About a week ago, I was doing a handyman favor for someone, along with several other men. I'm not implying who is or is not employed, but from that effort I have this observation: In one setting this was the most people I've seen out of work and since Jimmy Carter was POTUS.
While in 2008-2009, I was aware of a lot of people (who are not friends of mine BTW) who were in fact gaming the system. Basically the unemployed or laid off people I was aware of in my day to day life were collecting UI payments and doing a half hearted effort of looking for work. Having done some hiring on my own during that period, I would encounter countless prospects who were more interested in collecting the UI benefits while not working than making a slightly higher wage by working. Many of the job seekers only answered my Craigslist ad to count as one of their required job searches. Some were even rude in their contact email and I in turn, reported them to the UI fraud department who assured me they could probably look forward to a job search "audit." I suspect you'll find some of these fine gentlement rioting at the capital, but that's another story.
A common thread among the peer group I observed last week: Not one of these men are collecting UI, ie they are self employed. This means they are not counted in that 8.6%. I should also note, that all of these individuals are from different political stripes, in case you are a troll and want to infer that politics plays a role here.
Probable credit for the 8.6% number is
1) Seasonal hiring which will soon translate to seasonal layoffs in January.
2) The uncounted workers are not being counted.
3) Since election season is nearing, I am suspect of political forces Doctoring the numbers as noted with GM stuffing the channel to inflate auto sales.
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