Comments on: Does the Government Manipulate Economic Data?

By: Why the economic argument for free trade is no longer valid - Page 4 - U.S. Politics Online: A Political Discussion Forum

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:55:57 +0000

[...] Originally Posted by partofme So economic expansion isn’t important to you? Your plan would keep us standing still (if you mean just not expanding trade further) while mine is a way to move forward. The money we would spend would only be a fraction of the gains to the economy as a whole. Unemployment is still historically very low. The reason we notice jobs going overseas is because it hits specific sectors which makes it more visible while the gains are spread through the entire economy which makes them less noticeable. Unemployment is only low because people have gone from jobs paying 20 dollars an hour, to jobs paying 10 dollars an hour. If you include underemployment, unemployment is not low, as you claim. Market Oracle has some good articles on government manipulated economic data. For instance……. Williams reverse-engineers the GDP, employment and inflation data for more accurate readings. He backs out manipulative changes to produce more valid figures. Take the 5.5% May unemployment rate for example. BLS calculates it on persons who looked for work in the last 30 days. Williams adds those who want to work but gave up in frustration plus people working part-time who want (but can’t find) full-time jobs. Result: real unemployment of over 12% Manipulated, Corrupted and Unreliable Government Data Points to Hyperinflation :: The Market Oracle :: Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting Free Website Another good piece can be found at FOX Business…….. Specifically, Phillips targets three of the most closely watched and what he says are highly manipulated economic measures: The consumer price index, which tracks inflation; the gross domestic product, which tracks the economy

By: Barry

Barry — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:59:52 +0000

The politicians answer is simple – wait until I’m out of office! I can’t fathom a workable answer. There isn’t enough money(income) available, including looting IRAs, etc. Hyper-inflation merely compounds the problem and finishs off the dollar. The rest of the world isn’t going to continue to ‘lend’ us their money. A world-wide Depression might work. In the mean time, follow Peter Lynch’s suggetion and buy tuna fish (food) while you can afford it!

By: David Bush

David Bush — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:04:53 +0000

Thank God for your regular features that bring some sense of reality back to financial journalism. Yours is one of the few sites that will present both sides of the story. We can choose to turn away when the truth is ugly, but we can’t make it go away. Thanks for giving us a mirror.

By: lee williams

lee williams — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:12:11 +0000

only a fool believes the govt CPI. years ago, when touted smooth ptices of sterel, rubber, chrome, glass etc I checked with 3 local car dealerts The price of their cars had risren 5-7% for 5 years. (I don’t buy steel,etc-I buy cars)

By: william robert

william robert — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:55:17 +0000

Good reporting on fairly old news. What you should be talking about it the way price to earnings ratios are reported over the last 15 years. Like inflation, the calculation for determining a company’s price has gone from a trailing 13pe as norm,to a forward looking 17 pe which is touted/sold as norm, especially with growth rates dubious even before you factor in the inflation. Plus, with inflation, our everybodyshouldbuyit stockmarket would have to be well over 16000 to be even with it’s height of year 2000 just accounting for the inflation. We are witnessing wealth being vaporized.