The Unemployment Rate is Deceiving

By Bob Branco

Why are we expected to believe the unemployment rate? It is fictitious! When the statistic is taken, it does not include people out of work who no longer receive unemployment benefits. Yet we are supposed to believe this bogus unemployment rate every time the new stats come out.

A good example of this is happening right here in my city. By comparison, we are a poor city with many senior citizens and illegal immigrants. Many residents of working age hang around all day, collect Welfare and even do drugs. Despite all that we know, our Mayor recently reported that the unemployment rate in my city is 3.7 percent. Do we honestly believe that 97 out of every 100 people in New Bedford who are of working age actually have a job? Of course not. So why do Mayor Mitchell and other officials continue to put a spin on a false statistic. You mean to tell me that if I take a tour of New Bedford today and interview 100 people of working age, 97 of them are going to tell me they have a job? Who are we kidding?

Those of you who live in New Bedford know what I’m talking about when I describe the countless number of working-aged people who walk the streets, go shopping, and go to Court wearing their pajamas. Years ago, this practice was questioned. These people would be asked why they weren’t in school or at work. Today, forget about it. You can prance around in your pajamas all day long while doing your errands while it never gets questioned.

So, Mr. Mayor, we have a 3.7 percent unemployment rate in New Bedford? If many of us can see through this deception, why do Mayors believe that business owners who are considering a move to their cities will believe it? Just look around, folks. It’s not hard to figure out. Just tell us the truth. Count every person who is out of work, not just those who are still collecting unemployment benefits. Tell your cities and states that the real unemployment rate is closer to 30 or even 40 percent.

(Originally published in Word Matters, www.ernestdempsey.com)

About the Author

Bob Branco resides in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and is a self-published author of four books. He is a community organizer, tutors persons with visual impairments, and has written columns for local and international organizations. Bob’s web site is