As John Adams noted a long time ago, "Facts are stubborn things . . ." Closer to our time, there was Ronald Reagan's "Facts are stupid things." Sad to report, the way things stand today, Reagan is closer to the truth than Adams. Herein, we present some hard, fast facts on employment and the economy which hopefully can be used to counter the dreck broadcast by FOX . . .

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Back in December 1770, John Adams, noted in a legal brief ("Argument in Defense of the soldiers in the Massachusetts Massacre Trials") that "Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." Whenever I come across this quote, I find myself wondering were Adams, the 'Colossus of Independence' alive today, would he disavow his insightful gem? Would he turn on the TV, watch an hour of Fox News and then amend his statement to read "Facts are stupid things" -- which in fact Ronald Reagan would say more than two centuries later?

Today, more than ever, facts have become subjective; more frequently than not they are what the speaker says they are. And here, I am not referring to the interpretation of facts, but rather the deliberate avoidance and ignorance of them. Take as but one example, all those who breathlessly inform their partisans -- despite a welter of statistical evidence to the contrary -- that "Obama's stimulus hasn't created a single job." Standing in opposition to this one subjective "fact" is a set of statistical ones -- provided in a Congressional Budget Office report which concludes that the stimulus "increased employment by between 1.4 million and 3.3 million people, compared with what employment would have been otherwise."

Ah facts . . . such stupid things.

As a partial antidote to what might be called the "Foxification of Facts," I hereby present the following series of stubborn statistics. (The facts presented herein are all gleaned from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Website):

Fox Fact #1: Unemployment is always higher under Democrats:

The reality : Going back to 1953, every time America had 8 or more consecutive years of Republican administrations in the White House, unemployment starts low with them but ends up ABOVE 6% at the end of those eight years. On the other hand, going back to 1953, every time we have had 8 or more consecutive years of Democratic administrations, unemployment starts high (handed to them by the GOP) but then ends BELOW 6%.

Don't believe me? Let's check the facts:

DEMOCRAT -- Harry Truman
January 1953: Democrat Harry Truman hands the White House over to Republican Dwight Eisenhower.
Unemployment Rate (January '53) = 2.9%

REPUBLICAN -- Dwight Eisenhower
January 1953, Takes White House".. Unemployment Rate that month = 2.9%
January 1961, Leaves White House" Unemployment Rate that month = 6.6%
NOTE: After 8 years, a Republican hands the White House back over to a Democrat with unemployment ABOVE 6%.

DEMOCRATS -- John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson
January 1961, Kennedy Takes White House". Unemployment Rate that month = 6.6%
January 1969, Johnson Leaves White House" Unemployment Rate that month = 3.4%
NOTE: After 8 years, a Democrat hands the White House back over to a Republican with unemployment BELOW 5% .

Republicans -- Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford
January 1969, Nixon Takes White House". Unemployment Rate that month = 3.4%
January 1977, Ford Leaves White House" Unemployment Rate that month = 7.5%
NOTE: After 8 years, a Republican (again) hands the White House back over to a Democrat with unemployment ABOVE 6% .

DEMOCRAT -- Jimmy Carter
January 1977, Carter Takes White House". Unemployment Rate that month = 7.5%
January 1981, Carter Leaves White House" Unemployment Rate that month = 7.5%

REPUBLICANS -- Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush (Bush # 1)
January 1981, Reagan Takes White House". Unemployment Rate that month = 7.5%
January 1993, Bush # 1 Leaves White House" Unemployment Rate that month = 7.3%
NOTE: After 12 years, a Republican (again) hands the White House back over to a Democrat with unemployment ABOVE 6%.

DEMOCRAT -- Bill Clinton
January 1993, Clinton Takes White House". Unemployment Rate that month = 7.3%
January 2001, Clinton Leaves White House" Unemployment Rate that month = 4.2%
NOTE: After 8 years, a Democrat (again) hands the White House back over to a Republican with unemployment BELOW 5%.

REPUBLICAN -- George W. Bush (Bush # 2)
January 2001, Bush # 2 Takes White House". Unemployment Rate that month = 4.2%
January 2009, Bush # 2 Leaves White House" Unemployment Rate that month = 7.8%
NOTE: After 8 years, a Republican (again) hands the White House back over to a Democrat with unemployment ABOVE 6%.

Fox Fact #2: "Made-in-America" job creation is always greatest under Republicans than Democrats.

The reality : Looking back 34 years, to 1977, every single Republican we've had in the White House has had a NET LOSS in U.S. "Made In America" manufacturing jobs, comparing the manufacturing jobs numbers from the January of the year that they took office with the January of the year that they leave office. By the same token, looking back over the same 34 years, to 1977, every single Democrat we've had in the White House has had a NET GAIN in U.S. "Made In America" manufacturing jobs, comparing the manufacturing jobs numbers from the January of the year that they took office with the January of the year that they leave office.

Don't believe me? Here's the actual data from the "Manufacturing Sector Employed" numbers, available at the Bureau of Labor Statistics Website:

Democrat -- Jimmy Carter
January 1977, Carter Takes White House". # of Manufacturing Jobs that month = 17,803,000
January 1981, Carter Leaves White House" # of Manufacturing Jobs that month = 18,639,000
NET GAIN in "MADE IN AMERICA" manufacturing jobs under this Democrat = +836,000

Republican -- Ronald Reagan
January 1981, Reagan Takes White House". # of Manufacturing Jobs that month = 18,639,000
January 1989, Reagan Leaves White House" # of Manufacturing Jobs that month = 18,057,000
NET LOSS in "MADE IN AMERICA" manufacturing jobs under this Republican = -582,000

Republican -- George H.W. Bush (Bush # 1)
January 1989, Bush # 1 Takes White House". # of Manufacturing Jobs that month = 18,057,000
January 1993, Bush # 1 Leaves White House" # of Manufacturing Jobs that month = 16,791,000
NET LOSS in "MADE IN AMERICA" manufacturing jobs under this Republican = -1,266,000

Democrat -- Bill Clinton

January 1993, Clinton Takes White House". # of Manufacturing Jobs that month = 16,791,000
January 2001, Clinton Leaves White House" # of Manufacturing Jobs that month = 17,114,000
NET GAIN in "MADE IN AMERICA" manufacturing jobs under this Democrat = +323,000

Republican -- George W. Bush (Bush # 2)
January 2001, Bush # 2 Takes White House". # of Manufacturing Jobs that month = 17,114,000
January 2009, Bush # 2 Leaves White House" # of Manufacturing Jobs that month = 12,559,000
NET LOSS in "MADE IN AMERICA" manufacturing jobs under this Republican = -4,555,000

Democrat -- Barack Obama

2010 -- In 2010, for the first time since Bill Clinton, the nation had a NET GAIN of +153,000 "MADE IN AMERICA" manufacturing jobs.

2011 -- In 2011 up to this last month's data (November), for the SECOND TIME since Bill Clinton, the nation has had a NET GAIN in "MADE IN AMERICA" manufacturing jobs equal to +146,000 so far in 2011.

Fox Fact #3: American Trade is healthiest when Republicans control the reins of government.

The reality: Going back to 1977, every time we've had the Democrats controlling at least 2-out of-3 of the White House, Senate and House of Representatives, the nation's TRADE DEFICIT shrinks (the USA imports less and exports more). By the same token, going back to 1981, every time we've had the Republicans controlling at least 2-out of-3 of the White House, Senate and House of Representatives, the nation's TRADE DEFICIT grows (the USA imports more and exports less).

Don't believe me? Here's the data, courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau, which tracks these things:

1977 to 1980, Democrats control 3-of-3 , i.e., the White House, Senate and the House of Representatives
U.S. Trade Deficit in 1977 = $27.2 billion
U.S. Trade Deficit in 1980 = $19.4 billion
U.S. Trade Deficit REDUCES by 29% when Democrats controlled 3-of-3.

1981 to 1986, Republicans control 2-of-3 , i.e., the White House (Ronald Reagan) and the Senate
U.S. Trade Deficit in 1981 = $ 16.2 billion
U.S. Trade Deficit in 1986 = $138.5 billion
U.S. Trade Deficit INCREASES by 755% when Republicans control 2-of-3.

1987 to 1994, Democrats control 2-of -3, i.e., the Senate and the House of Representatives
U.S. Trade Deficit in 1987 = $151.7 billion
U.S. Trade Deficit in 1994 = $ 98.5 billion
U.S. Trade Deficit REDUCES by 35% when Democrats control 2-of-3.

1995 to 2000, Republicans control 2-of-3 , i.e., the Senate and the House of Representatives
U.S. Trade Deficit in 1995 = $ 96.4 billion
U.S. Trade Deficit in 2000 = $376.7 billion
U.S. Trade Deficit INCREASES by 291% when Republicans control 2-of-3.

2001 to 2006, Republicans control 3-of-3 , i.e., the White House (Bush # 2), the Senate, and the House of Representatives.
U.S. Trade Deficit in 2001 = $361.8 billion
U.S. Trade Deficit in 2006 = $753.3 billion

U.S. Trade Deficit INCREASES by 108% when Republicans control 3-of-3.

2007 to 2010, Democrats control 3-of-3"

U.S. Trade Deficit in 2007 = $696.7 billion

U.S. Trade Deficit in 2010 = $500.0 billion
U.S. Trade Deficit REDUCES by 28% when Democrats control 3-of-3 .

So there you have it . . . the force of facts, not the fiction of FOX.

In an ideal world, the former would conquer the latter. But this is not an ideal world, and facts, no matter how powerful they are, suffer from a stubborn malady: they simply aren't nearly as entertaining as fiction.

More's the pity . . .

-2011 Kurt F. Stone

Authors Website: http://www.kurtfstone.typepad.com

Authors Bio:
Kurt Stone is a rabbi, writer, lecturer, political activist, professor, actor, and medical ethicist. A true "Hollywood brat" (born and raised in the film industry), Kurt was educated at the University of California, the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University and the Hebrew Union College, Stone holds a B.A. in American Political History, a Master of Hebrew Letters, and a Doctor of Divinity. A resident of South Florida for nearly 30 years, he is currently spiritual leader of the North Broward Havurah in Coral Springs.

Kurt has published 2 major works in the field of American political history: the 2001 best-selling "The Congressional Minyan: The Jews of Capitol Hill," (KTAV) and most recently, "The Jews of Capitol Hill: A Compendium of Jewish Members of Congress" (Scarecrow Press.) This latter work investigates the lives, careers, and accomplishments of the 200 Jewish men and women who have served in Congress throughout American history. Kurt contributed nearly 40 essays to the Encyclopedia of Jewish American Popular Culture (2009, Greenwood Press), and has written extensively for the new Encyclopaedia Judaica.
From the late 1960s to the late 1970s, Kurt served on the staffs of various office holders including Alaska Senator Mike Gravel and California Governor Jerry Brown. In this latter position, working in conjunction with Bill Press, he published "As Their Land Is: A Theology of Ecology."


Stone teaches courses in American Political History, Biography and Cinema at both Florida Atlantic and Florida International University. He received Florida Atlantic University's "Lecturer of Excellence" Award in April 2005.

A widely sought-after lecturer, Stone gives more than 175 lectures a year. Anyone wishing to book Kurt should contact his agent, Art Galietti at One Take Productions, 954-493-7889
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