Why are so many Americans depressed these days?

While there are a number of reasons such as the employment situation, the immigration problem, the scary prospect of more terrorist attacks similar to what happened in Boston, etc., among other things, there is also the feeling that we are not being told the truth by our government.

The IRS has been targeting conservative political groups, the Justice Department has been listening in on peoples’ phone conversations without getting permission to do so first, and, above all, the great majority of the people do not think we have been honestly been informed …

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The so-called mainstream media is busy touting the drop in the unemployment number to 7.5 percent (TNT, 5-4). That means we’re now back to the level it was five years ago when Barack Obama took office.

Is that really an accomplishment to be proud of? I think not. Particularly when you consider how the number was achieved.

The labor force participation rate remains at a decades-low 63.3 percent. If participation had held constant since Obama’s term began, the jobless rate would be 11 percent. So the lower unemployment rate was achieved by having people drop out of the job …

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The reported unemployment in many of Washington state’s counties is in double digits. The people have repeatedly passed initiatives demanding a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to increase taxes with the wish spending would be frugal. The people want jobs created by the private sector.

Gov. Jay Inslee promised the public that taxes would not be increased, which implied spending would be frugal. His proposed budget increases spending by 10 percent, an increase that would be funded with miscellaneous taxes and fees that are rationalized as innocuous.

For instance, he proposes elimination of so-called business and occupation tax breaks, which …

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The Tacoma paper would have us all believe that the 171,000 new jobs was the result of an accelerating economy. You can only have an accelerating economy if the jobs growth is consistent each month and at a level that moves the market place.

According to the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank, growing jobs by 171,000 will reduce unemployment to 7.32 percent over a year period. That still leaves millions of people unemployed after one more year of pain and suffering. Again according to the Fed, if you wanted to reduce unemployment to six percent, (which still leaves a lot of …

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What a coincidence that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the new “official” unemployment rate (U3) dropping below 8 percent one month before the election. This one-month snapshot is being heralded by those on the left as all the proof we need that our economy is on the right track.

What isn’t mentioned is that the unemployed/underemployed rate (U6) is unchanged at 14.7 percent and has been over 14 percent for well over a year; the trend is unchanged.

U6 unemployment is a much broader-based number because the U3 unemployment considers somebody “employed” even if they work only one hour …

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Re: “Tacoman with experience says jobs reports are gold” (TNT, 10-8).

So John Bregger, a former Bureau of Labor Statistics supervisor, is offended by the suggestion that national unemployment figures are manipulated? According to him, the figure is derived through polls and surveys. For that to have any accuracy at all the information gathered has to be true and accurate in every respect, thus leaving the results open to easy manipulation either way.

So exactly what is wrong with basing the result on actual statistics? To think that the federal government doesn’t manipulate figures or “cook the books” is both …

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The News Tribune reports that Washington’s unemployment rate is one of the highest in the country, and Pierce County continues to experience a decline in the numbers of jobs. We simply need a fresh approach.

As the president of the Tacoma–Pierce County Association of Realtors, I am keenly aware of the need for more jobs. Once people feel sure about jobs they think more confidently about buying a home. As a small business owner, I understand that we need to create a better business climate in our state so that more jobs are generated. I believe these are the reasons …

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I’ve heard all the Democrats boasting about the creation of 4.5 million jobs during the Obama presidency. That’s an incredible number! Is it true or just more political rhetoric?

I did some fact checking on this, and the numbers just don’t add up. With unemployment rising to 8.3 percent, disappointing weekly job numbers and a sluggish economy, this doesn’t seem possible.

Through federal government resources, here’s what they say.

On 9/4/2008 there were 13,525,550 actual unemployed. On 9/4/2012 there were 23,058,163 actual unemployed. That is a net gain of 9,058,163 actual unemployed.

On 9/4/2008 the U.S. work force was 154,731,205. …

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