Trump Administration Asks States To Bury Unemployment Claim Figures

[spanone]

The Trump administration’s Labor Department sent an email to state officials this week asking them to report new unemployment claims only in “generalities” to avoid spooking financial markets, The New York Times reported.

The email on Wednesday asked state labor authorities to only “provide information using generalities to describe claims levels (very high, large increase)” until the Labor Department releases the total number of national claims next Thursday.

“States should not provide numeric values to the public,” Gay Gilbert, the administrator of the department’s Office of Employment Insurance, wrote in the email shared with the Times. The message noted that the figures are closely tracked by financial markets judging the strength of the economy.

Unemployment claims have been skyrocketing as thousands are laid off from jobs amid the spread of coronavirus. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin reportedly warned senators that unemployment during the pandemic could hit 20% without a financial rescue package.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/labor-department-trump-fudges-unemployment-claims_n_5e745dc5c5b6eab7794577ee

[A HERETIC I AM]

1. What idiot thinks that "No news is good news" is appropriate when it comes to the stock market?

The free flow of information is what accurately prices things. It's like going to an art auction and bidding on a painting, thinking it is a classic and not being told it is a paint-by-numbers forgery.

[BeckyDem]

2. I will never stop asking for him to be removed from office.

Criminal Trump.

[gibraltar72]

3. Gonna get a "massage".

[Wellstone ruled]

4. Well,we could see that one coming.