Unemployment report shows participation rate at new 36-year low

Oct. 3, 2014, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government Vice President of Public Policy and Communications Rick Manning today issued the following statement on the latest jobs numbers:

“The almost predictable Obama Administration pre-election unemployment report did not fail to deliver as the top-line unemployment rate sunk below 6 percent.  Unfortunately, this drop in the rate is, once again, largely due to another 315,000 people, or the equivalent of half of the total population of the District of Columbia, dropping out of the workforce.  From a limited government point of view, it might seem like a good idea if half of Washington, D.C., no longer was employed or even in the employment market, but unfortunately, these employment market drop outs are not former federal government employees, but instead are folks located across the nation.  The very people who D.C. depends upon to pay taxes and produce goods and services to make our economy run.

“The current labor participation rate has gotten so bad, that our nation has not had a smaller percentage of people in the labor force since February, 1978, when Jimmy Carter was President, the Bee Gees song Stayin Alive topped the charts, and the Roger Staubach-led Cowboys defeated the Broncos in Super Bowl X11.

“As Paul Harvey used to say, ‘And now you know the rest of the story.’”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at (202)744-4427 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Nathan Mehrens.

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