Bureau Of Labor Statistics Postpones Report With No Reason

[Hugin]

Cross post from gab13by13 in GD: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220659787

Original from Axios (paywalled): https://www.axios.com/2025/09/19/bls-cpi-report-inflation

“What they're saying: "I think we are all concerned now about the future of our country's economic data," Erika McEntarfer, the former BLS commissioner abruptly fired by Trump, said this week at Bard College."

"I can vouch for the accuracy and independence of the work of the agency up until the moment I was fired ... but in terms of the future: it is an uncertain moment," McEntarfer said. BLS has already cut back on data collection for specific CPI categories and certain regions, a result of staffing shortages and budget cuts.

"Plummeting survey response rates has wreaked havoc on jobs data at statistics agencies around the world, including the U.S. Bloomberg reported this week that the agency was looking to ramp up staff to collect price data in major metro areas. The Labor Department's internal watchdog launched a probe into BLS economic data collection earlier this month, citing challenges the agency "encounters collecting and reporting closely watched economic data."

[pdxflyboy]

1. They need a little more time to cook the books.

n/t

[Timewas]

2. They have a reason

Bloated orange person said so. Because they are bad and need "fixing".

[progree]

3. Article without the "gimme your email first"

Last edited Sat Sep 20, 2025, 04:23 PM - Edit history (1)

https://archive.is/l25SR#selection-603.0-627.136

Various excerpts---

The big picture: The data offers key insights about consumer activity in any given year, including expenditures, income and demographic information.

It is the only "federal household survey to provide information on the complete range of consumers' expenditures and incomes," the BLS website says.

Crucially, the data is also used to determine the weighting of specific goods and services in the Consumer Price Index for the year ahead.
The intrigue: The release was postponed last year, but the BLS offered more details then, including that the data would be released two weeks later.

The agency is under tremendous strain, with staffing shortages and limited resources. It is also under unprecedented attack from the White House

BLS has already cut back on data collection for specific CPI categories and certain regions, a result of staffing shortages and budget cuts.

(emphasis added)

Edited - added the link to the non-gimme-your-email article at the top of this post

[Hugin]

4. Good find.

[progree]

5. Thanks! I'm glad I looked again - I forgot to put in the link, even though my subject line touts it 😬!

Here it is (I also added it to the top of my post above):
https://archive.is/l25SR#selection-603.0-627.136