GOP Weasels Can't Fact Check — Um ... Pea-Brain Syndrome

This Graph has GOPers in a Tizzy

The basic article that caught my eye is here from the Washington Post. In part is shows the standard and almost routine GOP line of attack: Blame President Obama for everything. More precisely, these two quotes from two GOP House Members:

“This Obama economy is holding people back. The workforce participation rate is the lowest that it’s been in 40 years.”  – Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) during a news conference, January 8, 2014.

“What we need the president to do is to say the Obama economy is not working. The labor force participation rate is the worst it has been in 40 years.”  – Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) during interview on MSNBC's “Jansing & Company,” January 7, 2014.

Sadly these, like most anti-everything Obama don't bother with details, especially when GOP/rightwing talking points will suffice. In the summary of the article this hits home, but not for those two Representatives apparently:

This is one of those situations where an accurate fact is used in a situation that cries out for additional context. Neither Jenkins nor Blackburn directly linked the rate to Obama’s handling of the economy, but it was certainly implied by the way they referenced the statistic.

Pairing this factoid with the “Obama economy” suggests that the decline is due entirely to his management of the economy when in fact (a) it reflects demographic trends that will only become more pronounced as baby boomers retire and (b) the president did take office in the midst of the worst recession in a generation.

All either of these two lawmakers needed to do was acknowledge that other factors, beyond Obama’s control, are playing an important role in the decline. Otherwise, their phrasing represents a slightly misleading use of this fact.

Linked in the article is a fine piece also from the Washington Post and where the graph above was posted, as well as a few others are posted. It is a worthwhile read in this sense because it makes sense as it covers the reasons why the labor force is down, shrinking, and the lowest in years. Check it out. Too bad Blackburn and Jenkins did not. 

Thanks for stopping by.