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jobs

US Lost 105,000 Jobs In October But Added 64,000 In November, Data Shows 

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According to official data, the US labor market grew by more than expected last month, showing recovery is occurring after the damage caused by the federal government shutdown. In October, it was estimated that around 105,000 jobs were lost while 64,000 were added in November.

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Many economists were not convinced that job growth would be as high as it was in November, with many forecasting only 40,000 to be added. 

Last month, however, the unemployment rate continued to grow, hitting a four-year high and hitting 4.6%. The latest data and job numbers are normally released monthly but were delayed due to the government shutdown. Federal government jobs declined by 162,000 in October and 6,000 in November. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that full October jobs data would not be released and November’s jobs data was delayed due to the 43-day federal government shutdown. These delays have caused a lot of questions regarding the reports accuracy. 

For example, Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell warned last week that the data from BLS should be “treated with a skeptical eye” while the “hangover left from the shutdown works through the system,” the Guardian reported. 

ADP reported that the US private sector employers got rid of around 32,000 jobs in November after they added 47,000 jobs in October, showing signs of the job market weakening. 

​​The September jobs report, released late in November due to the federal government shutdown, showed that the US added 119,000 jobs, higher than economist predictions. The increase in the unemployment rate from 4.3% to 4.4% in September is the highest level since 2021. 

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Powell himself warned that job figures are likely to be worse than the numbers reported and that Trump’s immigration policies have hurt the US labor supply, keeping the unemployment rate “relatively flat.”

He made these assumptions after the Fed announced it was cutting interest rates by a quarter point, moving towards “risk management” over concerns of a weakening labor market. 

“Labor supply has also come down quite sharply. So, you know, if you had a world where there is just no growth in workers and you really don’t need a lot of jobs to have full employment, some people argue that is what we are looking at.”

“So, there is an over-count in the payroll job numbers, we think, continuing, and it will be corrected. I don’t have an exact month in my head right now. Again, I think forecasters generally understand that. We think it is about 60,000 a month, so 40,000 jobs could be negative 20, but that could be wrong by 10 or 20 in either direction,” said Powell. 

Powell also warned that the accuracy of the jobs report data needs to be questioned due to the government shutdown. 

“We are going to get data, but we are going to have to look at it carefully and with a somewhat skeptical eye by the January meeting,” he said.

The BLS also has been under fire from the Trump administration. Back in August, Trump got rid of BLS commissioner Erika McEntarfer just hours after the July jobs report was published. Trump claimed that the report was “rigged” to make him look bad, which there was no actual evidence to back up.

Debate

Moderates Take On Elizabeth Warren at Fourth Democratic Debate

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While most polls still show Joe Biden as the current frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, Elizabeth Warren has been gaining momentum, and trend lines show that she’s likely to maintain a lead over the former Vice President in the following months. As such, many of the candidates in last night’s Democratic primary debate took the opportunity to attack Warren for her more progressive proposals, competing amongst one another to position themselves as a sensible and moderate alternative to the two leading progressives in the race, Warren and Sanders, as well as the leading moderate, Joe Biden. While this tactic among many members of the historically crowded debate stage was to be expected, it nonetheless poses a challenge for Warren, who must struggle to maintain her narrow lead amidst concerns about the electability of such a radically progressive candidate in the general election.

Perhaps the most notable takeaway from Warren’s performance last night was her steadfast refusal to answer a question about whether or not the middle class would see an increase in taxes to pay for her Medicare-for-all plan. Despite being asked the question multiple times by moderator Anderson Cooper, and thereafter by fellow contenders Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar, Warren evaded a direct answer, instead insisting that her policies would not raise “costs” for the middle class and that she would not sign a bill that would make healthcare more expensive for working families. 

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Her failure to directly answer this question was made even more jarring by the fact that Bernie Sanders, who reiterated his famous quip that he “wrote the damn bill,” readily acknowledged that while premiums and deductibles would be eliminated under his plan, bringing down costs overall, taxes on the middle class would be increased to pay for it. Warren’s evasiveness on this issue, while strategic, stands in stark contrast to her normally thorough and detailed descriptions of her policy plans for which she has become well-known. Rivals Buttigieg, Klobuchar, and Biden wasted no time in calling Warren out, commenting that this politician-like evasiveness was exactly what voters hated about Washington and opining that her Medicare-for-All plan is not convincing if she can’t explain how to pay for it.

Despite heated disagreements among the dozens candidates displayed during the three-hour debate, the competitors were in near-unanimous agreement on a number of issues. The moderators, forgoing opening statements due to time constraints, opened the debate by asking each candidate for their views on impeachment. All twelve Democrats on-stage voiced their support for impeaching Donald Trump, with Elizabeth Warren pointing out that she supported impeachment in the immediate aftermath of the release of the Mueller Report for its description of numerous instances of obstruction of justice. 

Notably, none of the candidates took the opportunity to attack Joe Biden for his son’s business dealings in Ukraine, instead focusing on the impropriety of a sitting president asking a foreign power for election assistance. Most, if not all of the candidates described Trump in damning terms, describing him as some variant of “the most corrupt president ever.” Joe Biden responded to a question about whether it was appropriate for his son to conduct business overseas while he was the Vice President by asserting that neither he nor his son ever did anything wrong and claiming that his son’s statement on the matter speaks for itself. Though many of the candidates have voiced their support for Biden in this matter in other venues since news broke of the whistleblower’s complaint, none did so last night, instead choosing not to address the topic.

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Last night’s debate was not only the first debate since the beginning of formal impeachment proceedings, but also the first since Bernie Sanders’ heart attack, for which he received emergency surgery and which amplified concerns about the impact of his age on his ability to effectively carry out the duties of the president. Sanders preempted a question about his health by saying he was feeling great, and last night the Vermont senator appeared as vigorous and energetic as ever. Whereas in previous debates, candidates like Julian Castro attacked their older competitors for age-related concerns, this line of attack was not on display last night. Joe Biden, facing questions about his age, promised he would release his medical records before the first votes would be cast. Notably, the three most popular candidates — Warren, Sanders, and Biden — are all in their 70’s, as is Donald Trump, whose unhealthy lifestyle Cory Booker criticised last night.

Overall, last night’s historically crowded three-hour debate offered few surprises, but instead reflected the realities of a hotly contested primary to choose who should run against a uniquely vicious and corrupt incumbent president. Buttigieg pointed out that, due to the extent of Trump’s corruption, the next President would have the unenviable and tremendous task of healing a historically divided populace, as well as rebuilding damaged governmental institutions and relationships with allies around the world. The enormity of this task, as well as the urgency of selecting a candidate with the widespread appeal necessary to defeat Trump, is surely on Democratic voters’ minds. 

Autumn

Is Autumn the Best Time for a Camping Trip?

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Fall has officially begun, marking the end of what is widely considered to be the season for vacations and the beginning of back-to-school activities, earlier evenings, and more time spent indoors. As the leaves change colors and the temperature drops, many people, and students in particular, see this time of year as symbolizing a return to productivity and new professional endeavors. But despite the longer nights and colder temperatures, the beginning of fall may be the perfect time of year to book a campsite and set up a tent in the woods, enjoying the restorative beauty that nature has to offer.

Camping is widely regarded as an activity best enjoyed in June, July, and August, as the hot temperatures, long days, and extended break from school inspire outdoor activity. However, in many cases the experience of sitting around a campfire, hiking in the woods, and gazing up at the stars outside of a tent is best enjoyed in late September or early October. Doing so at this time of year allows for a relatively unique experience, and while the change in weather can make the experience a little more uncomfortable, the benefits of spending time outdoors later in the year more than make up for it.

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People who are interested in going camping are often looking for a chance to get away from the crowds and heavily-populated areas of their everyday lives, and one of the advantages of doing so in the fall is the fact that campgrounds are likely to be much less busy. As families shift their focus from summer vacations to schoolwork, campgrounds are more likely to be patronized by smaller groups of people, such as couples and even individual campers, making this time of year particularly attractive for adult campers looking to spend time away from children. Being in nature alongside a small number of close friends or loved ones makes for a better opportunity to bond with them and with the outdoors, which is what the best camping trips are all about.

While the thought of sleeping outdoors in the fall without the benefit of indoor heating can seem unthinkable, the right gear can mitigate the discomfort of doing so. A plethora of sleeping bags that are rated as providing sufficient warmth in the cold, even at temperatures approaching zero degrees Fahrenheit, are widely available. If you have no interest in investing in a cold-weather sleeping bag, camping gear is available to rent from a variety of outlets. Dressing appropriately by wearing multiple layers of clothing and making sure to pack sweaters, jackets, and hats is essential. Of particular concern in the fall is the possibility of rain, as wet clothing can lower body temperatures and potentially cause hypothermia, so make sure to take this possibility into account. One way of thinking about cooler weather is by considering it to be brisk and refreshing, as drinking a hot cup of coffee in the morning and enjoying the warmth of a campfire become even more invigorating.

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Autumn also offers an opportunity to experience the beauty of nature when the leaves change color and fall to the ground. The period of time when trees become more colorful and varied is relatively brief, so camping in this environment is a special experience which only occurs once per year. Additionally, when the temperature starts to drop, pests like ticks and mosquitoes are less abundant. As such, taking a walk in the woods during this time of year, given adequate preparation, can be more fun than doing so in the summer, spring, or winter. If you’re interested in photography, the colorful fall landscapes are perfect environments for Instagram. And while camping in the fall may cause you to miss out on some activities that are only possible in the summer, like swimming in lakes, other activities become available during this time of year, such as apple and pumpkin picking, harvest festivals, and Halloween-related events.

One of the benefits of camping as a vacation activity is that it requires relatively little investment of time and money, as campsites are cheap, equipment can be rented, and campgrounds can often be located within a few hours’ drive from home. A successful camping trip can be planned for a weekend, meaning you don’t have to take time off work to enjoy the experience. One thing to watch out for, though, is ensuring that the campground you plan on staying at will be open for the time you wish to stay, as most campgrounds close for the year around mid-October, with some smaller locations closing even earlier than that. Nevertheless, camping in the fall can make for an unforgettable and restorative experience, perfect for preparing oneself for the cold and long fall and winter nights to come.