September Jobs Report - The Remarkable Strength, Resilience of The US Economy And The American People
Despite enormous headwinds, US economy continues to be strong, resiliant
Saturday, September 2nd - The September Bureau of Labor Statistics monthy jobs report is out and it’s another good one - 187,000 net new jobs, average hourly earnings up 0.2% and 4.3% over the past 12 months. With inflation now at 3.2% over the past 12 months, real earnings over the past year remain firmly in positive territory. The unemployment rate ticked up a bit to 3.8%, driven largely by a big surge of people, particularly those over 55, newly looking for work. It remains at a historically low level even with this modest increase.
But there is no doubt that our blistering hot economy is slowing, as was the Fed’s goal, and that a “soft landing” remains the most likely path in the months ahead. Despite all the challenges - COVID, global inflation due to OPEC/Russian invasion of Ukraine, rising interests rates - the American economy, and the American people, just keep getting it done. It’s a remarkable thing to see.
With this new data our monthly jobs tracker clocks in at:
33.8m jobs - 16 years of Clinton, Obama
13.5m jobs - 31 months (2.6 years) of Biden
1.9m jobs - 16 years of Bush, Bush and Trump
Biden's 13.5m jobs are more than 7 times as many jobs as were created in the 16 years of the last 3 Republican Presidencies, combined. Since 1989 and the end of the Cold War, the US has seen 49 million new jobs created. Remarkably 47 million of those 49 million jobs were created under Democratic Presidents, 96% - essentially all of them.
Let’s go to our monthly deep dive into data, charts and graphs!
What this data tells us is that since this new age of globalization began in 1989, a modern and forward-looking Democratic Party has repeatedly seen strong economic growth on its watch. Republican Presidents, on the other hand, have overseen three consecutive recessions - the last two, severe. The contrast in performance here is very stark. It is not a stretch to state that the GOP’s economic track record over the past 30 years has been among the worst in the history of the United States. Thus it is not surprising that in recent months we saw the Republicans working so hard to once again wreck the American economy - it is what the modern Republican Party does, again and again. It is also why we should be so grateful that our experienced and savvy President was able to stave off this Republican wrecking ball and get a smart deal done on the debt ceiling. Though it is possible we may see another attempt by Republicans to throw the economy into recession in the coming year end budget negotiations.
The reason it is important for the Republicans to try to derail our current economic progress is because the Biden economic track record has been so very good:
GDP growth has been over 3% in Biden’s Presidency, 3 times higher than Trump. Growth increased from the first to second quarter, and the Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow has 3rd quarter growth coming in at over 5%. No recession on the horizon
7 times as many Biden jobs in 31 months as last 3 GOP Presidents combined over 16 years
Inflation has come back down to pre-pandemic levels - bouncing around between 2 and 3% now
Lowest unemployment rate in peacetime economy since WWII
Lowest poverty/uninsured rates ever
Very elevated wage gains and new business starts. Worker satisfaction is at an all time high. Real earnings were up in 2022, real wages are back in positive territory
1.4 job openings per unemployed person - an amazing stat - while declining still well below historic norm. Remains a very good time to find a job
The deficit has come way down under Biden. A reminder that the deficit went up every year under Trump and has come down every year under Biden
Domestic oil production is on track to set records in 2023, and we are making huge gains with non-carbon-based energy production
Historic investments in our future prosperity (infrastructure, CHIPs, climate, health care)
The bottom line is that Democratic policies have repeatedly been able to make globalization work for the American people in this new and challenging age. GOP policies have repeatedly failed to deliver, as a national party Republicans have repeatedly failed to do their part.
It is a core belief here that the current radicalization of the GOP is intimately linked to its repeated failure to handle the challenges of the post-Cold War era. The rigid ideological approach of the modern GOP has left it unable to govern in a time of rapid change; and those repeated failures have left many Republicans angry, reactionary and willing to do the unthinkable to stay in or regain power. The modern GOP has no answers for many of the most important challenges America faces today, and rather than modernizing, and adapting, as all institutions must in a time of change, the GOP has decided to fight the future by rigging the system to remain in power while the country and its people drift from their narrow grasp.
This argument – about the success Democrats have achieved through modernization, and the failures of the GOP for their refusal to do so – is at the very core of my most important presentation, With Democrats Things Get Better. You can learn more and watch this 30 minute presentation here.
Finally, I believe our collective overarching message priority this year is to get into positive territory against the Republicans on the economy. I talk about why this is so important in a recent short take video. Given this strong track record going all the back to 1989 we shouldn’t be losing the economic debate to these guys. It is critical that we work together in 2023 to establish this basic contrast:
Dems = growth, lower deficits, progress for workers and families
Rs = recession, higher deficits, American decline
As I recently posted here, the conversation about the economy in the US remains very red wavy - it is full of false right-wing narratives that are distorting our understanding of what’s happening here in our own country. The bottom line is that our economy is historically strong. Joe Biden has been a very good President. The country is much better off today.
And if you don’t believe me, read this Economist cover story, "The lessons from America’s astonishing economic record. The world’s biggest economy is leaving its peers ever further in the dust,” or watch this video (below) of CNN’s Fareed Zakaria talking about the historic strength of the US economy right now:
I am proud of our country, our President and our Party. We need to be very loud in the coming months about all the good we’ve done. Our ability to win next year may very well depend on how successful we are in fighting this economic red wave and helping Americans come to a better understanding of how successful we all have been, together.
Keep working hard everyone - Simon
I noticed you using the term ‘patriots’ to describe us, and I am glad for that. We can take the red white and blue colors, flag, and terms of patriotism and proudly display them. We ALL own those symbols.
Thank you, Simon! All really encouraging data. 😊 I will say, I continue to have conversations with people with diverse backgrounds, and they continue to be open and listen to the evidence. They continue to be encouraged by the data I give and come to a similar conclusion as me and us here at Hopium; Joe Biden has been a good president. The Democratic Party has gotten average Americans results. The MAGA Republican leaders have used corruption and conspiracy to attack American freedom.
I can see the recovery we the people have made in my rural town in West Tennessee. We can see it in rural Mingo County West Virginia. Americans know progress when they see it. (Shameless self promotion ahead...hope you all don’t mind 😊) I write more about how we the people agree and work together I’m my most recent post (www.SowingHope.How/p/Stronger-Together).
Thank you again, Simon. It feels good to have data to build America up when some seem to be only focused on tearing her down. 🌱