American Morning

Tune in at 6am Eastern for all the news you need to start your day.
February 5th, 2010
11:00 AM ET

Jobless rate falls more than expected

There is a little bit of good news today. The Labor Department released its January jobs report, saying the unemployment rate dropped to 9.7%.

To break down the numbers, we were joined on Friday's American Morning by Lackshman Achuthan, economic analyst and managing director of the Economic Cycle Research Institute; and Jill Schlesinger, editor at large at CBS Moneywatch.com.

CNNMoney: Job losses continue but rate falls
Filed under: Economy
soundoff (4 Responses)
  1. RICHARD D. DUFFY

    I believe we should be concerned when any percentage of Americans who want to
    work are out of work. People who are unable to work need help and draw
    unemployment insurance paid for by our tax dollars. We should be concerned when
    parents who are unable to work cannot pay their bills, lose the family home or
    car, spiral down hill in other monetary areas and lose confidence when forced to
    draw food from food banks to take care of their families..
    Our government is quick to help other nations but needs to pay far more
    attention to our own–first.
    A real problem is that our present government lacks credibility on any facts. As
    a result, having them say unemployment dropped from 10 to 9.7% is not credible
    to me. I believe the future will reveal an increase in unemployment not a drop.
    The other issue is that our government refuses to count the long term unemployed
    who are no longer eligible for benefits. If they did, my understanding is that
    the real percentage is above 17%. This high rate of unemployment has a negative
    affect on all of us and our nation as a whole. These are our friends and family
    members who are unemployed. They are important. America needs to stop buying
    inferior and dangerous products from China and start more manufacturing back in
    the US. This will certainly provide jobs but will also improve safety. Do you
    know where your prescription drugs are manufactured? Scarey isn't it with
    China's track record–from childrens jewelry to housing sheetrock.

    February 6, 2010 at 12:28 pm |
  2. RICHARD D. DUFFY

    I believe we should be concerned when any percentage of Americans who want to work are out of work. People who are unable to work need help and draw unemployment insurance paid for by our tax dollars. We should be concerned when parents who are unable to work cannot pay their bills, lose the family home or car, spiral down hill in other monetary areas and lose confidence when forced to draw food from food banks to take care of their families..
    Our government is quick to help other nations but needs to pay far more attention to our own–first.
    A real problem is that our present government lacks credibility on any facts. As a result, having them say unemployment dropped from 10 to 9.7% is not credible to me. I believe the future will reveal an increase in unemployment not a drop. The other issue is that our government refuses to count the long term unemployed who are no longer eligible for benefits. If they did, my understanding is that the real percentage is above 17%. This high rate of unemployment has a negative affect on all of us and our nation as a whole. These are our friends and family members who are unemployed. They are important. America needs to stop buying inferior and dangerous products from China and start more manufacturing back in the US. This will certainly provide jobs but will also improve safety. Do you know where your prescription drugs are manufactured? Scarey isn't it with China's track record–from childrens jewelry to housing sheetrock.

    February 6, 2010 at 9:19 am |
  3. michelle

    Let's get real.

    How many of us 90 percent'ers that go to work everyday really care about the 10 percent that don't have jobs? I never thought much about it when 3 percent were out of work, did you? What difference does it make on how many people are out of work if you have a job? Why worry if you're working? At what percentage point are we supposed to 'worry' about people that don't have jobs, 10%, 7%, 2%??? and other than worrying all day about the situation while we're at work, what else can the employed do?

    February 5, 2010 at 11:56 am |
  4. michelle

    Let's get real.

    How many of us 90 percent'ers that go to work everyday really care about the 10 percent that don't have jobs? I never thought much about it when 3 percent were out of work, did you? What difference does it make on how many people are of work if you have a job? Why worry if you're working? At what percentage point are we supposed to 'worry' about people that don't have jobs, 10%, 7%, 2%??? and other than worrying all day about the situation while we're at work, what else can the employed do?

    February 5, 2010 at 11:55 am |
« Back to main