Job Losses and Gains

Bush handed Obama the worst economy since the great depression. Obama immediately passed a job-stimuls bill which helped stop job losses faster than during the milder 1st Bush recession. Click to the graph and you can see how much faster. 

17 Million Unemployed

By the end of Bush’s last budget, Sept. 30, 2009, there 14.1 million unemployed and another 3.2 million that had given up looking for work, and so were not counted, for a total of 17.3 million. This is 10 million more than just a year and three quarters earlier.

Jobs: Clinton: +20, Bush: –2, Obama +3

During Clinton’s 8 budget years, 20 million jobs were added. During Bush’s 8 budget years, 2 million jobs were lost. During Obama’s first 2 budget years 2 million jobs were added.

Unemployment Rate: 8.2% or 11.7%

April 9, 2012.  As of March, 2012, the headline unemployment rate is down to 8.2% from 10.1%. But counting discouraged workers, the unemployment rate is still 11.2%, down from 12.3%.