Things said in politics that don't really mean anything...

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   JaxsonRaineposted 5 years ago

   ...or don't mean what they used to mean.
   
   Income Mobility - When people talk about income mobility being less than it used to, it is misleading information. The assumption is that income mobility means the same thing every year, and in every country, but that's not true. You can go from poor to middle class in two different countries, but be much better off in one country than the other. However, if you just looked at income mobility, you would draw the conclusion that both situations were the same. Fight the lies!
   
   Unemployment - Unemployment figures don't work anymore. They don't mean the same thing they used to. Anytime we talk about unemployment now, we assume it means the same as it did 4, 8, 12 years ago, but it doesn't. For most of the relevant past, unemployment has meant the same thing. 5% unemployed, with another 3% underemployed or marginally attached. However, now we have 8% unemployed, with another 7% underemployed or marginally attached. When official unemployment figures are given now, you have to add 4% to have it mean the same thing as what it did under Bush and Clinton. Fight the lies!

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      Mighty Momposted 5 years ago in reply to this

      What lies?

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         JaxsonRaineposted 5 years ago in reply to this

         ...
         
         See the first post. Misleading information qualifies as lies in my book.
         
         If our unemployment rate were down to 4% right now, people would think we were doing better than we were 6ish years ago.. but it wouldn't be true. 4% today would be the same as 8% in 2006.

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            Mighty Momposted 5 years ago in reply to this

            Right. We can never be how we were in 2006 because the overall conditions of the economy and country have been irrevocably altered as of 2008.
            Where did your 4% adjustment come from?
            
            Misleading information?
            
            Two sides look at the same set of numbers or statistics and spin them in opposite directions. If you haven't read it, check out "How to Lie with Statistics." It's a classics!
            
            http://books.wwnorton.com/books/detail.aspx?id=12831
            
            Case in point: 47% of Americans don't pay taxes!
            Shocking, isn't it?
            Until you look at who comprise that number.

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               JaxsonRaineposted 5 years ago in reply to this

               The 4% adjustment comes from people who want to work, but are no longer looking, because the job situation is too bad. Also the increase in the number of unemployed people who ran out of benefits. Labor force participation rate.
               
               It had been an extra 3% in the past, and quite consistent. Since the housing crash though, it's been 7%.

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