The economy added just 96,000 jobs in August. Worse, the DOL lowered the June and July estimates by 41,000! While the unemployment rate fell to 8.1%, it did so only because 368,000 Americans left the labor force, reducing the participation rate to 63.5% from 63.7%, its lowest level since 9/81. Factory employment fell by 15,000, the most in 24 months and temp agencies reduced employment by 5,000, but construction added 1,000!