Lies, Damn Lies, and Federal Government Statistics....

[Tim Liston]

I'm getting really sick of all the blather that is coming to us as “statisticsâ€

[Bill Call]

As for me, I don't care if about a President that can handle a 3 AM call on the hotline. I want one that will get on the TV at 8 PM, stop lying to us, and tell us what we really need to hear.

You're in for a long wait.

[Stephen Eisel]

And the unemployment statistics. You know, that only about 5% or so of us are unemployed. That's comical too. If you have simply given up looking for work, and are living off relatives or Uncle Sam, you are not considered to be unemployed.

and they have done it that way for years..

[Stephen Eisel]

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080519/economy.html

[Tim Liston]

I don't believe in resurrecting old threads, especially my own, but I couldn't resist. This author says what anyone with common sense knows, that government assessment of CPI, unemployment statistics and the like, it's a total fabrication.

Click here.

[Stephen Eisel]

"

Pollyanna creep" in many ways is not unlike the advent of "earnings before one-time items" reporting in the private-sector world - an accounting practice that was virtually unheard-of 20 years ago, but which is now commonplace. The resulting rosier view comes to be accepted because it suits the purposes of all involved - and those who highlight the bright side were no doubt rewarded.

[sarcasm] [/sarcasm]