Lousy July BLS Report: Coming Months Could Be Worse if Obama Issues Aliens Work Permits

The Bureau of Labor Statistics July report was softer than many analysts expected. While some economists anticipated that jobs growth would hit 230,000, the total came in at 209,000 which caused an unemployment rate increase from 6.1 to 6.2 percent and a spike in the more inclusive U-6 rate from 12.1 to 12.2 percent. Optimists like Jason Furman, the White House’s Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, say the BLS report represents a step in the right direction out of the recession and an indication of better things to come. Realists call it terrible.

In job-related categories that don’t make the headlines, the BLS report was numbingly familiar and as steadfastly unacceptable as it’s been in previous months. In July, about 3.2 million Americans have been out of work for more than six months. The 3.2 million account for 32.9 percent of total unemployment. Workers in part-time jobs because they couldn’t find full-time work remained static at an unhealthy 7.5 million. And the labor-force participation rate is unchanged from last month but still at its lowest level since the Carter Administration, 62.9 percent. Finally, hourly wages rose a meager 1 cent from June to reach $24.25, income earned during an unchanged average 34.5 hour work week.

As bleak as the July employment data is, imagine how dismal future BLS reports will be if President Obama makes good on his constantly repeated, politically motivated threat to issue work permits before the November election to between 5 and 7 million illegal aliens. Because of their immigration status, aliens aren’t legally employable. But with the stroke of his beloved pen, Obama could send millions more into the labor market to compete with unemployed and underemployed Americans for scarce jobs.

No country in the world issues work authorization to illegal immigrants. Only in the United States can a nation’s citizens expect to be willfully and callously undermined by its leader.

Please go to the CAPS Action Alert page here to tell Congress to stop Obama from expanding executive order amnesties.