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Who's Fibbing About Unemployment?
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The full results of the new CBS/NYT poll contain all sorts of weird nuggets about public opinion and the economy that aren't reflected in the write-ups. Here's one that I find representative and strange:
This can't possibly be right, can it?
Everyone who is employed or temporarily unemployed (ie, still looking) is defined as part of the labor force. That's 69% of the people in this survey. And 17% of the people in the survey say they are temporarily out of work.
But if that were true, the unemployment rate would be almost 25%. So either this entire survey was conducted in downtown Detroit, or there's something fishy about self-reported unemployment.
Are you currently employed, or are you temporarily out of work, or are you not in the
market for work at all?
Currently employed: 52%
Temporarily out of work: 17%
Not in the market for work: 15%
Retired: 16%
This can't possibly be right, can it?
Everyone who is employed or temporarily unemployed (ie, still looking) is defined as part of the labor force. That's 69% of the people in this survey. And 17% of the people in the survey say they are temporarily out of work.
But if that were true, the unemployment rate would be almost 25%. So either this entire survey was conducted in downtown Detroit, or there's something fishy about self-reported unemployment.
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