Why Mitt Romney Will Prove To Be a Feeble Presidential Nominee

[Prism]

5. I really hate dishonest spin

Particularly

In fact, Gary Burtless, an economist at the Brookings Institution, emailed me Monday morning in response to my question about the unemployment rate in this election year to say: “Based on the growth in the adult population, employment levels in Dec. 2011, and a couple of alternative assumptions about how fast the labor force will grow over the next 10 months, it appears to me than employment growth will have to average 155,000 to 170,000 over the next 10 months to hit” a jobless rate by Election Day of 8 percent.

Notice where the quotes end. The author of the piece decided to rework the opinion to create an impression. To end a forecast in mid-quote is pretty strange, isn't it? Almost as if the e-mailer was discussing another number entirely. After all, if the quote was discussing the same, clearly understood number, why end the quote and take over? Yet, there he goes. Just what number was the e-mail discussing? We'll never know.

I am getting really, really tired of these employment number games. We're in a depression. Employment is getting a little better but still sucks. Honest economists are looking at the nonpolitical figures and explaining why they're weak numbers. But, hey, let's pretend!

Dislike.

(And for the record, I think President Obama will eat Romney's lunch in the election).