It will be tough, if not impossible, to put a positive spin on the newest jobless numers for Missouri.
The number of employees in the labor force fell by 22,541 in May compared to the same month last year, according to new data released after Missouri Journal filed a Sunshine Law request.
While the unemployment rate remained the same at 7.3 percent throughout May, nonfarm payrolls across the state fell by 7,300 during last month.
As Missouri Journal first reported last month, more people in the state started jobs than left the labor force for the first time this year during April.
In May, however, more people throughout the state lost their jobs than exited the labor force.
People often ask me what I think needs to be done to turn around the labor market in the state.
They are also curious as to why it is necessary to file a Sunshine Law request to get the labor data.
I usually respond that it would be a helpful start if the Missouri Department of Economic Development would provide the labor data along with the press release touting "job creation" by the government.
But it goes beyond that. While openness would help, the gears have ground to a halt and it is going to take more than a little grease to get things going, which means it is probably time for an overhaul.
I am not, however, calling for any more government solutions. We've had enough of those for as long as I can remember. Instead, for once, I would like businesses to be allowed to take care of business.
(Side note: This also means businesses need to stop asking for government handouts.)
Besides, as I wrote on last month, . It is the issue to campaign on this election season. But when they call themselves job creators, ask them how they're creating jobs.
Wouldn't it be refreshing to hear a politician, at least once, admit that he or she would likely do more to help improve the economy by staying out of the way, not intervening and not mucking anything up.
Maybe this is why I report about the economy instead of writing public policy or running for office.
By Brian R. Hook, brhook@missourijournal.com, (314) 482-7944
Hook is editor of Missouri Journal, which tracks the economy across the Show-Me State.
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Staying out of the way didn't cause employers to shut down, down-size, or move out of the country. Over-regulation, failed "solutions", and the highest corporate tax-rate in the world (as of April) is what has caused it. Ask Ford & Chrysler. Anyone who believes that the government has the abilility to 'create jobs', has the same misunderstanding of business & the economy that they do. Only businesses that can afford to do business can create jobs. Big business is not your enemy Doug, it's government interference in big business. Worse, it's when the government gets in bed with these businesses, like AIG, Goldmann-Sachs & Solyndra, or the new 'health-care law' which doesn't bother fixing what's wrong with the system, but simply puts it's hands further into the money-pot. Again, I'm sorry, but you've apparently been misinformed because that isn't a fact at all. Government over-involvement, using taxes to manipulate who does business & who doesn't, and using taxes as rewards & penalties, is where the jobs went. Ex: A government official (in a campaign ad) attacks businesses who have moved jobs overseas, when her policies are the VERY REASONS they had to go somewhere else to do business. She even says she wants to use taxes as a weapon & reward. That's when a government has overstepped it's bounds. She's admitting it, without even knowing it. Point is, your blood should boil when a politician says 'create jobs', not when people who ACTUALLY provide jobs says it.
Again, we're suggesting taxes be used as rewards, penalties and incentives. What you're really doing is using taxes to 'extort' the states that provided them. Lobbyists, should be illegal. If you asked most people who 'Big Business' supports, they'd be DEAD wrong. Goldmann-Sachs, Microsoft, Google, JP Morgan Chase, Citi-Group, Time-Warner, General Electric, Morgan Stanley, George Soros, Geffen, Warren Buffet... those are just SOME of the Big Businesses (Monopolies & Inside-Traders) who have the current government in their pockets. See through the conditioning. Make them prove thier statements. Ex: "We can't just drill our way to lower gas prices." (followed by laughter & applause) When actually... -$100/barrel earned instead of spent ($200 turn-around per barrel) -adding supply lowers demand & price -stop buying the only thing of value that the Middle-East has -devalue that product -stop funding wars AGAINST you by no longer buying their only asset, leaving them with an innability to fund said war Right now, we are funding our enemies in a pair of wars that have gone on way too long. How is that better? Make them back-up their claims. Please Think.
I'd love to give examples, as there are TONS, but space doesn't allow. They divide us into little groups everyday, white/black, poor/rich, straight/gay, young/old, male/female, blue/red, urban/rural, _______-American, on & on & on, because they KNOW we have to unite to put a stop to it. They KNOW the power is ours if we DO unite. Don't buy their crap. Don't let them separate us. It's the only way they can continue to pull-off this charade. It's time we regulate THEM, the other way around isn't working.
We will not acquiesce to NWO governance, subservience, ideology or control. We are Americans, we are the people of the creator, free to be and to live to the best of our ability in peace and prosperity with our neighbors. We will be divided no more. Whatever secrets are still to be unearthed in regard to the great harm done not only to the people of America but the world really do not matter. We know enough to know who the criminals are, who is aiding and abetting and who to hold accountable in the end. We need no more party players, back door dealers, bankster flunkies or federal boot lickers. If our elected leaders do not wake up and honor up very soon this country is headed for a great conflagration. There are only two choices; stand with the people as you are oathed to do or accept accountability to them when it's over. And that's your big dose of truth for the day.
8:56 am on Friday, June 15, 2012 Jobs are created in large part by the middle class when they have good paying jobs and extra money to spend. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Doug, can you explain that mechanism to me? Ever time I got a job, it was from a business. I've never had to turn in my tax, social security or private information over to a "middle class worker". Other than a few odd-jobs done "off the books", I've always been paid directly in cash, and it was a one-time gig. I don't know of a single middle-class worker who started a business by having "good paying jobs and extra money to spend". Where do you think he would spend his money? An entrepreneur must first recognize a need, and then build a business to satisfy that need. A really savvy entrepreneur will figure out how to satisfy a need many people don't even recognize they have.
The federal government should just get out of business altogether. Let businesses, states and municipalities sink or swim on their own. Only through the pain of failure can you force people to change their bad behaviors. Otherwise, what motivation exists? By the way, I'd also disagree that big banks ruined the economy. It was the federal government and our fractional reserve banking system that created the ripe environment for the financial disaster. The banks, as you said about corporations, only did what came naturally.
If the federal government weren't taking so much money from us, they'd have a lot less to spread around. The more money there is, the more potential for corruption exists. The more hands through which money flows, the easier it is to hide corruption when it exists.
Right now, all Labor data is sent to computers at the major news agencies. The computers and the wires that transmit the data were purchased by the news agencies from a third party. The Dept. of Labor has a master "release" switch. The data is sent out and the DOL then turns on everyone's abitlity to see it at the same time. This prevents "insider trading" based on labor data from occuring. Well, now the DOL is replacing all of those computers and all of those lines with federal equipment, and the software that will run the computers will be federally controlled, too. The federal government will have access to the news stories, including notes, as stories are written. It's scarey stuff: http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/06/08/Obama-Labor-Dept-Forces-Journalists-to-Use-Government-Issued-Computers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBx2Y5HhplI
Below is the link to the trancript of the press release. http://www.dol.gov/dol/media/audio/20120416-mediacall-transcript.pdf Yes, Devon, it's "Socialism".
The fact that they give reporters early access and previously allowed such access on non government controlled computers is what is really scary!.. Think about it. We know that cyber-terrorism is a growing threat to the US. We know that China is working hard to steal US information. We need to be VERY VIGILANT about where we keep non public information, even if it is information that will soon be made public. I'm an IT guy so maybe I understand the security implications better than some others here.
The rich are not responsible for the malfeasance of the government. See, this idea works the same for them. They collect more from the rich, but continue their poor fiscal responsibility. How does that fix anything? It doesn't, it only guarantees we have to do it again & again & again.