When it Comes to Jobs, the Real Story is Education, Occupation, and Geography

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney posted on his website this morning that "Today's increase in the unemployment rate is a hammer blow to struggling middle-class families." The reality is that the burden of unemployment has been felt hardest on those in working-class factory, construction, and low-wage service jobs, as evidenced by the detailed jobs report released today.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics's "Employment Situation" [PDF] report revealed that the July national unemployment rate remained virtually unchanged at 8.3 percent (compared to June's 8.2 percent) and 163,000 new jobs were created during the month. But beneath all the hubbub, the real story lies in the ebb of three categories: education, occupation, and geography.