Well, the job numbers for August were released shortly before the Labor Day holiday, and the “recovery summer” that Uncle Joe Biden crowed about is now officially a bust.
The unemployment rate increased from 9.5 to 9.6%, and the U.S. lost jobs for the third straight month, some 54,000 in total. This was actually considered good news in some quarters, since estimates were that the losses would be on the order of 110,000. But private sector employment grew by an anemic 67,000 jobs. This was a disappointing report for any Labor Day.
Obama’s response was predictable. First, he congratulated himself, calling the figures “good news,” and proof that his programs are working. He then started pushing yet another stimulus bill, this one for “small businesses.” Also under consideration is yet another stimulus bill for “infrastructure.”
Second, after all this exhausting work — devising stimulus bills that don’t stimulate takes real mental effort — Obama felt the need for rest. He promptly took off to Camp David for yet another well-deserved vacation.
