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Jobless Claims Rise Unexpectedly »

Posted by: JamesMarcus 2 years, 6 months ago

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The number of newly laid off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits shot up unexpectedly last week, rising to the highest level in two months. The Labor Department reported that unemployment claims totaled 324,000 last week. Analysts said that the increase did not change their view that the labor market remains healthy.

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JamesMarcus

James Marcus is a writer, translator, critic, and editor. He is the author of Amazonia: Five Years at the Epicenter of the Dot-Com Juggernaut and ...

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Comments: 163

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engineer
June 21, 2007, 10:46 a.m.
The labor market remains healthy? BS!! Only those collecting unemployment are counted. If it was healthy wages would go up due to a shortage of workers and the minimum wage bill would not be necessary -- supply and demand!
Avg rating: (+2/-1 1)
bigG
June 21, 2007, 10:55 a.m.
The minimum wage bill wouldn't be necessary if there wasn't an endless supply of cheap labor streaming into the country. As you said, supply and demand. Makes me wonder just how much some people really want immigration reform and border protection.
Avg rating: (+2/-0 2)
mr-breaker
June 21, 2007, 11:04 a.m.

We are in serious trouble if we do not change the way in which the country is spending and managing money. The value of the dollar is dropping like a stone and since our dollar is not backed by oil instead of gold we are dependant on the charity of foreign sources.
There is no one to blame we did it to ourselves by allowing the rich to get richer and ignoring the blatant abuse by politicians of our fiscal responsibilities.
I am not the smartest person in the world but here is an idea that I think would build jobs and help our economy.
Corporations outsource thousands of jobs to foreign companies. I think the govt should tax this policy as international trade and use the money to retrain American citizens who are unemployed.
There are dozens of infrastructure jobs that desperately need workers. The Govt needs to help fill that void, but on the other hand I think our Govt would rather spend the money on bombing dirt mounds in Iraq.
Avg rating: (+3/-1 2)
mr-breaker
June 21, 2007, 11:07 a.m.
NOT TO BE A BUZZKILL BUT WE NEED TO FACE THE TRUTH!
http://in.rediff.com/money/2007/jun/11dollar.htm
Avg rating: (+0/-0 0)
joeblowe
June 21, 2007, 12:17 p.m.
J-easus K-rist - can't ANYONE read? All this thing is telling us is that 3 MONTHS AGO unemployment was worse. And this report only covers 1 stupid week. Some silly anomaly could account for this - like the auto plants closing for a week to let sales catch up with production or something. This is a NON-STORY.
Avg rating: (+1/-0 1)
jaern
June 21, 2007, 8:07 p.m.
What people dont understand is, the dollar was too strong.
How strong are our loans? Maybe we should ask China.
Avg rating: (+0/-1 -1)
mr-breaker
June 21, 2007, 12:38 p.m.
HAHAHA I guess all you guys have jobs. I also wouldn't be surprised if you some of you guys believe in the tooth fairy or that the war in Iraq is actually making America safer.
Hey I like to believe in rainbows and sunny days too, but I live in NYC and I see how hard it is to find a decent job and live on working wage.
You guys sound like you have been to too many Tony Robbins seminars and your brains are filled with sugar plum fairies and talking bunnies.
WAKE UP!
If our economy was so good we would not have a record number of Home foreclosures.
40-50 millions Americans without healthcare
The New Deal was instrumental in bringing the US out of the Depression I don't see a problem with instilling a similar program geared at retraining ppl who have been layed off with new skills.
600 employees were layed off from my company just 4 months ago, go tell them how great the economy is.
Avg rating: (+5/-0 5)
quackpot
June 21, 2007, 2:43 p.m.
Meanwhile, the leader of the pack of predatory sub-prime lenders, Mr. Arnall, head of Ameriquest, gets an Ambassadorship. Oh yes, he did contribute about $8 million to the Bush campaign.
The sub-prime lenders contributed a total of about 200 million to both democrats and republicans. Wonder why there has been so little oversite of the industry and why there are so many forclusures now?
Avg rating: (+1/-0 1)
mr-breaker
June 21, 2007, 2:49 p.m.
Hey I rent my roach motel, but you have a point, but I believe most of these ppl made these bad decisions based on the idea that the economy was "so good" that they would be able to find work or increase their income before the change.
I guess they believed the hype you guys are pushing.
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saintetienne
June 21, 2007, 5:43 p.m.
Thank you for the information, iwant.
Maybe now some people will realize it's not the "GOVERNMENT" or the "EVIL CORPORATIONS" who are responsible for how people are. It's people THEMSELVES.
But that wouuld require growing up and accepting personal responsibility, and very few people do that these days.
Avg rating: (+0/-0 0)
Kaligular
June 21, 2007, 1:53 p.m.
View point only changes perspective! Some individuals are doing quite well from the war economy - war has that property, some will say that's why we're at war - maybe! I do remember a time when inflation was a commonly quoted figure and was considered a fair economic indicator - no longer it seems. Plus the arguments from one perspective that denies anothers viewpoint is just spin from another's perspective - reflecting only that position. Look thru' another's eyes with understanding and you'll see. Ford, GM and Mercedes/Chrysler used to be the largest driving force in the US - are they now, NO! Mercedes themselves found themselves suddenly in possession of an unwanted company - remember? Now people are buying alternative fueled vehicles - mainly Japanese and fuel prices have gone thru the roof - what does that mean to the common man - hey? Changing economic indicators is just cooking the books to suit a perspective - a denial, but the common man is learning now to see thru' the ******!
Avg rating: (+1/-0 1)
mr-breaker
June 21, 2007, 3:21 p.m.
Hey Saint! Maybe you and Tony Robbins can get together and do a tour around the ghettos of the US. I bet it would make us all feel warm and fuzzy inside. However, it may be hard to hear you with your head so far up your rectum.
Avg rating: (+4/-0 4)
mr-breaker
June 21, 2007, 6:40 p.m.
Why is that we have to label someone a liberal or a conservative if they have a viewpoint on a subject? I am liberal on some things and conservative on other.
It as if you so called "conservatives" get a cupie doll for agreeing that you're playing devil's advocate.
It's almost embarrassing to think that we live in a so called "Democracy" and only have 2 major political parties to show for it.
I mean wake up? Stop being sheep
Because Saint likes to hump them!
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NelsonR
June 21, 2007, 6:51 p.m.
Jobless claims will continue to rise. Why pay an Ameican a fair wage when you can hire an illegal to do the same job cheaper? That defines our representatives in our leadership roles who represent not you but big business. As a manager I refuse to hire the Mexican illegals that inundate my area in California, they are a fact of life since your representative, especially Reid, Kennedy Pelosi and their ilk do the same, they represent big Business, not you. You are just a middle class peon who will diminish as times goes by. You are represented by, "No one". As an independent I will not vote for one more democrat to any office, including dog catcher, in the future. I despise what Repulicans have become including, deficit spenders, intrustion into American lives, big government and war mongers but I will first vote independent and if no choice a Republican. You democrats are just plain obnoxious idiots who do not represent the average American but Big corporations.
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getreal1
June 21, 2007, 7:31 p.m.
I am surprised that they said unemployment was high. Usually they will tell you it is low when it's as evident as the nose on your face that they are lying.
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scott4261
June 21, 2007, 8:33 p.m.
Hey Alfalfa,
You may have acquired your money and fame when Herbert Hoover was president, and once again you have no idea how people are surviving...
signed,
a fan of "The Little Rascals" (...but that doesn't necessarily mean I like you....)
Avg rating: (+2/-0 2)
xlegultx
June 21, 2007, 8:25 p.m.
People like etienne are just immature idiots that plague America and follow those waiving the green. Why don't you go and take your economics guidelines that apply just as much in the real world as the laws of probability and shove it. You remind me of those idiotic highschoolers that just had their first class of something and learned something new and felt like posting it everywhere to nurture their inferiority complexes.
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tobeybarnes
June 21, 2007, 8:52 p.m.
all I know is my job ended last Friday. I guess I can be counted in on this weeks numbers.
Avg rating: (+3/-2 1)
Reignman
June 21, 2007, 9:10 p.m.
You think its bad now!!! Guess what my friends, better not get your hopes up about things getting any better!!! If the democrats gain control of the White House they have every intention on raising my taxes.. Guess what happens then, I get rid of people that I could do without!!! Which means MORE UNEMPLOYED CITIZENS without benefits!!! Way to go democrats... The funny part of that equation is that it wont effect me the least bit....
Avg rating: (+1/-0 1)
doppich
June 21, 2007, 9:13 p.m.
Uh-oh! Better expedite another tax cut for Billy Gates and Mikey Bloomberg! Some more handouts to Big Oil would probably help, too.
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xlegultx
June 21, 2007, 9:52 p.m.
Interesting how often the huge gap being the rich and the poor will occurred in history and yet everyone no one questions it in public.
Avg rating: (+24/-0 24)
dunkirk
June 22, 2007, midnight
The Boom you heard from the Bush economy was the sound of empty factories being demolished, since their jobs had been shipped overseas.
Avg rating: (+7/-0 7)
junda
June 22, 2007, 12:36 a.m.
At least ,it prove that economic status is in down turn,for another 3-4 years.
Avg rating: (+2/-3 -1)
SS454
June 22, 2007, 1:01 a.m.
DU!.... what did you expect..hell i know more People out of work then i do with work..The best thing about this is went the UP runns out we just go away they no longer count us..
What a great System..Did you expect the Redneck REPUBLICONS mad money system to work?????..Plesant Dreams!
Avg rating: (+2/-2 0)
evelyna
June 22, 2007, 1:11 a.m.
This is unusaual because it is summer time. Usually a lot of construction and outdoor work going on.
I know a lot of places begging for help. But yet they will not pay a decant wage or give out a good amount of hours. A lot of grocery stores and such are resorting to the 16 year old and under. They really cannot expect a 40 year old to work for $6.50 an hour for 20 hour workweek. Of course these places expect you to be flexible also.
If I was a kid I would mow lawns or detail cars. The wages are not liveable or the hours.