I can actually see Abbott and Costello doing this in my mind. Someone took some time to have fun with this.
COSTELLO: I want to talk about the unemployment rate in America .
ABBOTT: Good Subject. Terrible Times. It's 9%.
COSTELLO: That many people are out of work?
COSTELLO: You just said 9%.
COSTELLO: Right 9% out of work.
COSTELLO: Okay, so it's 16% unemployed.
COSTELLO: WAIT A MINUTE. Is it 9% or 16%?
ABBOTT: 9% are unemployed. 16% are out of work.
COSTELLO: IF you are out of work you are unemployed.
ABBOTT: No, you can't count the "Out of Work" as the unemployed.
You have to look for work to be unemployed.
COSTELLO: BUT THEY ARE OUT OF WORK!!!
ABBOTT: No, you miss my point.
ABBOTT: Someone who doesn't look for work can't be counted
with those who look for work. It wouldn't be fair.
COSTELLO: But they are ALL out of work.
ABBOTT: No, the unemployed are actively looking for work.
Those who are out of work stopped looking. They gave up.
And, if you give up, you are no longer in the ranks of the unemployed.
COSTELLO: So if you're off the unemployment roles that would
count as less unemployment?
ABBOTT: Unemployment would go down. Absolutely!
COSTELLO: The unemployment just goes down because you don't
look for work?
ABBOTT: Absolutely it goes down. That's how you get to 9%.
Otherwise it would be 16%. You don't want to read about 16%
unemployment, do ya?
COSTELLO: That would be frightening.
COSTELLO: Wait, I got a question for you. That means there
are two ways to bring down the unemployment number?
ABBOTT: Two ways is correct.
COSTELLO: Unemployment can go down if someone gets a job?
COSTELLO: And unemployment can also go down if you stop
looking for a job?
COSTELLO: So there are two ways to bring unemployment
down, and the easier of the two is to just stop looking for work.
ABBOTT: Now you're thinking like an economist.
COSTELLO: I don't even know what the hell I just said!
ABBOTT: Now you're thinking like a politician.
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