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In an effort to bolster his sagging poll numbers with female voters, Mitt Romney and his campaign have made this new charge: that women have accounted for 92 percent of the job losses since President Obama took office.
Here’s what Romney said yesterday while campaigning in Delaware:
"There's been some talk about a war on women. The real war on women has been waged by the Obama administration's failure on the economy. Do you know what percentage of job losses during the Obama years of have been casualties of women losing jobs as opposed to men? Do you know how many women, what percent of the job losses were women? 92.3 percent of the job losses during the Obama years have been women who've lost those jobs."
The Romney campaign also held a conference call making this same point. "The number of unemployed women has increased by nearly a million under Barack Obama," surrogate Bay Buchanan said. "Ninety-two percent of the jobs lost since he took office are women."
But First Read contacted the Bureau of Labor Statistics to get to the bottom of this 92 percent charge. The conclusion: The Romney campaign’s figures don’t tell the whole story.
The campaign, in a research document circulated yesterday and on its website, said the numbers come from the “Current Employment Statistics” database at BLS. The document notes that there was a net change of -740,000 nonfarm payroll jobs from January 2009 to March 2012 -- and that women accounted for 683,000 of those jobs.
That is accurate, according to BLS. But Brian Davidson, an economist at BLS, told First Read: “The math they use is correct; the terminology is completely wrong.”
Davidson noted that women actually make up a larger share of the workforce now than they did in Jan. 2008 before the financial meltdown, and since January 2009, it is a statistically insignificant change.
In January 2008, women made up 48.8 percent of the workforce; in January 2009, 49.5 percent; now 49.3 percent.
“Do we still have the same amount of women workers relative to men in the ‘net-change’? Yes we do,” Davidson said.
He added, “It’s like trying to pull a bunny out of a hat, but there’s no bunny inside.”
Independent fact-checkers like Politifact and the Washington Post’s Fact Checker also took on the claim.
Giving the claim a “Mostly False,” Politifact called it “misleading”: “We found that though the numbers are accurate, their reading of them isn’t.”
“One could reasonably argue that January 2009 employment figures are more a result of President George W. Bush’s policies, at least as far as any president can be blamed or credited for private-sector hiring,” Politifact wrote. “We reached out to Gary Steinberg, spokesman for the BLS, for his take on the claim. He pointed out that women’s job losses are high for that period of time because millions of men had already lost their jobs. Women were next. … [I]f you count all those jobs lost beginning in 2007, women account for just 39.7 percent of the total. … There is a small amount of truth to the claim, but it ignores critical facts that would give a different impression.”
The Washington Post’s fact checker, Glenn Kessler, begins this way: “[W]e frown on the somewhat arbitrary dividing line of measuring jobs statistics by presidential terms. It is a common journalistic — and political — metric. But restarting the employment clock from the moment the president takes the oath of office doesn’t tell you much about a his performance, especially since it takes time for the new president’s policies to take effect.”
In fact, he writes, “[T]here is less to this stat than meets the eye. … If you start the data in February, then the overall job loss is just 16,000 jobs—while women lost 484,000 jobs. … How could women lose more jobs than the overall total? It’s a function of the dates one picks.”
And notably: “[T]he picture becomes clearer if you start running the data from the date the recession began — December 2007. With that starting point, the total decline in jobs was just over 5 million, with women accounting for nearly 1.8 million of those jobs. Now look what happens when we just look at the past year, March 2011 to March 2012. Men gained nearly 1.9 million jobs while women gained 635,000 jobs.”
*** CORRECTION *** An earlier version of this post noted that the Romney campaign used numbers from January 2009. The campaign has reached out to First Read and notes that it used January 2009 as a "baseline."
"We use January 2009 as the baseline, which means the first month of losses charged to Obama is the decline in February vs. January," said campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul.
*** UPDATE *** Saul also passes along a letter written by its policy director, Lanhee Chen, to dispute the Politifact story (and "Mostly False" rating) that attempted a fact check on a Tweet by Saul referencing the numbers. Chen accuses Politifact of a "failure to focus on the appropriate context."
"First, why should it matter that men had already lost millions of jobs?" Chen wrote. "Was it now women’s 'turn'? Is this part of the President’s conception of “fairness” that he talks about so frequently? If the data showed the opposite (i.e. that women had been disproportionately hurt prior to the President taking office), we imagine you would have used that as an indictment of Ms. Saul by arguing that the trend was inherent to the recession and predated the President."
Chen concluded, "In summary, your piece confirms Ms. Saul’s claim as accurate, and then relies on a direct contradiction with a prior Politifact piece and incorrect claims from two publicly acknowledged Obama supporters (including one Administration official!) as the basis for rating it “Mostly False.” I hope you will agree that this rating was inappropriate and that the piece does not reflect the journalistic standards to which your organization intends to hold itself. Please retract the piece and issue a correction as soon as possible."
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So Mulligan Mitt wants to spin the war on womens GOP agenda so that now President Obama is the reason for the decline in womens employment. Never mind that most of the so called 1% job creators are right wing-nuts. And never mind that the GOP/T-Pers get their marching orders from these 1%ers. No Mulligan Mitt is having an etch-a-sketch moment. By trying to spin this garbage on a President that wants all of us to work. Because as of this moment it will be very hard for this so-called conservative GOP nominee to push his and the right wing agenda back to the middle. But then again they don't call him the "Flip-Flopper" for nothing now do they...
Go figure, then go vote...
Its an old strategy dating back to Donald Segretti ~ master of the Nixon 'dirty tricks' activities. Karl Rove was a Segretti understudy and carried forward the scheme of taking a opponent's strength and turning it against him/her while at the same time taking the weakness of the opposed and making it appear that it is the opponent's fault. It takes a lot of gullibility to fall for the ploy ~ but Republicans have been falling for the garbage promoted by the likes of Rove and his acolytes (Limbaugh-Hannity-O'Reilly-Coulter-Levin-etc) for decades. Nothing new here ~ just more deceit and misinformation which has become the clarion cry of GOPers since the Gingrich "contract on America" initiated in 1973. Its now in their DNA and is just a natural action with virtually all who embrace the uber-conservative philosophy and ideology.
Thank you for that information... Very well put.
That's the Karl Rove tactic
Take you biggest weakness and accuse your opponent of it.
So if you're keeping score Obama is a flip-flopping, out-of-touch rich venture capitalist who out-sourced jobs to China and started a war on women.
I'm sure I missed something, Romney has a lot of weaknesses.
And now it begins:
Of course this is not true but from now till Nov. over 60% of everything we see, read or hear from the GOP’s and Karl Rove’s Super Pac will be half truths and lies, then the Democrats will have to resort to either wasting their time on correcting these statements and false fabrications or leave the poor fools that will believe anything go on believing it, because most of the time if some of these people hear something once it has to be true and no matter how much someone tries to persuade them otherwise they will not be convince. They will still be hoodwinked into voting their rights away, that is if they will even be able to vote with all these new voting laws that 20+ states have enacted.
You can alwasy count on "Fiesty Red" for a moronic post/response. Thanks as always for making my day!
Obama Lies... What a steaming pile. in which manner are "pro life" women being ignored? Is it your contention that the vast majority of thinking people do not want someone else's religeous beliefs foisted into their lives? Is that how they're being ignored??? They're free to do whatever they please as far as I know.
If you look at any number of polls (women polled - even the right wing polls) it's clear that the majority of women think that the economy is the priority. Abortion rights are a ways down. It probabaly sits there because most of the thinking folks thought that the USSC settled this decades ago.
But women's health issues are not!!Come Nov. republicans will see they made several grave errors.
Really? Let one announce she intends to marry her same sex partner as a test of that freedom. Let one declare she will have an abortion and watch that "freedom" erode in the assaults thrown by rightwingers. Let one attempt to acquire contraception methods as part of their corporate funded insurance plan and listen to the recent echo of critical debate on the subject. Women are free to do whatever they please until it offends the tender sensitivities of the evangi-fundies or men of influence, in general. The abortion issue was settled by SCOTUS but it is being opposed by conservatives in a broadbased effort ~ the same ones who scream Constitutional compliance and individual freedom. The contradictions and hypocrisy are so think they can be cut with a knife.
It is idiotic reasoning for Mr. Mitt to claim that. In fact, if anything women have a BETTER chance of not being idle in the workplace than men, due to the fact that there are still plenty of desk jobs out there, which often have a higher proportion of female jobholders.
One only has to look at anti-women legislation introduced, by Republicans, in Arizona, Kansas, Florida, Mississippi, Indiana, Minnesota, Alabama, Missouri, Virginia and Idaho to know that there is a "war' against women's rights. The overwhelming majority of these attempts to legislate women's right to healthcare has been the work of Republican men. This from a political party that is always whining about personal freedom and getting government out of people's lives. Mitch McConnell, Niki Haley and Mitt Romney can try to spin their party's anti-women platform any way they wish but the facts do not support their statements. Republican dominated legislatures are largely focused on demeaning women and reducing access to healthcare for women of all ages. But, of course, these legislators more than happy to insure that their own government paid-for health care covers them entirely.
Don't forget Texas and its mandatory ultrasound law ~ and its concerted attempt to banish Planned Parenthood from existence. You will notice that the USSC ruled affirmatively on the individual state's prohibition of abortion ~ it ruled definitively on the matter. But as states continue to defy its previous order. the bold and imposing SCOTUS remains strangely silent on what its chief justice has defined as "settled law." We once held a reasonable expectation that the court would be fair and impartial but those days vanished when we started selecting justices based on their personally held political ideology. The court is now just a mere extension of liberal-conservative politics. The Constitution has become simply a document that establishes the court's existence and prohibits it being held accountable by the people it serves.
What Romney does not want us to remember?
http://www.usmessageboard.com/the-romper-room/189315-the-photo-mitt-romney-doesn-t-want-you-to-see.html
It seems like even Romney's son knows the different
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/03/13/romneys-son-praises-obama-he-is-great/
We're in for 6 more months of Republicans trying to slant the numbers and win some idiot votes.
The truth is,,,,,,The Republicans have NOTHING to run on and tens of millions of voters alienated
by their actions, Even the highest ranking Republicans do not expect to win this general election
by running on their rhetoric and lies
Pay attention folks. This is nothing new. Mitt Romney will distort facts, mislead and flat out lie to get elected. This is the pattern and it will continue. Even after paying close attention to the Romney campaign for many months, I still don't know what he brings to the table except the old deregulation and tax breaks for the rich cure all approach. This is because he is trying so hard to convince everybody how bad Obama is. I have one big question: What would you do differently Mitt? This reliance upon his business credentials to simply make all our problems go away is tantamount to him waving a magic wand, or perhaps the equivalent of hiring an absentee slum landlord to resolve your city's urban development challenges. Come on Mitt, what is your policy? I suppose he doesn't want to commit to one, knowing he'll simply change it when it becomes inconvenient.
As has and will Barak Obama and his cronies. Nothing unique about that particular trait in American politics.
Ladies take notice:
Mitt Romney On Planned Parenthood: We Will 'Get Rid' Of It
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/13/mitt-romney-planned-parenthood_n_1343450.html
True or False? In 2010-2011, 1,100 reproductive health and rights-related provisions were introduced.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002415002
In their quest for the nomination GOP candidates had to go so far right they are alienated all but the far right Tea Party and religious zealots....but Romney went even further...alienated everyone!
President Obama....re-elected in 2012!
OK, OK Republicans since you insist on not accepting any responsibility for any of this mess we are in, I volunteer to do the vaginal probes for you. I am just a dirty ole man and will not tell anyone what happens. Now ladies, just close your eyes and spread your legs wide. And don't worry about there not being a need for this exam. The republicans says you need it. And then when I am done, just place this aspirin between your knees and all will be OK.
Also you don't need a job anyways. Your jobs is to make babies and wait on us men hand and foot. Also you don't need to vote because you will never understands a mans world. You don't need equal pay because bare foot and pregnant is all you are required to do. There is also no need for you to go to school, us men will teach you everything you need to know outside of what your mother teaches you.
Now be a good little Stepford wife and sit there and be quite.
did you really make it to MSGT rank?
Sounds like a lot of democraps I know. Keepin' their little ladys in line...
Ret_MSgt -
EXACTLY the way Mutt thinks. Just shut up and make more Mormon babies and shut up and cook my dinner and shut up like a good little wifey. What a douche.
Hey Steve and Paul. Just bring your little ladies over to my place and I will do the vaginal probe on them for free. No need waiting around it will take a couple of hours or so. I will send them back to you feeling really good. I'll even throw in the aspirin for free for them to use when they get home to you.
FU dude. That amounts to a threat. You should be banned for that kind of talk. I'll see what I can do. You couldn't possbily be a retired marine; maybe a court martial? Just get out of prison did you? Couldn't keep your fingers out of your mother's panties?
Hey Paul don't get your little panties in a wad. I am just volunteering to do what the republicans want to do to all the ladies out here. What's the matter with you? You don't want some strange person probing your lady? If you don't want that then why are you support the republicans? That is what they want.
Wow reality sucks when it strikes home.
And Paul if I hurt your feelings too bad dude!!!! You come on here calling people names but when somebody fires back at you, you get upset. Well grow up dude. If you cannot take the heat then stay off the computer.
Sound like you can talk crap but cannot take it. Just like the other right wingers on here. Calling President Obama names and anyone that can past the republicans B/S make you such a big person. Yet when someone fires back at you, you start trying to ridicule them.
You want other women to get probed but not your own.
Obama/Biden 2012
Now don't be so hard on Mitt...It's hard for him to keep things "accurate"..
It's tough trying to deny what you have said in the past.....tougher to keep clear the lies you want to be able to deny in the future....
We will remember all these attacks come Nov. Women will make the difference! I must say that the republican women have more balls than their male counterparts for speaking the truth about these issues,At least 3 of them.
The Republican candidate women keep their little mouths shut as a good proper wifey should. Gimme a break and gag.
Figures lie and Liars figure.
There is no lie too big for the GOP.
Nor for the jackass party...
This isn't news, unless you "fact check" Obummer's claims about jobs as well. His administration manipulates the numbers by excluding those who've just plain quit looking, which is equivalent to claiming they've got jobs now. Duh...
You go right ahead and vote for Mutt. I will be offsetting your vote as MANY women will.
Paul, are you suggesting that this practice initiated with the Obama Administration? Its been the policy as BLS of the Department of Labor for eons. Nice try ~ but like Romney, you have been lapped so many times you think you are in first place.
LOL That last line made me laugh Jim! Thanks! No, I didn't say it originated with Obummer. I said he uses it to play with statistics. I don't care who originated it, it's BS.
What's so funny, is how many Republicans leave comments on MSNBC Postings when they keep saying what a "Liberal" Bias they say MSNBC is-Stupit is what Stupit Does.
The Republican Middle Class must be "Stupit" to want to keep giving to the "Rich" and "Voting" against there own self interest, SS, Medicare and Womens Health Care and American Values.
I don't hate Barack Obama, I just think the economy would have recovered the same or better without his weak interventions. Making claims to what has happened while he has been in office is very different than relating evidence to the effectiveness of his policies and legislation.
I don't hate him either but I have been far from pleased with results of his "promises" which turned into lies. Yes, I voted for him. The thought of Palin in office scared me s%%tless. I thought we would have better choices for 2012. Oops - my bad. So what is left? The hysterical GOP? Nah, don't think so. They not only scare me but make me sick. So.....
Obama/Biden 2012
But when the evidence bears out the claims, it tends to lend credibility to both ~ which is exactly the case with the claims, evidence, effectiveness, and outcome. It is a bitter pill, but swallowing is unavoidable.
And when are we going to get MSNBC's fact checking on what Obama says? Oh, yeah, MSNBC turns everything he says into fact. Open your eyes people. A fact check from MSNBC on a republican is like a brake check from your local brake mechanic. They are probably gonna find some problems whether they exist or not.
FAIL.
Pull your head out, boy.
Faux Noise has rotted what little mind you had.
Mutt can spout all the crap in the world. I am a woman and I vote and I will NEVER vote for an idiot like him.
Obama/Biden 2012.
Romney will never learn!!! Liar! Liar! Pants on fire. He has completely lost the women vote! No woman was going to change their mind about him. You know what they say...you fool me once shame on you. You fool me twice shame on me. I believe Romney has giving more than a good picture of that famous saying.
Etch-A-Sketch cannot open his damned mouth without spewing easily disproven LIES.
Can't wait to see President Obama mop the floor with that putz during debates.
It is only beginning, folks. The Republicans are going to throw every dirty trick they can dream up and won't worry about any of it being the truth. The important thing to them is to get the S**T out there. Remember "Swift Boat"?
Hello Travisaurus,
Please, you are not that blind, even the Republican Party do not like Romney because of this problem and so forth.