The Labor Department has released the unemployment figures for October. The official unemployment percentage is 4.9%. That's a 0.1% drop from September, But the unemployment percentage has been stuck in the 4.9% to 5.0% range for 12 of the last 13 months. Obviously, we are currently unable to get back down to the percentage considered "full employment" (about 3.5%).

The reason is because the Republican economic plan ("trickle down" economics) has produced an anemic economy. That can only be fixed by putting more money into the economy. The Republicans don't want to do that. They only want to give the rich more money. That won't help, since the rich already have enough to spend whatever they want.

What is needed is to give the masses more money. That can be done by strengthening unions, raising the minimum wage significantly (to at least $12 an hour), and fully funding government programs for the poor and for seniors (Social Security). Democrats will do that. Republicans won't, and that's why they must be voted out of power next Tuesday.

Here are the relevant statistics for October:

OFFICIAL DEMOGRAPHIC UNEMPLOYMENT:

Adult men...............4.6%
Adult women...............4.3%
Teens (16-19)...............15.6%
Whites...............4.3%
Blacks...............8.6%
Hispanics...............5.7%
Asians...............3.4%
Less than HS diploma...............7.3%
HS diploma...............5.5%
Some college...............3.8%
Bachelor's or more...............2.6%

SIZE OF THE CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE:

159,712,000

OFFICIAL NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED WORKERS:

7,787,000

OFFICIAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE:

4.9%

OFFICIAL UNEMPLOYED + MARGINALLY-ATTACHED WORKERS:

9,486,000

MORE REALISTIC UNEMPLOYMENT RATE:

5.9%