Persons who currently want a job:
Sept 2011 5.9 million
Sept 2012 6.4 million an increase of 8.5%
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So then what you're saying is "I can pick through a BLS report and find at least one number that looks worse now than it did, therefore the economy is worse."
Sorry, I thought we were talking about the economy here.

And we are. Mr K claimed that if one backed out the effect of baby boomers aging out of the job market then "the numbers show a substantial improvement in the employment picture since the summer of 2011."

Now, one could do a Clinton-type dance around the meaning of 'substantial improvement' but if there are a half-million more people now than a year ago who want a job and if Gallup surveys show no improvement in the 30% of youth (not boomers) who are underemployed then to say there has been a 'substantial improvement' is to substantially spin things.

It is true that the total number of people aged 25-54 (not likely to be aging out or retiring early) working has increased from a year ago, 93 to 94 million. While that 1% or so growth is an improvement, I would not say it's a substantial one.

DB2