NEWS: Long Term Unemployment at All Time High

There are a number of factors that need to be considered when analyzing the health of any economy. One of the most often overlooked factors is the Long Term Unemployment Rate. This reflects the number of citizens who have been jobless for more than six months. What might surprise some people is: Most of those out of work are highly educated and skilled.



Despite the fact that Long Term Unemployment is often ignored in favor of other statistics, it remains an important factor in rendering an accurate picture of the current situation in the job market. Typical unemployment numbers reflect only those people who are getting unemployment checks - those numbers fail to account for those who never applied, those who didn't qualify for one reason or another, and those who reached the end of their benefits and were dropped from the rolls.

These numbers make apparent a serious problem. In order to find solutions, people must be aware of the particulars of the problem. Unfortunately, it appears as though there has been a concerted effort to keep the American public in the dark.

There is a great deal of 'cherry picking' going on in Washington. Politicians have always been willing to say anything to get re-elected, and people have inexplicably continued to trust them. The media has a role in all this, what that role is remains largely a matter of opinion. Some believe the media is intent on sabotaging Washington, others see the media as the mouthpiece for the powers that be. Whatever the case may be, there is a great deal of information that is not getting to the people, and until that problem is remedied, I fear there is little hope of surmounting the many challenges we face. Without information, the people are unable to make informed decisions, and politicians essentially operate unchecked.


Related News Links:
www.smh.com.au
www.aflcio.org
www.unemployedworkers.org
www.cbpp.org

Why exactly is it a politicians job to solve the problem? What exactly can politicians really do? They have little real impact on the economy.

Government intervention causes more problems then good...

Originally posted by Disturbed Deliverer
Why exactly is it a politicians job to solve the problem?

Why is it their job? Because that's what we pay them to do... What a strange question...

Originally posted by Disturbed Deliverer
What exactly can politicians really do?

Do you mean in general or in regards to the unemployment problem facing this country?

Originally posted by Disturbed Deliverer
They have little real impact on the economy.

Politicians make the laws that define the economy. How can you say they have "little real impact?"

Originally posted by Disturbed Deliverer
Government intervention causes more problems then good...

In most cases I would agree. The problem is, the government is 'intervening' on its own behalf, and on behalf of the corporations sucking the life from this country like an engorged tick on the ass of a donkey too complacent to care that it's dying. They're supposed to intervene on our behalf, if they intervene at all. Once again..that's what we pay them to do. They're charged with representing the interests of their constituents, and it's clear to most Americans that they do no such thing.

Originally posted by WyrdeOne
[In most cases I would agree. The problem is, the government is 'intervening' on its own behalf, and on behalf of the corporations sucking the life from this country like an engorged tick on the ass of a donkey too complacent to care that it's dying.

You really know nothing about economic or the economy do you.........Without corporations there is no economy. There are no "JOBs". Please get some real education before you hurt yourself or others.

The problem is BIG government screwing up things. Too much paperwork, taxes, enviro-bs. Cut the fedeal budget by 45%, everything other than military spending.............that's the only thing actually authorized under the consitution...................All other services are illegal............

The "GOV" can't make jobs but they can take them away.............cut minimum wage to $0................cut the IRS completely.........kill socialist sercurity to $0............whack off medicare...............cut taxes back to support military only...............

this is definately no happening in USA only. I think its even worse in newborn countries such as mine. Everybody wants to get rich quick, and the workers are the one being screwed. Nobody wants to take you into a full-time job becouse its too expensive, they much rather hire people on a project basis and dump them like old trash when they dont need them anymore. And salaries are ridiculous, no matter what degrees or knowledge you posses. Right now its almost unimaginable for young people to see themselves in some sort of bright future, becouse if you start thinking about how many years you have to work for a 40sqm appartment, you see there is NO FUTURE!
God help us when we switch to euros...

And not only that, the long term plan is to pass the business more to the south, to Serbia, Poland... where people work for even less than here.

and the government you might ask?

Its all one big joke....right now they are considering extra taxes for people who dont have children, so they will "stimulate" people into having families




right.....

nukunuku
You're right, it's not just an American problem, it's a problem in many nations. But..

I've said it before, I'll say it again; Just because other countries are substandard doesn't give the US a liscense to slack off. That being said, it is worse in many other countries.

I worked with a woman from the Chech Republic. Her mother was a university professor, and her father was a general practitioner; their combined income was so low that the only light bulb in their apartment blew out in 2001 and they still hadn't replaced it in 2003...

I would never go so far as to say America is the best country in the world, nor would I say it's the worst. We're simply a country like any other, and we need to handle our business. Period.

Originally posted by DrHoracid

Originally posted by WyrdeOne
[In most cases I would agree. The problem is, the government is 'intervening' on its own behalf, and on behalf of the corporations sucking the life from this country like an engorged tick on the ass of a donkey too complacent to care that it's dying.

You really know nothing about economic or the economy do you.........Without corporations there is no economy. There are no "JOBs". Please get some real education before you hurt yourself or others.

The problem is BIG government screwing up things.

IMO - today, BIG government and BIG international corporations are exactly the same people and interests. ...Our government is run by big business, and not in the nation's best interest.


.

That's so funny, the 'good' doctor is talking at me even though he knows he's on my ignore list.

Sofi
Absolutely! There has never been much of a separation between business and politics, and the gap has narrowed to nothing in the last few decades. It's the price we pay as a nation so that the top 2% can increase their already egregious wealth.

I have no problem with people helping themselves, even if they work in the public service sector. When they start helping themselves at the expense of the public's life, liberty, or happiness, that's when they need to be evicted from the halls of power. We pay their salary, they work for us. They're like cops in suits. Protect and Serve, or get the hell out of office.

There is a direct correlation between extending benefits and being long term unemployed. Here is an idea, let's cut unemployment benefits down to 6 months instead of 18 and watch this drop immediately.

Originally posted by Carseller4
Here is an idea, let's cut unemployment benefits down to 6 months instead of 18 and watch this drop immediately.

Unemployment benefits last for 6 months in the US.
Where are you getting 18 months from?

Originally posted by Banshee

Originally posted by Carseller4
Here is an idea, let's cut unemployment benefits down to 6 months instead of 18 and watch this drop immediately.

Unemployment benefits last for 6 months in the US.
Where are you getting 18 months from?

Ouch, you nailed me. I thought that Unemployment Benefits where extended. Doing more reserch now....Sorry for the disinfo.

"Big Business" laid me off last year and the evil government kept my butt from being homeless and foodless while I sought a new job.
Trust me, 6 months is all they'll give ya... no extensions, no additional months.

*is now much happier in a privately owned small company in the art industry, thankyouverymuch*

"Cut the fedeal budget by 45%, everything other than military spending.............that's the only thing actually authorized under the consitution...................All other services are illegal............"

---------------------------------------------------------------
outside of their salaries, right? You can't really expect them to cut their salaries, can you......and, oh ya, you forgot to mention the second half of that, where they take 75% of the saving from this and funnel it to their buddies through the military spending??
------------------------------------------------------

The "GOV" can't make jobs but they can take them away.............cut minimum wage to $0................cut the IRS completely.........kill socialist sercurity to $0............whack off medicare...............cut taxes back to support military only..............."
----------------------------------------------------
yes, well, if they cut the minimum wage down to nothing, they better also cut food stamps, hud, welfare, ect, ect.....since well, after they do all this, what few taxpayers that are left definately aren't gonna want to pay for payroll!!

and, well, let's see, interstate highways, aviation safety, or how about those programs that ummm....would be needed what that nice biological agent that lab in the US made years ago is used by the terrorists that easily walked into the country because their was noone to stop them? FBI, CIA, the US legal department that BUsh is hoping will fight his case in international court when they decide to pose sactions on us for our horrible ability to get alone with our neighbors?????

ya, let's cut them all!!

who cares if the trucks and trains can't make across the country to deliver our fuel....or that planes are colliding in mid air and raining down all around us..........
------------------------
oh course some who are working under the table, and not saying anything while trying to avoid child support payments, or taxes, or trying to retain healthcare, or whatever. so who knows.......
I don't think there is any real way to find out just how many are unemployed, let alone how many are underemployed.....

I've seen unemployment go 18 months (from Georgia). But it's all directly related to your own contributions from income, length of service and taxes paid.

It's your money.

Eliminating it seems rather uh unnecessary (the nicest word I can muster).

The flight of white collar jobs and strife of our nation's traditional brain trusts (from which all things once "trickled down" as per conservaspeak) is real.

Allow me to get ugly now (based on demographic data, not bias): I'm glad immigrant hispanics, and uneducated women are doing so well in this new retail economy... (it's actually a directional relationship to employment recovery based on education regardless of minority status, but it tracks the same).

But it sucks for those that "invested" in all that education and training we were told to do for the last "new economy." Ah, but now it's "innovation" we're told to aspire to. Uh, yeah... I'm still working on it. It's taking longer than 18 months though.

[edit on 11-3-2005 by RANT]

I just heard on the news where I live that our state is seeing the lowest umemployment rates in five years. Our states economy is growing.

[edit on 11-3-2005 by knights5629]

Originally posted by dawnstar
yes, well, if they cut the minimum wage down to nothing, they better also cut food stamps, hud, welfare, ect, ect.....

[opps confussion again]

and, well, let's see, interstate highways, aviation safety, or how about those programs that ummm....would be needed what that nice biological agent that lab in the US made years ago is used by the terrorists that easily walked into the country because their was noone to stop them? FBI, CIA, the US legal department that BUsh is hoping will fight his case in international court when they decide to pose sactions on us for our horrible ability to get alone with our neighbors?????

ya, let's cut them all!!

You were SOOO close, you started out so well then you got confussed.

Your second para goes to military funding including the hiway system...

Originally posted by DrHoracid

Originally posted by dawnstar
yes, well, if they cut the minimum wage down to nothing, they better also cut food stamps, hud, welfare, ect, ect.....

[opps confussion again]

and, well, let's see, interstate highways, aviation safety, or how about those programs that ummm....would be needed what that nice biological agent that lab in the US made years ago is used by the terrorists that easily walked into the country because their was noone to stop them? FBI, CIA, the US legal department that BUsh is hoping will fight his case in international court when they decide to pose sactions on us for our horrible ability to get alone with our neighbors?????

ya, let's cut them all!!

You were SOOO close, you started out so well then you got confussed.

Your second para goes to military funding including the hiway system...

the defense budget does not go to our highway system!!

Originally posted by dawnstar

the defense budget does not go to our highway system!!

The highway system originated to shift military arms, etc around. That is the actual purpose. Public transportation is just a side issue.

oh, yes, thank you for pointing it out to me, I forgot one.....the postal service....which well, probably had alot to do with the formation of the beginnings of our modern day highway system more than defense did!!!

by the way, Banshees, just where did I quote any more than anyone else on here........
I mean, if I did here, you should really love some of the others in some of the other topicslllll

Yeah, you hear often about low unemployment numbers...

What they don't tell you is that those numbers mainly reflect the fact that everyone who is out of work who can file, has filed, and the number of new filings, like the number of new PC sales, can be expected to drop markedly due to 'market saturation.'

Remember what I said about cherry picking...

It sounds good to say "Unemployment is Down" It sounds like a cause for celebration right?

Wrong. The numbers they're not so forthcoming with tell the real story. There are a LOT of people out of work in this country, people who never asked for unemployment benefits, people who weren't eligible, people who exhausted their benefits but were unable to find new work. The real number of unemployed people in this country is most likely completely beyond the realm of rational thought... The number of underemployed people is another statistic that gets NO air time, but is in many ways more telling.

Do an informal experiment. Talk to your neighbors, your friends, and your family. In my immediate neighborhood for example, there are only two households out of seven that have employed people living in them. Those two households also have six and five people living in them respectively. There are 2 McDonalds employees, one tow truck driver, one nurse, one window washer, and a gas station attendant living in close proximity to me (that I know of). By contrast, there are at least 4 people on disability benefits, 2 people who make their money via crime, 4 people who are unemployed and no longer eligible for benefits, 5 people who are unemployed but never collected benefits for one reason or another, 3 students on college loans who don't work, 8 people who collect food stamp benefits, 3 people who are retired and actively seeking work because they can't survive on their social security, and one landlord who barely makes ends meet renting to this motley crew, all within A STONES THROW of my house.

My mom used to make 6 figures as controller for a multi billion dollar web services firm, now she makes 30k as a school administrator. My dad used to make 6 figures as a bank president, now he makes 20k selling lumber. I used to make 35 an hour in the catalog photography industry, now I'm unemployed and according to everyone I talk to, unemployable. My girlfriend used to be an administrative assistant at the Center for Black Music Research, now she's a register jockey at a Kwik-e-Mart. I could go on but I think I've made my point.

I know first hand the state of the economy, and I know first hand the 'value' of expensive education. I paid good money, lots of good money, for an education that now serves as a DETERENT to potential employers, like the gas station, sporting goods store, and restaraunt down the street from me (they've all turned me down, saying things like overqualified, overeducated, too much experience, position better for somebody just entering the job market, yadda yadda)

For obvious reasons, I have a low tolerance for people who want to tell me everything is peachy, when it very clearly is not, and has not been for some time.

[edit on 11-3-2005 by WyrdeOne]