In case you’re not up to speed on the various unemployment measures, the WaPo has published an article on it:
There are actually six versions of the unemployment rate produced monthly by the department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The official unemployment rate is U-3, which reflects people who are actively seeking jobs but cannot find one. Here are the six rates, with the percent unemployed as of November.
- U-1: Persons unemployed 15 weeks or longer, as a percent of the civilian labor force (1.8 percent)
- U-2: Job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs, as a percent of the civilian labor force (2.2 percent)
- U-3: Total unemployed, as a percent of the civilian labor force (4.6 percent)
- U-4: Total unemployed plus discouraged workers, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus discouraged workers (5 percent)
- U-5: Total unemployed, plus discouraged workers, plus all other persons marginally attached to the labor force, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force (5.8 percent)
- U-6: Total unemployed, plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force, plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force (9.3 percent)
So Donald’s claim that we actually have a 42% unemployment rate? Either you’re wrong (but such a smart person! Oyez!) or you lied through your teeth. You choose, Donald.
Please, don’t look at other students’ answers.
