The jobs number is quite a bit worse than expected. While the top line number was impacted by retiring census workers, whispers suggested that private employment might increase by between 100,000 and 200,000 because many of the census workers would immediately take unattractive private jobs that were sitting vacant. The private number came in at only 83,000. Talk of a double dip will continue.
— Kevin A. Hassett is senior fellow and director of economic-policy studies.