Unemployment Rate Jumps to 8.1%

The U.S. Department of Labor released the latest unemployment numbers: The unemployment rate was 8.1% in February, with 651,000 jobs slashed during the month. Reuters reports the 8.1% figure "was above market forecasts for a rise to 7.9 from January's 7.6 percent." This continues a trend of massive layoffs across the country since last year: 533,000 jobs were lost in November, 681,000 in December, and 655,000 in January.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on March 6, 2009 8:27 AM

Comments [rss]

Shinobi Shaw

Ron Paul is a Christian, plenty of people are in this country.

Now I am not, however just because he is a creationist does not mean he does not know what he is talking about. The man *Breathes* the constitution like the founding fathers did, I rather have some loyal to the constitution the presidents willingly destroying it.

Also, Unemployment rates are much higher (since they don't count the the people who have been unemployed for more then 2 years).

So it's actually 18% right now.

Felix Hoenikker

When it hits 20, sell.

rasputinsghost

Thanks for the revisionist history, Ron Paul. PURESTRAINGOLD

Felix Hoenikker

C'mon....RP supporters aren't all bad. They're against both wars (and the military industrial complex in general), against the free fed money that helped inflate the real estate bubble (and the subsequent billionaire's bailout) and probably couldn't care less what you smoke or who you marry.

SP

Ron Paul is also a Creationist nutjob. No thanks.

Politburo

It's not really revisionist.. There isn't a consensus on the cause of the depression.

ed_Extinct

it's crazy to think that almost 80 years ago the unemployment rate was 30%.

unregistered_wiseguy

And you know how it got that high? Massive government spending and a series of tax increases during a weak economy.

He who doesn't learn from the past is condemned to relive it.