Paul Craig Roberts, a columnist in counterpunch.org, has reviewed the findings of the Feds' Bureau of Labor Statistics, and found that the job losses reported there (3,445,000 in calendar year 2008) were understated. Using 1980 methodology, the real unemployment rate, he says, is not 7.2% as advertised, but 17.5%. Either way, corporations are still pressing for more immigrant visas to provide cheap, educated labor at the expense of Americans who are looking for jobs. (Ohio's unemployment rate was 7.1% in November, then 1% higher than the national average, but former Statehouse reporter John Spinelli suggests that the true figure is at least 12%. Using 1980 methodology, who knows? Keep in mind that unemployment at the nadir of the Great Depression was around 25%).
Further down in his article, Mr. Roberts reviews the rapidly growing Federal deficit, and states that the Federal government has a "negative net worth" (= unfunded liabilities) of $59.3 trillion, which is an increase of nearly 10% in less than six months. The bill for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan alone is cited to be about $3 trillion.
His conclusion: The Feds lie to us.
My conclusion: The Constitution says that the purpose of government is to provide for the common defense, promote the common welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty on ourselves and our posterity. Now if the Feds aren't doing any of these right, why do we keep supporting them?*
* I know, I left out "to form a more perfect Union," but if they can't fulfill any of the other purposes, the Union by itself is useless.
Virtual buckeye to Rob Williams at Vermont Commons.
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