As Kash notes the disappointing news about payroll employment growth, you might be wondering why the unemployment rate fell last month. So was I, so let’s check the news from the household survey. First of all, the household survey indicates employment fell by 17 thousand in September but then increased by 214 thousand last month […]

The creation of net new jobs in October was disappointingly slow. We were able to downplay September’s bad job report because they contained the large but temporary (we hope) negative effects of Katrina and Rita… but it’s a bit harder to brush off October’s weak job creation numbers. In fact, when one considers the fact […]

Via The Carpetbagger Report, I knew things were bad for the president popularity-wise, but I didn’t realize they had gotten quite this bad: Approval Ratings As the Wall Street Journal explains, “Mr. Bush’s current ratings are well below those of Presidents Clinton and Reagan during similar points in their presidency, and near President Nixon’s ranking […]

Given my call to Just Say No to ARNOLD’s propositions, the news reported by Kevin Drum warms my heart that my state will not fall for the replacement governor’s spin. But that’s only Propositions 74 to 77. Proposition 73 is a call to the “right to life” (better put anti-choice) crowd to come help ARNOLD […]

Via the National Review comes the Zell Miller excuse for leaking the name of a CIA operative – attack Joseph Wilson: To the media, it doesn’t matter that the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence says Wilson lied about what he did and with whom he met while investigating Iraqi attempts to purchase “yellowcake” uranium. To […]

Today the BLS released its preliminary estimates of third quarter productivity and worker compensation. Productivity increased 4.8 percent in the business sector, as output grew 4.3 percent and hours declined 0.4 percent. The 4.1-percent rise in nonfarm business productivity occurred as output rose 4.2 percent and hours rose 0.1 percent. These productivity numbers are good; […]

Iraq’s government has decided to reverse a decision made by the Bush administration that was by all accounts a disastrous mistake. From today’s NYTimes: BAGHDAD, Iraq, Nov. 2 – The Iraqi government called Wednesday for the return of junior officers from the disbanded army of Saddam Hussein, openly reversing an American directive issued in 2003. […]

One of my favorite details in the reporting about the closed-door session of the Senate that Harry Reid called yesterday was this one from the AP version of the story: “[Lott] said Reid’s move violated the Senate’s tradition of courtesy and consent.” It actually made me laugh out loud when I read that Lott was […]

Almost five years ago, the Texas Rangers offered one player about $25 million per year over ten years. Some might claim that these contracts increase the price of tickets, but I’d rather suggest that it is our demand for the sport that creates economic rent for quality players. OK, A-rod plays for the Yankees now […]

During his press conference last week, I thought I heard Patrick Fitzgerald says “It’s Not Over” in reference to his investigation. Did I only imagine the word “not”? It seems some on the right must have heard him declare “It’s Over”. At least, many of the talking heads on the Sunday talk shows seemed to […]