In a Floor speech on Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said “It’s very clear that private sector jobs have been doing just fine, it’s the public sector jobs where we’ve lost huge numbers.” Senator Reid is clearly out-of-touch with reality.

REALITY

• 1,503,000 Private Sector Jobs Lost February, 2009 – September, 2011 (U.S. Dept. Of Labor, “Employment, Hours, And Earnings,” Accessed 10/19/11)
• Unemployment Rate: 9.1% (“The Unemployment Situation – September 2011,” Bureau Of Labor Statistics, 10/7/11)
• Government Workers Unemployment Rate: 4.7% (“The Unemployment Situation – September 2011,” Table A-14, Bureau Of Labor Statistics, 10/7/11)

 ‘TOP INCOME IN U.S. IS... WASH. D.C. AREA’

“The U.S. capital has swapped top spots with Silicon Valley, according to recent Census Bureau figures, with the typical household in the Washington metro area earning $84,523 last year. The national median income for 2010 was $50,046. … . The unemployment rate in the Washington metro area in August was 6.1 percent, compared with 10 percent in San Jose, according to Labor Department figures.” (“Top Income In U.S. Is...Gasp!...Wash. D.C. Area,” Bloomberg, 10/19/11)