Quote:
Originally posted by Centurion
YES or NO? Are more Americans living on unemployment checks at any time since 1983? YES OR NO?
Don't hide behind links to graphs or stats..just answer
THE QUESTON!
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Hey Centurion,
Did you take a math class after elementary school? Do you seriously not understand the importance of looking at economics figures compared to the scale of the economy rather than looking at the raw numbers?
You said "Don't hide behind links to graphs or stats..just answer". That makes no sense. The US population has grown 24% since 1983. Therefore the same unemployment rate will create 24% higher unemployed people. In 1982, the unemployment rate was 9.7%, about 60% higher than it is now.
The US unemployment rate is the same today was it was in 1994. The most accurate thing you can say is that US unemployment is the same today as it was in 9 years ago.
A simple example. France only has a population of about 60 million. Nearly five times as many French as a percentage of it's population would have to be unemployed as Americans. Right now, about 9% of French are unemployed. This is 50% higher than the US. However more Americans are unemployed because there are more Americans.
In fact, if the US holds such numbers as debt as a percentage of GDP and the unemployment rate steady they the raw numbers will always rise because the population and GDP rise. Debt relative to the GDP is the same as it was in 1995. Unemployment rate is the same as it was in 1995.
Similarly, the US GDP is at a record high. I could say to you"Don't hide behind links to graphs or stats..just answer. Did the US have the highest GDP of any nation in history last year?"
I'm sorry if these simple stats are confusing you.