Some interesting facts and figures

[DemBones DemBones]

from a quiz at CNN's Lou Dobbs page. (I quit watching CNN but went to the site to DU a poll and saw the quiz.)

I thought DUers might like having certain figures on the tip of their tongues, or in their bookmarks, when the economy comes up in discussion with Bush*bots. I've added some bolded text and the correct answers are in boldface. Enjoy!


2. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this week that the layoff rate from 2001-2003 reached 8.7 percent, the second fastest rate of layoffs on record. How many adult jobholders age 20 or older lost their jobs in that three-year period?

6.8 million
8.7 million
10.2 million
11.4 million




3. According to the same report, what percentage of those who found new jobs said they were earning less in their new jobs than in the ones they had lost?

36 percent
44 percent
57 percent
70 percent




5. How many Americans lost employer-paid, health-care coverage from 2001-2003, according to a study conducted by the Center for Studying Health System Change?

1 million
4 million
7 million
9 million



6. That same study reported that the proportion of Americans under 65 with employer coverage fell to what percentage in 2003?

57 percent
63 percent
70 percent
81 percent



And here's something you may hear used against Kerry, along with the facts that show it's not a big deal:


8. Sen. John Kerry this week unveiled a list of 200 CEOs and business leaders around the country who support his campaign. The Bush-Cheney campaign pointed out that several of those 200 work or have worked for companies that appear on the "Exporting America" list of firms outsourcing U.S. jobs to cheap foreign labor markets. How many of those execs' firms are on the list?

25
39
61
72

[XanaDUer]

1. Here is a sad personal story...

My friend got a job, not great paying, but it had benefits and a steady paycheck.

So, two weeks after getting the job, she was let go because here in FL, there is not enough money for teachers, etc. THe schools are bursting, btw, and the lotto that was going to deliver us from this mess does not seem to be going to the public schools, as promised.

She just had a baby and is very worried about finances.

The whole thing has me disgusted.

[Nite Owl]

2. #8, and answer to that

could be that they are outsourcing now but they know his plans and still back him. They are willing to become responsible corporate citizens. The ones that don't have no plans to change and will continue to exploit the American worker.

[DemBones DemBones]

3. Good point! Also, some companies are outsourcing on a

large scale, others on a small scale, so all offenders on the list are not equally offensive. We probably wouldn't object to some outsourcing if there were not so many unemployed in our own country.