The GOP's latest line of attack against Obama's economic policies...

[All Along The Watchtower]

...is the fact that the labor force participation rate (LFPR) has declined to its lowest point since the late 1970s.

While that statement is factually true, well...I'll let Danny Vinik explain why Republicans should be careful:

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snip:

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http://www.newrepublic.com/article/120826/gop-wrongly-blames-labor-force-participation-rate-obama

In the context of a slowly-but-surely-recovering economy under the policies of a Democratic President (in spite of the other party's best efforts) , Republicans may want to avoid being too negative about the "failures of Obamanomics-if for no other reason than that of their party's chances for President in 2016.

[Indy Texas]

Yeah, blaming Obama for a low LFPR is like blaming him for high income inequality or global warming.

Except Republicans don't think the last two things are even real.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

The GOP should be careful about low wages being a factor in the low labor force participation rate, as it would be an argument for increasing the minimum wage.  But if low wages are seen as just economic stagnation, then the opposition party will always blame the party in power for that - even if the problems are more structural than cyclical.  The discouraged worker problem is a real one, and neither party can afford to ignore it.

[pbrower2a]

Possible explanations:

1. Teenagers leaving the workforce so that they can concentrate more effort on their studies.

Good thing.

2. Retirement-age workers leaving the workforce or not staying in because they have some solid assets and need not work just to stay afloat.

Good thing.

3. Married women leaving low-paying jobs as their husbands' pay becomes adequate to allow them to become full-time housewives and children.

Often good -- for the children.

 

[Deus Naturae]

Possible explanations:

1. Teenagers leaving the workforce so that they can concentrate more effort on their studies.

Good thing.

Maybe, but the LFP decline is present in all age demographics, except for olds who can't retire or were forced out of retirement during the Great Recession (see below).
 

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Nope:

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That's not happening either: