Ruh Roh
bigger picture.
Bad news: The unemployment rate went to 9.6% from 9.5%
Good news: 42% of unemployed Americans were out of work for more than six months in August, down from 45% in July.
Expected news: Health care employment increased by 28,000, as more and more of America's GDP pours into health care (17.6% for 2009 vs 15.3% for 2006, Kaiser (pdf))
Schmengie news: options under consideration are a temporary payroll-tax holiday.... Not the real Schmengie plan, but it would certainly pump money into the hands of those who would spend it.