Response to the Republican Supermajority’s Claims About the Drop in the Unemployment Rate

From the Office of Representative Craig Ford

"The Republican Supermajority and their leaders are trying to mislead the people of Alabama about our state's unemployment situation. When people drop out of the workforce they are no longer included in the calculation of the unemployment rate. Since August, for every job that has been created, more than two and a half people have left the workforce. What that tells us is that the drop in the unemployment rate has more to do with people retiring, moving out of state, or giving up and quitting their job search than it does with actual jobs being created.

Unlike the Republicans, Democrats don't think an 8.1% unemployment rate is

something to brag about. There are more than 174,000 Alabamians who are

unemployed, and who knows how many more who want to work but have given

up their job search. Since taking office, the Republicans have failed to create

the jobs they promised, they have refused to close unfair tax loopholes that

only benefit multinational corporations at the expense of Alabama businesses

and schools, and they have criticized Dr. David Bronner for investing the state

retirement systems' money into Alabama businesses. So can someone please

explain to me what the Republicans are bragging about?"

Representative Ford is a Democrat from Gadsden. He has served in the

Alabama House of Representatives since 2000. In 2010, Representative Ford

was elected Minority Leader of the state House of Representatives by the House Democratic Caucus.