CTP (S4E158) Numbers, Spin, And The Truth

CTP (S4E158) Numbers, Spin, And The Truth
We break down how statistics get used as political spin and why the “headline number” on jobs and inflation often hides the real story. We push for fact-based thinking, stronger media literacy, and the habit of asking what a claim leaves out. 
• why “lies, damn lies, and statistics” fits modern economic coverage 
• how unemployment can rise while real hiring improves 
• why labor force participation rate matters more than a single unemployment rate headline 
• how “1,000 new jobs” can mean jobs moved across the street 
• what real journalism should add after reporting a politician’s claim 
• how inflation metrics depend on what’s in the basket of goods 
• how gas prices reflect crude, regulation, taxes, and seasonal blends 
• why TLDR culture makes misinformation easier to sell 
• sponsor reads, links, and ways to support the show 
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A Short Story: A Lasting Legacy? book Trailer

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hello, welcome to another episode of First Tutors Podcast. I am your host, Joseph

Welcome And Quick Housekeeping

SPEAKER_01 0:08

and Wanderer. That's L-E-N-A-R-G-Frances. Now let's wonder what I'm showing. Thank you for tuning in. As Gram No used to stay on his show. Let's get on with the show! Hello, gang. How are you doing? This is a cheat segment. I am recording this as a lead-in to a standard Saturday show that is going to now air through the audio platforms 25 plus of Christitutional's podcast. What was formerly a CTP video exclusive that I feel needs to go out as a regular show. So bear that in mind. When you recorded, it was a video exclusive. So uh the dates it could be from a month ago, it could be from a couple months ago, so bear that in mind when you hear things regarding time frames, it may be from a while ago. So particular references may be a little dated. And this segment of cheat, I'm recording it, I'll be using it with several video exclusives from Saturday episodes. Without further ado, let's get on with the show. You have no doubt at some point heard the phrase lies, damn

Lies, Statistics, And Job Numbers

SPEAKER_01 2:04

lies, and statistics. I didn't make myself note, so hopefully I'll remember everything I wanted to say here. But this episode, fun with numbers, or aka fudging the numbers. I'm not talking about federal jobs report. Oh, the nation created 250,000 new jobs last quarter. Yeah, those numbers get fudged too, but I'm not talking about that. And everybody, the left, right, Democrats, Republicans, they all do this, so spare me the BS. It's the same with the unemployment numbers. People don't understand that unemployment, I've mentioned this in another episode. Unemployment rate can actually go up at a time where more real jobs are actually created. How is that? Why is that the way the numbers are recorded? Unemployment is up, or unemployment is down. The devil is in the details, and of course, the news never tells you. And I'll get into that more. The line there's more to real journalism than just reporting what someone claims.

Unemployment Rate Vs Participation Rate

SPEAKER_01 3:57

Now, what matters regarding employment and unemployment is the labor participation, the labor workforce participation rate. Now, as people get older and go on retirement, that number would come down some. As younger people get older and enter the workforce, that helps drive the number up. So what matters is is someone actually working or not the labor participation rate, not the unemployment rate. Because, for example, someone gets laid off, they go to the unemployment office, they get on unemployment, they're recorded as unemployed. The number might go up. But as people find jobs, then of course the number would adjust down. But what about they don't want to ever tell you, especially the left and the media, there's more to real journalism than reporting what someone claims. Oh, the unemployment rate went down. Well, guess what? Maybe a thousand people benefits ran out and they decided to stop work, stop net, stop looking for a job through the unemployment office. If they're out through some recruiter or on their own without still being registered and working through the unemployment office, they've dropped off the unemployment. They're still unemployed, but they're not in the number. Likewise, jobs start being created. Some people who may have decided to be a stay-at-home mom or dad for a while because they lost their job decide then to start looking for work again. So they go back to the state age, local, county, state, federal agency. I'm now officially looking for work with you again. Please help me find a job. Guess what? They've been unemployed potentially for years, but now all of a sudden they're counted again as unemployed, and the number goes up, even though for years they've been unemployed but weren't in the number. Lies, damn lies, statistics, the devil is in the detail. And it's not as if people are stupid. It is that it's never been explained to them. We are all ignorant of things that which we haven't yet researched. I've been involved in politics since the Jimmy Carter years. I know these games, I see these games, and again, left, right, Democrat, Republican, they all play up when the number sounds good and play down when the number sounds bad. But I mainly said all that to further expound on this. Just for sake of argument, and this is a real works world situation. An employer I was with,

The “New Jobs” Press Release Game

SPEAKER_01 7:51

this happened with. Now, it happened to happen while Rhino Rick Snyder was in office, so of course he was taking credit. But I'm going to use current governor of Michigan, Wretched Whittler, who does the same thing too. A thousand new jobs are going to be created at one two six Main Street Blavville. And if you listen to the news people, oh report just in. Let me report what someone has claimed not be a real journalist. There will be a thousand new jobs at one two six Main Street. The devil is in the details. Are there new construction jobs while a new facility is built on that empty land? Not necessarily they're even new jobs. A construction firm that already has staff is gonna dedicate people to that address to build that building. Are they nude? Technically speaking, they're new jobs because that empty field for the last 250 years a nation's existed. There's been nobody working at that property. Well, not true. It was probably a farm at one point, right? So there were dozens of people working there. But you get my point. It's been vacant for years, but now, hey, there's a building going up. 50 construction jobs. Eh, well, if they weren't working there, the same construction firm with the same people would be the next county over, the next state over. So are those new jobs technically on that ground? New people are working. But the reality is no, they are not new jobs. They are jobs people have temporarily relocated to that spot to build a building. So those are falsely claimed as new jobs that are not new jobs. Now, as in the case when I was working there, a computer center, not a data center. See the episode. A thousand new jobs will be created at one two six Main Street. No, no, no, no. Bretch Whitler claims a thousand new jobs at one two six Main Street. No, because the headquarters across the street that is building the new building at 126 Main Street, 123 Main Street, is going to move a thousand people from the computer center at their current property to the new facility across the street once it's built. So will there be new jobs at one, two, six Maine? Oh, sure. They'll probably need a few new security guards, a few new cleaning crew members, a few new groundskeepers, a few new whatever, but the bulk? A thousand people are going from one, two, three Maine to one, two, six Maine. A net creation of jobs? Zero. Well, a couple dozen again, but zero. You follow me here now, yes, but the average person isn't thinking about that. And that's why the politicians play these games. Hand over the sheet to the newsreader. Gretched Whittler claims a thousand new jobs at one two six Main Street, and that's gonna be great for the state of Michigan. Well, yes, in some respects it will be great for the state of Michigan, but it's not a thousand new taxpayers paying taxes on new salaries that they'll be getting. No, because they and their salary moved from across the street. The municipality, the county, the state may win in new property taxes at 126 Main Street if and only if Corporation XYZ wasn't given a twenty-five-year zero dollar property tax break on the property. But yes, it is good. It is a growth. There is growth going on in business, and that can create some additional other ancillary jobs. So it's a good thing. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. What I am saying is lies and lies, statistics, spin. The idiot in the suit on TV is just reading what's put in front. I put on the teleprompter, they're not a journalist. There is more to real journalism than reporting someone's claim. So if you're gonna put Regid Whitler claims a thousand new jobs at 126 Main Street, the next paragraph has to say the reality is those jobs are moving from one side of the street to the other side of the street. That is fact-based journalism. They don't do that, they just report. So, at any rate, I hope I remembered it. I had other examples, but I don't want to drag out this 12th video exclusive for April of 2026 of calling it what am I calling it, jobs and fun with numbers. I'm writing that down. No, you're not stupid. No, your neighbor isn't stupid. If you knew this and they did no, they're not stupid, they just haven't thought about it, they haven't been educated on it, they haven't researched it to educate themselves. Unfortunately, they have busy lives and they put on local channel 537, whatever, just pulling a number out of there, right? And the news talking head says a thousand new jobs, great. The devil is in the details. They are never going to give you. Now you know the rest of the story, and you can educate your neighbor to understanding the rest of the story. So unemployment numbers, just ignore them. More and more jobs can be created, and

How To Read Claims Like A Journalist

SPEAKER_01 16:26

the unemployment numbers go up, as I explained at the top. What matters is the labor workforce participation rate. That stays the same. And the same with the games about oh, affordability, afford the inflation rate. They only

Inflation Rates And The Basket Test

SPEAKER_01 16:46

measure certain things, other things aren't in it. So what matters? The bushel basket rate. That has been the same since World War II. Someone regarding grocery inflation. A, B, C, D goes into the bushel basket. Every year the bushel like Walmart. Pardon, excuse me. Walmart on Thanksgiving. The cost of Thanksgiving has gone down. Yes. They lower the price on turkey and whatever as a package for you. Since last year the cost has gone down. That's a apples to apples comparison. Bushel basket is basket to basket, grocery basket to grocery basket. If canned corn and blah blah blah and a pound of ground round and whatnot are in the bushel basket rate, and it doesn't change at all. Just the price. If the price overall goes up, that's a real indication of inflation, or if it goes down, that's a real indication of inflation, versus which you can't just throw out the inflation rate. It matters. It does. But understand the games and gimmicks being played with it. A current inflation rate in the middle to low twos is way better than the bidum year's nine percent inflation rate, which again, without up certain things being factored in, the real stagflation rate was in the double digits for four years. Inflation rate is way down, and that's the lies, damn lie statistics. Inflation, there are different kinds, supply and demand kind, other factors, competition factors, all kinds of things can fact printing of money inflating, eroding the value of the dollar inflating costs to go up to chase that more dollars have been created out of thin air. All these things factor into the inflation rate. So it matters, but you have to understand the devil in the details. Gas, even with the Iran conflict, has gone up. And Democrats,

Gas Prices, Crude, And Political Spin

SPEAKER_01 20:01

oh my god, look at the gas prices. Where were they for four years under Joe Biden when it was more expensive than now with a war going on? And it's temporary. They will come back down again. The price of crude, I'm looking in the corner on the TV, uh, just happened at $94.10 a barrel for crude, down a dollar 77, down 1.85% today. That's just, of course, a snapshot today. It's still under $100 a barrel, which it was more over $100 a barrel, many points of Biden's administration. The cost of gas, way more than now with the conflict than during Biden. Way more during Biden than now. So the left, oh my god, look at the gas. Where were you for four years? Where are you in Camifornia? Steve Hilton on the debate just the other day. The gas prices are more in California than anywhere else in the United States or territories. Why? Not because of federal policy, but because of Comicrat policy. Regulations through the taxes, through the roof. You want to lower price in Camifornia? Tell Gruescom to reduce the regulations. They have more blend requirements than everywhere else. And that's another factor in gas seasonal blend. Shall we? Everywhere. And then after that, TLDR.

TLDR Culture And Missing Context

unknown 23:45

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 23:50

Flash on the screen. Rip on big screen. Another cheap scrap for an empty fee. Quote in the box.

SPEAKER_05 24:04

Clip on the stream. I won't move in a headline. Give me things, give it things, give it time. Tell me who tell me how tell me what details battle. Twee, tell the lie. Twin way, dead way, headlines off the street. Details matter, context matter, reality. Truth matters. Matters more real journalism than just transcribing what someone plays. Leave it beyond today's Twitter attention spells. Crowd in the frame. Look, they all agree. You trimmed every word, didn't fit the mean. Fifth three is a mouth. Not a mood today. You can't bend every road, just to win the bed. I want more than a house. Give me things, give me things, give me stop, tell me who tell me how tell me what details But we got the detail Stop just stop and what the claim Ask the question in the game context comes through the confusion. Collab through the to-do everywhere, headlines off the street Details matter, context matters, reality versus history matters more than real journalists on than just transcribing someone's claim I want more than that Give me date, give me dates, give me date, tell me who, tell me how, tell me why.

SPEAKER_02 26:43

That's all right T T T L D R Yeah Yeah Scrolling fast, attention gonna second flat, tick tock brain, twitter span, can't handle that headline screen. But the truth is buried deep, 10 paragraphs down where the lazy never reached. They say T L D R like it's some kind of flex. Too stupid to read, too lazy to check. Details matter context, matter facts, don't lie. But you rather stay ignorant, wonder why. DLDR, too long getting read. You skip the truth and swallow the silly feed. T L D R too lazy to see. Now you're lost in delusion. But that's on you, not me. I ain't here to fool me to cry. I'm here with a lazy high fresh on fire. Details matter, context matters, history too. If you gloss over it all, that's on you. Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo. I coined it myself, Twitter, TikTok, attention span. I even I catch myself saying, Damn, this is long, man. But I push through cause I know the devil's in the details. You skip them and you end up believing all the fake headlines. Sort of boxes in my books. Cut the story link, is 99% won't read it. It ain't sorting clean. Even wrote a whole 50 P episode back in December 2025. Called it DLD R. And here we are still barely alive. L DR didn't read. You skip the truth, the follow the finicky. L D Ooh crazy to see. Now you lost and delusion. But that's all you got me. I ain't gonna get a cry. I'm dealing with a lazy heart, set a fire. Details matter, classic matters, legality, too. If you boss over the TOS language fast. Oh boo, boop, boop, boop, boop. That's whole. That's whole. Masses of the asses, clueless and proud. Falling for the dumb and down, screaming loud. Fake news, baby sacks, 10 paragraphs. Deep while you're swiping up, thinking you're being full, but your seat. You want the bullet with the 50-second clip. But reality don't come in convenient little strips. Practice what you preach. The same face, this is tough, love, straight, no tracer. I made the song to be the mirror, not see eraser. Even this episode, I kept short on purpose. So you have no excuse. But still, some old surface pieces. Matter of fact, matter cut the side of tight. Some at your own risk. Stay lost in the night. I'm software, I'm supportive, but you're well fairlives. If you won't be the fine, we enjoy the surprise. You skip the truth and swallow everybody feeds. Reality over delusion. That's the key to focus. Every single line. If you won't read the letter, say that LDR, too long didn't read. The song's over now. Still too long for some of y'all. I bet CTP. December 2025. The LDR episode. Called it first. That was the song. Cause the crisis only got worse. And like clickbait everywhere, tune outlines. Observe. Take the time. Absurd. Choose reality over delusion. Details matter. Read the damn thing.

SPEAKER_01 30:19

Hold on, hold on. Don't tune out just yet now. You've often seen shows doing ads. I've had some mid-show ads that have run already. And at the end it would be an ad for my own.

Sponsor Reads And Links To Support

SPEAKER_01 31:45

There it is. Kindle evil cover. I mentioned America running Duncan. The slogan. There are places I actually go to. I love the chocolate cream filled donuts. Most of the Duncans around me don't have them. I often have to settle for the vanilla cream filled. You know, that's okay too. So I recommend Dunkin' Donuts. I do. I really do. There's something I look, I mean, look at this. If you're looking behind the scenes video, you can see I'm not starving. I've got some extra weight on me. Dunkin' donuts calories might be part of the reasons why. Everything in moderation. Just don't pig out on donuts all the time. Morning, noon, and night. I don't know if Duncan's gonna like me saying that or not. They want to sell as many donuts as possible. And of course, they sell coffee, but hey, that's the point. You're gonna get real sponsorship reads from me. Not fake phony frogs. I don't even use a product. Oh, I made read a frog. And the next one I'm gonna mention is Galaxy AI, which actually is now magic. M-A-G-I-C-A. And I use them. I've created a couple music videos of video channels there and all of them. YouTube and YouTube. My channels there have most my music videos or most of them. You can check out the one I created for Memorial Day. 2025. America 250. I wrote Memorial Day America 250. Memorial Day. And you can see that music video platform created my magical AI as well as another music video that I did for my hair. I wrote a way. And there is a music video for that YouTube. Maybe at my other platforms. I don't remember You can read you the AI via Tiny World. I love to use Tiny World Services. Reading the letter. Anyway, tinyworld.com slash licky boards. TinyWorld.com slash lick boards. Check them out. Tell 'em I sent you. Announcing Christitutionalist podcast gear. CTP gear or CTP wear, if you prefer. Headgear, like hats, torso gear, apparel, drink gear, mugs and glasses, and the sort. So subscribe to CTP at tinyurl.com slash subscribe to CTP. Get your CTP gear via tinyurl.com slash ctp gear. And of course, get your Joseph M. Leonard Media Manuscripts via Josephm Leonard.us slash shop. And again, that's Leonard without an O. Joseph M L-E-N-A-R-D.us slash shop.

SPEAKER_05 37:36

I'm so glad for all the good times we had. Seems like you've been gone so long. I will not let you be forgotten.

SPEAKER_06 37:53

Good godly Christian family. Built sound and a moral character for sis and me.

SPEAKER_05 38:07

Mom and dad are happy. I'm holding what you gave me. Laughing days at the table. Your love still stays with me. Sis and me, we remember the prayers you taught us, early, good and godly Christian family, built on truth and mercy. Seems like you've been gone so long now, but your footsteps live in us. Every lesson, every bless still keeps turning us to trust. I won't let you fail. I won't let you fail. I won't let you fail. Your name still rise above. We won't let you fail. Sunday clothes and folded hands. Grace before the meal. Your heart won't

A Tribute Song About Family

SPEAKER_05 39:27

sound and moral character. Made our broken hearts feel healed. Now insisting me outstanding in the storms this world can bring. We hear your voices in the morning telling us to pray and sing. Seems like you've been gone so long now, but your footsteps living us. Every less, every bliss still keeps turning us to trust. I won't let you fail. I won't let you fail. Your love lives on in us. I won't let you fail. I won't let you fail. Your name still rise above. We won't let you fail. It knows your work was a real. Through every tear and every change. Your love is what we feel. And when my hands shake in the dark, I still hear keep the faith. So I will carry you with me. Till I see you face to face. I won't let you fail. I won't let you fail. Your love lives on in us. I won't let you fail. I won't let you fail. Your name still rise above. I won't let you fail.

SPEAKER_04 41:27

Mom and dead, I still believe. You won't let you fail.

SPEAKER_06 42:59

Faded label his hand writing. I can hear the kitchen dancing. Every time that tape starts spinning.

SPEAKER_05 43:13

He'd shout out names like an intro. Grin so wide it fill the room.

SPEAKER_06 43:22

Now the chair sits by the window. But I swear I hear that tune.

SPEAKER_05 43:31

Dad's up there leading the heavenly poker band. Squeezing joy out of that squeeze box in his hands. Oh yeah. Joe's twirl hells tilt when they all start to stand. Dad's up there leading the heavenly poker band.

SPEAKER_06 43:51

They got a floor made out of starlight. Clouds lined up like wood and pews. Trumpets laughing in some moonlight. Every wall's a bit of news.

SPEAKER_05 44:08

He's calling out for all partners. Step in line, you're doing fine. Heaven's never had a party. Till his rhythm hit the sky. Dad's up there leading the heavenly poker band. Squeeze and joy out of that squeeze box in his hands. Angels twirl halos till when they all start to stand. Dad's up there leading the heavenly poker band. On earthy sign, those posters

Dad’s Up There Leading The Band

SPEAKER_05 44:50

pack the hall on Friday nights. Now every star's a paper lantern swinging gently in the lights. Oh if you listen in the silence, you hear them clap along the stand as up there Leading the Heavenly Poker Band.

SPEAKER_06 45:26

Rest well, poker king. You are not forgotten. You're still a thing. Heard one of your tunes on radio the other day sing. You and Richie, your brother, to dancing in the hereafter, not done, just a new chapter.

SPEAKER_05 45:47

Dad's up there leading the heavenly poker band. Squeeze enjoy out of that squeeze box and it's gone. If you listen in the silence, you'll hear them clap along stand Dad's up there leading the heavenly poker band.

SPEAKER_00 46:08

Like and subscribe to Christitutionalized Politics Podcast and share episodes. We need your help.

SPEAKER_08 46:29

Every day and night. Sound strong and God bless you.

SPEAKER_01 46:52

Thank you for having tuned into another Christitutionalist podcast show. I really appreciate that you stop by. Again, please like, share, subscribe. We need you to help spread the constitutionalist movement. Thank you again. Take care. God bless. Love you all.