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'A bureaucrat in the government is being punished for telling the truth,' BLS firing chills market
MSNBCยท2025-08-04 21:36

Government Data Integrity & Economic Impact - The report discusses concerns that the US federal government is manipulating economic data, specifically jobs reports, for political gain [3][4] - The action of firing or discrediting those who report unfavorable data is likened to authoritarianism and petulance [1][2] - Revisions to previously reported jobs numbers show a significant downward adjustment of 258,000, impacting Wall Street's view of the job market [9] - Wall Street is concerned about the reliability of government data and the potential for manipulation, which could have significant implications for investment decisions [15] - The primary concern for investors is the weakness of the job market and the overall economy, rather than the political arguments surrounding the data [15][16] Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) & Data Transparency - The BLS commissioner typically sees the numbers shortly before they are published, after the data has been prepared and locked into the computer system [2] - The process of compiling the jobs report involves hundreds of people following detailed procedures, with automation playing a significant role [1][11] - Downward revisions of prior reports are a normal part of the data reporting process as more data becomes available [8][9] - There is no evidence to support the claim that the jobs numbers were wrong or manipulated prior to the revisions [7] - The transparency of the BLS's data policy is emphasized, suggesting that any attempts to manipulate the data would be easily detected [14]