It was the best of reports, it was the worst of reports. The story of jobs in the USofA continues to wind down like a Dickens novel, crammed of details and well defined moments lush with feeling and energy but lacking a strong, driving plot. We know when it ends, of course – somewhere many pages from now in the election in November. Exactly how it goes down is entirely another question.
But for August we have two job reports. The ADP report showed a private employment gain of 200k, a wonderfully robust gain that suggests a strong economy is really turning the corner. The official household survey from the Department of Labor came in with an incredibly weak 96k jobs gained, a number that is not really treading water. Why the discrepancy? What is the real state of jobs? How will this play in the election?
Keep reading. This novel is far from done.
Barataria - The work of Erik Hare 