December Jobs: Which Economy is it?

(DALLAS, TX) – A small uptick in the monthly jobs report released today is no reason for Washington to celebrate, according to the president of Job Creators Network – especially since the same politicians are ringing the alarm for more jobless benefits.

“Washington politicians speak from both sides of their mouth when they praise persistently mediocre job growth while campaigning for even more unemployment payment extensions,” Job Creators Network president Alfredo Ortiz said.

The December 2013 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report showed 74,000 jobs created in December, an unemployment rate that ticked down to 6.7 percent, and a labor force participation rate that remains at levels Americans have not seen in a lifetime.

For nearly two decades before 2008, the labor force participation rate had hovered between 66 and 67 percent, but has nose-dived since the economic crisis and not recovered. Many adults have ceased even looking for work.

“Which economy is it, Washington?” asked Ortiz. “We are told this anemic level of jobs growth is encouraging, but then the request for a sixth year of unemployment benefit extensions is a blatant admission the economy is stuck.”

On the heels of November’s jobs report, showing just over 200,000 jobs gained, President Obama said the economy was “gaining traction,” but then called for another extension of federal unemployment benefits. Earlier this week, the U.S. Senate began to move a measure that would extend benefits for three more months, at a cost of $6.4 billion. 

ABOUT JOB CREATORS NETWORK

Job Creators Network (JCN) is the voice of real job creators that has been missing from the debate on jobs and our economic crisis. JCN members talk about paychecks, not politics, helping the public and policymakers understand how to create jobs. For more information please visit www.JobCreatorsNetwork.com.