US Labor Force Size -or- Why Isn't Unemployment Increasing?

[eagleseven]

(labor force in thousands)

This month, despite a 190,000 increase in the population, the number of people in the labor force dropped by 652,000.

Shrinking U.S. Labor Force Keeps Unemployment Rate From Rising - BusinessWeek

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I wonder if our government cares about these millions of disenfranchised Americans?

 

[pinqy]

(labor force in thousands)

This month, despite a 190,000 increase in the population, the number of people in the labor force dropped by 652,000.

Shrinking U.S. Labor Force Keeps Unemployment Rate From Rising - BusinessWeek

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I wonder if our government cares about these millions of disenfranchised Americans?

How are they disenfranchised?

 

[eagleseven]

How are they disenfranchised?

Our government does not consider them worth counting or worrying about.

 

[pinqy]

How are they disenfranchised?

Our government does not consider them worth counting or worrying about.

Then perhaps you should look up the word "disenfranchised." It means deprived of rights of citizenship, usually the right to vote. I'm pretty sure that's not what you meant.

And yes, they are counted, where else did you get the number from? From the Employment Situation Report
Table A-1: As of June the Adult Civilian Non-Institutional Population (16 years and older, not in prision, the military, or a mental institute) was 237,690,000. 139,882,000 were Employed, 14,885,000 were Unemployed (not working but looking and available for work). 82,923,000 were not working and not looking and/or not available for work. 6,461,000 said they wanted a job.

Turning to Table A-16 we see that of those 6,461,000 who said they wanted a job, 2,591,000 had looked sometime in the last 12 months, and were available to work, but weren't currently looking. There's no way to tell exactly why...some had looked and then went back to school? Some got pregnant? Some had childcare issues, transportation issues, sick relative, illness, jail time, whatever, and have not looked in the last month. We can't tell. What we do know is that of those 2,591,000 people, only 1,207,000, less than half, say it was because of economic conditions...they don't think they'll be able to find a job. Now that is a high number, but it's a very small percentage of all those not working.

So, tell me again how they're not counted when I just showed you that they are. And please point out how they're not allowed to vote or what other rights of citizenship they don't have.

 

[eagleseven]

So, tell me again how they're not counted when I just showed you that they are.

Washington publicizes the U-3 figure, which does not include these people, as proof that the economy is recovering.

This is a smack in the face to anyone in this category...they are rhetorically disenfranchised.

And please point out how they're not allowed to vote or what other rights of citizenship they don't have.

Disenfranchised: not having rights, not feeling part of society

 

[pinqy]

So, tell me again how they're not counted when I just showed you that they are.

Washington publicizes the U-3 figure, which does not include these people, as proof that the economy is recovering.

The U-6, which does include the marginally attached, also dropped. The U-3 is the measure of Unemployment. If you're not looking for work, you're not unemployed. You're not participating in the Labor Market, so why should you be counted in the Labor Force? That would completely distort the picture of the labor market. And there's a HUGE difference between "not counted" and "not included in a particular measure." I work 12 hour days 7 days a week and I'm not included. I'm not even counted by BLS. So I know what not being counted at all, and not being included in a particular measure is.

Why do you think the Unemployment rate is calculated at all? What's its purpose? And how would including people who aren't trying to work help with that purpose?

This is a smack in the face to anyone in this category

Why? What difference does it make in their lives? I've been Employed, Unemployed, Not in the Labor Force, and Not in the Population. None of it has made any difference.

And please point out how they're not allowed to vote or what other rights of citizenship they don't have.

Disenfranchised: not having rights, not feeling part of society

They have not lost any rights, and why wouldn't they feel part of society? They can call themselves unemployed all they want, the government doesn't keep a list of names or anything. There's nothing marked on any records or anything attached at all to any person saying whether they're Unemployed or Not in the Labor Force.

Besides, statistics don't exist to validate people's feelings...they serve a purpose and need to fulfill that purpose as accurately and objectively as possible. Distorting the numbers because some people might have hurt feelings is ridiculous.

The Unemployment rate is a measure of how relatively easy or difficult it is to get a job. People not looking for a job don't help us determine that.

Oh, but thank you for retracting your earlier statement about how they're not counted.