“Unbelievable jobs numbers..these Chicago guys will do anything..can’t debate so change numbers” -@jackwelch on Twitter
Why it stinks: The conspiracy tweet, right after the good jobs report Friday, Oct. 5, suggests that the Obama administration changed the numbers reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, despite the fact that career civil servants generate the BLS reports, and the jobs numbers aren’t really outside of the statistical norm.
September’s report reflects better-than-reported numbers for the summer—an adjustment to July (181,000 up from 141,000) and August (142,000 up from 96,000) numbers. Indeed, as part of its regular analysis, BLS also now estimates adjustments of 386,000 additional jobs in the first quarter of 2012, suggesting job growth has basically been slow and steady for two years running at roughly 150,000 jobs a month.
More stories by this author
Support our reporting -- Follow the MFP.
