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Poll Watch: U.S. Unemployment Rate is 10% in March – Down From February – But So What?
America’s unemployment rate was down in March 2011 and down from March 2010 as measured by Gallup.Unemployment, as measured by Gallup without seasonal adjustment, was 10.0% in March — down from 10.2% in mid-March and 10.3% at the end of February, but above the 9.8% at the end of January. U.S. unemployment was 10.4% at the end of March a year ago.
What about the percentage of part-time workers?
And, underemployment also declined in March.
But, what does this mean? Is America’s economy improving?
Not according to Gallup.
ADP on Wednesday reported that U.S. private-sector jobs increased by 201,000 in March — the third consecutive month at this level of job growth. At the same time, Challenger, Gray & Christmas showed a sharp decline in March U.S. layoffs compared with last year. All of this is consistent with Gallup’s Job Creation Index, which has shown slightly more jobs being created and comparatively low layoffs during the first quarter of 2011.
However, contrary to the federal government’s recent job reports, Gallup’s unemployment and underemployment measures suggest that recent job increases have not been sufficient to significantly improve the jobs situation so far in 2011. Although both of Gallup’s measures were marginally better in March, they remain higher now than they were in January.
The March improvement in the jobs situation compared with February may be partly the result of seasonal hiring patterns, with companies increasing their hiring at this time of year. However, the 2010 jobs situation didn’t show substantial improvement until the second half of April. Regardless, the decline in the underemployment rate year-over-year is consistent with a cautious hiring approach in which employers avoid layoffs while taking on more part-time workers and limiting their hiring of full-time employees.
Despite the March uptick, Gallup’s view of the U.S. jobs situation remains substantially less optimistic than the government’s recent unemployment report might suggest. Added to this, late March Gallup Daily tracking results show a continuing decline in economic optimism, a pullback in consumer spending, and a drop in Gallup’s Job Creation Index. This suggests that recent behavior on Main Street does not reflect the government’s rosier assessment. It also implies that the recent marginal improvement Gallup finds may be more temporary than one might hope.
Looks like the Obama Administration is spinning the numbers to creat some economic optimism but too many Americans remain out of work and economic activity remains stagnant at best.
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MA-Sen Poll Watch: Sen. Scott Brown Safe for 2012?
Massachusetts Republican U.S. Senator Scott Brown
Apparently so, according to a DSCC poll.Massachusetts is a deeply Democratic state, one in which barely more than 15 percent of the seats in the state Legislature are held by Republicans and fewer than 15 percent of all registered voters belong to the GOP. So it’s hardly surprising that national Democrats have been making noise about defeating the state’s Republican senator, Scott Brown, when he stands for reelection next year.
“It’s a priority for us,” Guy Cecil, the executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, told the Boston Globe when he made a two-day trip to the Bay State earlier this month.
But the DSCC received some bad news this week when a poll it commissioned found that Brown’s popularity is soaring. The survey, which has been seen by at least one D.C. insider and was detailed for Salon, measured Brown’s approval rating at 73 percent — easily surpassing the scores for Barack Obama and the state’s two top Democrats, Gov. Deval Patrick and Sen. John Kerry. It also found him running over the magic 50 percent mark against every potential Democratic challenger, and crushing the strongest perceived Democrats (Reps. Michael Capuano and Ed Markey and former Rep. Marty Meehan) by double-digit margins. The results only grew closer when respondents were primed with negative information about Brown.
Good news for the GOP in taking over the U.S. Senate majority in 2012. The Republicans need to win a net of three seats to replace Harry Reid as Senate Majority Leader.
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Flap’s Links and Comments for March 31st on 01:21
These are my links for March 31st from 01:21 to 08:42:
- President 2012 New Jersey Poll Watch: Mike Huckabee Running Even with President Obama | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – President 2012 New Jersey Poll Watch: Mike Huckabee Running Even with President Obama #tcot #catcot
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-03-31 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-03-31 #tcot #catcot
- Flap’s Links and Comments for March 30th on 20:19 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Flap’s Links and Comments for March 30th on 20:19 #tcot #catcot
- Republican leaders say, ‘No deal yet’ – Right Turn – The Washington Post – Republican leaders say, ‘No deal yet’ – Right Turn – The Washington Post
- Flap’s Links and Comments for March 30th on 19:46 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Flap’s Links and Comments for March 30th on 19:46 | Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog
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Day By Day March 31, 2011 – Lucky Luciano
Day By Day by Chris MuirMaybe Sam would have preferred Naomi?The bar is all in the family now. Look what Zed has waiting for him when he returns from Afghanistan.
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President 2012 New Jersey Poll Watch: Mike Huckabee Running Even with President Obama
According to the latest Farleigh Dickinson Poll.
For the GOP Nomination:
- Mike Huckabee – 21%
- Mitt Romney – 20%
- Sarah Palin – 12%
- Chris Christie – 10%
- Newt Gingrich – 10%
- Tim Pawlenty – 5%
Head to Head with the President:
- Obama – 46% Vs. Huckabee – 46%
- Obama – 44% Vs. Romney – 43%
- Obama – 46% Vs. Christie – 40%
- Obama – 54% Vs. Palin – 34%
- Obama – 52% Vs. Gingrich – 37%
- Obama – 48% Vs. Pawlenty – 34%
Among independent voters:
Christie also shows appeal among independent voters. While Palin runs behind Obama 34%-52% among independents, Christie runs ahead of Obama with independents 43%-40%. Similarly, Gingrich loses to the president 40%-45% among independents, and Pawlenty comes in behind by 33%-41%. “Christie can appeal to voters beyond the party base in a way that some other big-name Republicans can’t and won’t,” Woolley added.
An interesting poilling result in what is generally considered a deep blue state. Mike Huckabee again is polling well whereas Sarah Palin is NOT.
I wonder if Mike Huckabee might be reconsidering his seeming ambivalence to running for the Presidency?
Exit question: How well would Mike Huckabee poll if Sarah Palin declared she was NOT a canddate?
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@Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-03-31
- Flap’s Links and Comments for March 30th on 18:06 http://bit.ly/frrFhU #tcot #catcot #
- Budget Negotiators Reach Tentative Deal To Avert Government Shutdown http://abcn.ws/hn8FC1 #
- Arnold Schwarzenegger is back as 'The Governator' http://bit.ly/fKJkwE #
- Barack Obama authorizes secret help for Libya rebels http://reut.rs/eqQCSA #
- Barack Obama’s jaw-dropping hypocrisy on energy http://wapo.st/iaaBaG #
- Video: California Democrats Go Saul Alinsky Over Rep. Dan Lungren and Styrofoam | Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap'… http://bit.ly/f1qNDJ #
- Flap’s Links and Comments for March 30th on 11:06 http://bit.ly/h4Y1eo #tcot #catcot #
- Video: California Democrats Go Saul Alinsky Over Rep. Dan Lungren and Styrofoam http://bit.ly/i4keOS #tcot #catcot #
- FL-Sen Poll Watch: Sen. Bill Nelson in Decent Shape? http://bit.ly/fX4gRM #tcot #catcot #
- Dilbert – March 30, 2011 – Low Opinion http://bit.ly/fpkgm3 #tcot #catcot #
- In-Sen: Why Sen. richard Lugar's Primary Challenger Is No Sharron Angle http://bit.ly/fVJVFO #
- RT @johnhawkinsrwn: It's sad to see the Dems planning to deliberately shut down the gov't just cause they think they can blame it on the GOP #
- Oh come on Russ – say what you really feel – Obama MUST go! http://bit.ly/gzMtMC #tcot #
- President 2012: Reagan Library GOP Debate Rescheduled from May to September http://bit.ly/fgEe2T #tcot #catcot #
- Flap’s Links and Comments for March 30th on 07:57 http://bit.ly/hIqlcb #tcot #catcot #
- GOP House Freshman Tell Harry Reid: “It’s Time to Pass a Bill” http://bit.ly/hiVaPp #tcot #catcot #
- Flap’s Links and Comments for March 30th on 06:32 | Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog http://bit.ly/ecjRu3 #
- Obama Fundraiser Steve Westly – ABC News http://abcn.ws/e62pPB #
- Flap’s Links and Comments for March 30th on 06:32 http://bit.ly/i2WN7Z #tcot #catcot #
- Did Obama Administration Play Favorites With Energy Loans? Green Firms Financed By Obama Fundraiser Steve Westl… http://abcn.ws/gTtg7A #
- President 2012 Poll Watch: President Obama as a Strong Leader = Not So Much http://bit.ly/hKuupR #tcot #catcot #
- RT @WSJ: The first Republican presidential debate, previously scheduled for May, will be pushed back to Sept. 14 http://on.wsj.com/hscQrQ #
- Black And Blue 2: Blacks Flee Blue States in Droves http://bit.ly/fxHHjc #
- What Is at Stake in Wisconsin Supreme Court Election on April 5? http://bit.ly/htWiH3 #tcot #catcot #
- RT @katieharbath: Reading: Meet Edward Zuckerberg, tech-savvy dentist (and Mark's father) – http://lat.ms/hm95xv #
- Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom Prepping to Run for California Governor? http://bit.ly/gBr7IR #tcot #catcot #
- Update: VA Dentist Implicated in Unhygienic Dental Practice and Spread of Hepatitis http://bit.ly/gVSgno #
- Day by Day March 30, 2011 – My Mother from Tokyo http://bit.ly/f2nCb2 #tcot #catcot #
- Flap’s Links and Comments for March 29th on 19:39 http://bit.ly/gmMKW8 #tcot #catcot #
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-03-30 http://bit.ly/eBtKVD #tcot #catcot #
- Flap’s Links and Comments for March 29th on 18:38 | Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog http://bit.ly/iiwISb #
- Flap’s Links and Comments for March 29th on 18:25 | Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog http://bit.ly/evxIOi #
- Capitol Alert: Organized labor mulling its own ballot measure on taxes http://bit.ly/i5L60j #
- Flap’s Links and Comments for March 29th on 18:38 http://bit.ly/hVQINN #tcot #catcot #
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Flap’s Links and Comments for March 30th on 20:19
These are my links for March 30th from 20:19 to 20:45:
- Republican leaders say, ‘No deal yet’ – Right Turn – The Washington Post – Republican leaders say, ‘No deal yet’ on Budget
- Flap’s Links and Comments for March 30th on 19:46 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Flap’s Links and Comments for March 30th on 19:46 #tcot #catcot