Comments on: Unemployment Insurance Claims Top 6 Million http://donklephant.com/2009/04/16/unemployment-insurance-claims-top-6-million/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:03:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: kranky kritter http://donklephant.com/2009/04/16/unemployment-insurance-claims-top-6-million/comment-page-1/#comment-447033 kranky kritter Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:59:46 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=14482#comment-447033 Because these are somewhat misleading raw numbers, let's compare the numbers from each peak shown to the US population at the time. As we all know there were fewer total numbers of people in America during the previous peaks, so we need to use percents if we want to know what portion of total people were making claims in each recessionary period. I'll use the higher "continued claimant:" numbers, estimating from the graph, and I'll use pop numbers from a quick googling: <blockquote> • In 1975, there were 216 million people and about 4.75 million claimants. • In 1983, there were 233 million people and about 4.8 million claimants. • In 1992, there were 255 million people and about 3.55 million claimants. • In 2003, there were 285 million people and about 3.85 million claimants. • In 2009, there are about 305 million people and about 6 million claimants. </blockquote> So, what percent of total people were making claims during each period? <blockquote> • 1975:2.2 % • 1983: 2.1% • 1992: 1.4% • 2003: 1.4% • 2009: 2% </blockquote> This means that, at least at this point, unemployment clams are in the same ballpark as the '75 and '83 recessions, which I can assure you were plenty bad. This also means that at this point the recession is not singularly historically "great depression, wear a barrel, brutha-can-u-spare-a-dime" bad. This contextualization has been brought to you by the League of Anti-Douche Meanies. Because these are somewhat misleading raw numbers, let’s compare the numbers from each peak shown to the US population at the time. As we all know there were fewer total numbers of people in America during the previous peaks, so we need to use percents if we want to know what portion of total people were making claims in each recessionary period. I’ll use the higher “continued claimant:” numbers, estimating from the graph, and I’ll use pop numbers from a quick googling:

• In 1975, there were 216 million people and about 4.75 million claimants.
• In 1983, there were 233 million people and about 4.8 million claimants.
• In 1992, there were 255 million people and about 3.55 million claimants.
• In 2003, there were 285 million people and about 3.85 million claimants.
• In 2009, there are about 305 million people and about 6 million claimants.

So, what percent of total people were making claims during each period?

• 1975:2.2 %
• 1983: 2.1%
• 1992: 1.4%
• 2003: 1.4%
• 2009: 2%

This means that, at least at this point, unemployment clams are in the same ballpark as the ’75 and ’83 recessions, which I can assure you were plenty bad.

This also means that at this point the recession is not singularly historically “great depression, wear a barrel, brutha-can-u-spare-a-dime” bad.

This contextualization has been brought to you by the League of Anti-Douche Meanies.

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