Picture a swimmer flailing away to keep his head above water to keep from drowning. Now picture President Obama bragging about creating 80,000 jobs last month as “a step in the right direction.”

All he has to brag about is the economy is not dead yet.

Considering that, to keep up with population growth, a break-even number for job creation is 150,000 to 250,000 new jobs per month (depending on whose estimation you want to believe), any number below that means the employment picture is worsening. Not getting better and, contrary to the administration’s spin, is going in the wrong direction.

Links: Obama’s Magic Number? 150,000 Jobs Per Month  |  Demand More than ‘New Normal’  |  Obama on job numbers: ‘It’s still tough out there’