Kerry on New Jobs Numbers

US Newswire reported a news release today by John Kerry regarding the outstanding jobs performance numbers. Apparently, the Kerry campaign is so overwhelmed by the good news they can only grudgingly conceed it is even good news.

At the same time, John Kerry is apparently ignorant of certain issues regarding employment. He states, "...but let's be clear: we still have a long way to go to get America working again. America is still in the worst job recovery since the Great Depression, with 2.2 million private- sector jobs lost in the Bush presidency, 8.1 million Americans still looking for work, and long-term unemployment at the highest level in twenty years."

Fortunately, we don't have to take Mr. Kerry's word for the state of our economy. The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides some great historical economic data. America is in one of the best economic recoveries since the Great Depression with one-half million jobs being gained in only two months. Unemployment is actually quite low. In 1992, the annual unemployment rate was about 7.4%. It wasn't until 1997 that it reached the 5.6% level it is at now. Between 1998 and 2001, the average rate was below 5.0% - yes even after Bush became President.

It was only in October 2001 that the unemployment rate began to climb. It should also be noted that unemployment has never risen above 6.3 percent in any given month - and only a single month at that rate - during the Bush presidency. This is lower, and in many cases much lower, than any month during the first 3 1/2 years of the Clinton administration - where the average monthly unemployment rate was between 6.4% and 7.8%.

The bottom line is Kerry is wrong on the economy. He states he has a plan to fix it, but isn't even aware of its actual state. His numbers don't add up. Unemployment is not nearly as bad as the gloom and doom Leftists want you to believe. They know that if they create your data for you, you won't have to go look it up yourself - and you won't know the truth.

By all means, don't take my word for it. Go look at the statistics yourself.