that a Chinese recession equals an American boom. Which is not how any of this works. And that demented sumbitch is still talking about Alabama!
It's probably time to cash out your savings and buy gold.
NO NOT REALLY, DAMMIT.
[ WaPo / BLS Employment Situation Summary ]
Follow Liz (AKA your FDF) on Twitter!
You liking these econsplainers? Well click right here to keep 'em coming!
Donald Trump HEREBY ORDERS Jobs Report To Be AWESOME!!!1!
Nah, gold is up. I'm leaving my bullion sit. FTR, my uncle, who is, granted. a Democrat, dryland farms wheat in Eastern WA and is seriously pissed about these tariffs--and the cost won't actually hit him for five years, given that he sells his crops five years in advance. I can't even imagine what farmers who have crops sold on a year-to-year basis (soybeans, corn) are suffering at present. There will be farmers who sell out to corporations, farmers who are forced to make severe sacrifices, and farmers who just straight up declare bankruptcy.
Odd, isn't it, that somehow the Russian Federation (read: Putin toadies) are busily selling their crops--soybeans, mostly, is my understanding from my uncle--to China. essentially replacing American crops with crops that at the very least indirectly benefit Putin. And yet there will still be voters in Iowa and other farming states who receive their pithy cheques and credit Trump. Makes me a bit ill.
I wish I were kidding but part of my earthquake/major disaster kit, designed to provide for myself and my sons, legit has pails that are to be converted into toilets--seats amd all--after being emptied of the nasty high-calorie survival bars and other stuff that is needed, or will be needed, when the Big One hits Western WA and the Lower Mainland. And yes, I have three weeks of potable water stored for each member of the household, along with prescription medications and what Mr. ArmedResistant refers to as "a first aid kit that is equipped to perform open-heart surgery".
Better to have it and not need it rather than need it and not have it, is my thinking. Mr. ArmedResistant disagrees but after 22 years is mostly concerned about the cable going out.
Note: I did not purchase my supplies from Jim Bakker nor any other "Christian" survivalist outfit.