You gotta love how they word this
Taking a positive (mind you, a rate that has been closely watched and talked about during Bush’s administration) and adding a healthy dose of skepticism.
“For the first time in five years, the African-American unemployment rate dipped. It went from 8.4 percent in December 2006 to 8 percent this January. Do the numbers indicate the job market is looking up for African Americans, or is the drop a one-time drop in the bucket?” (source: NPR)
Mind you, from what I can tell NPR is the only news source covering this–INCLUDING COMMENTATORS AND BLOGGERS WHO WHINE ABOUT THE LEVEL OF NEGATIVITY IN THE PRESS REGARDING BLACK FOLKS.
My question here is that if the rate does not tell the full story, then why quote it and use it as a point of reference when it is high?
A change in the unemployment rate does not provide an explanation for the change. In the case of a reduction, as noted here, it’s just as likely some people stopped looking for jobs or otherwise were not reported as they were to have gained full-time jobs.
Comment by MIB | February 10, 2007
I rarely mention the unemployment rate because the numbers are bogus.
Comment by DarkStar | February 10, 2007