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2 out of 5 working-age Californians jobless (40%)

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posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 08:34 AM
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A report released Sunday says two of five working-age Californians do not have a job, underscoring the challenges in one of the toughest job markets in decades. A new study has found that the last time employment levels among this group were this low was February 1977.

The study was done by the California Budget Project, a Sacramento-based nonprofit research group that advocates for lower- and middle-income families. The report said that California now has about the same number of jobs as it did nine years ago, when the state was home to 3.3 million fewer working-age people.

California Budget Project executive director Jean Ross recommended Congress adopt a second extension of unemployment insurance benefits. Those checks pay between $200 and $1,800 a month depending on a worker's previous earnings.

Read more: www.sfgate.com.../n/a/2009/09/06/state/n000211D96.DTL

Wow 2 out of every 5 people is unemployed and things look to get worse as the economic problems continue to drag on and worsen.

40% is huge. California isin't the only state experiencing these problems. Recently the governor was reduced to selling off state property on Ebay to try and get money to fill its huge deficits.



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 09:04 AM
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reply to post by warrenb
 


It's only going to get worse. The more taxes imposed on those that do the hiring is only going to create a spiral sharply downward.

This is a perfect "micro-cosm" for what the politicians want to do to our whole country.

This is the hope and change they voted for. . . .



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 09:10 AM
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reply to post by warrenb
 


Its sad to see where this country is going and what is happening to all the good men and women that are the backbone of this country. I really do hope things change and turn in the right direction.

One thing that really hit home with me was the following...

I live Fort Collins, Colorado (a fairly decent town for those who would describe it, probably least hit by the recession). A few weeks ago I noticed a very professionally dressed, seemingly "blue-collar" hard working American. He was standing on the corner of a busy intersection holding up a small cardboard cut out. Written on it was this, "Family man/Father of 3, just laid off, no money for food... any help will be greatly appreciated." It just devestates me, as to what is happening to our country. I really do think it will turn around, and I hope things happen for the better. But if things don't, we are certainly in for a long ride.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

edit: warrenb, here goes another thread off to the firehouse





[edit on 7-9-2009 by tmayhew01]



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 09:22 AM
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I'm not surprised.

My whole family is jobless right now because every job we apply for has 200-400 applicants!

and that's in TEXAS; Supposedly one of the less economically hard hit states.



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 09:27 AM
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Pretty much the same in the UK, its drove me to join the army.



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 09:39 AM
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reply to post by warrenb
 


My guess is that now that 2 out of 5 Californians are unemployed, this is finally when California pushes out the illegal aliens. Before, they needed them for cheap labor.....now, they need their jobs back.



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 09:42 AM
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Anyone need any more proof that this economic system does not work?

- sofi



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 09:42 AM
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reply to post by Haydn_17
 


Maybe that's the whole point, increase the number of troops for war



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 09:56 AM
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reply to post by nikiano
 


Hey, I have always said that. So have a lot of other Californians. Don't blame us, blame the ones who do the hiring.
I have been told when applying for retail jobs, that the person most likely to spend the majority of their paycheck in the store will get the job. This was in a group interview. Needless to say I didn't get the job because I was obviously not a daddies money girl just looking for extra spending cash.



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 10:02 AM
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Only 40%? Just wait; it'll go higher.

This is a direct result of too much government. California is one of the most governmentally-bloated states we have. I was just reading this morning in an old LandLine Now magazine about the CARB (California Air Resources Board) regulations that are being applauded as being so far ahead of the national goals.

It was California who decided at one time to consider outlawing CB radios in trucks. It was California who decreed that smoking was not allowed in truck sleepers (homes) until a few lawsuits were filed. It is California where all the subdivision regulations first appeared. It is California where some cities have outlawed smoking outdoors. It is California where drivers are forced to freeze or burn while trying to sleep, because their idling trucks are so terrible to the 'environment'.

The other day, I was talking to the District Manager of a store chain. I had expressed interest in investing with them, and she told me the chain was planning to expand from the Eastern half of the country to nation-wide by offering stock. The one problem they had to solve was to change their computers to allow for individual store overrides on regular pricing. The reason? It costs so much more to do business in California that that could not operate in the black at the prices they sell for everywhere else.

It is California where illegal immigrants are being treated as upstanding citizens, while upstanding citizens are being financially and socially raped. It is California where people gather and protest in droves because they can't get a marriage license because they are homosexual, all the while coming face to face with starvation and utter poverty with nary a gripe. It is California where military bases have been forced out of cities. It is California where it seems everything is OK, as long as you do not try and raise a family by working hard for your living. That seems to be a no-no.

California is well-known for trying to eek out every last dime from a driver in fines and fees. California is where taxes are so high as to make the high taxes elsewhere pale in comparison. California has the highest building standards in the nation, making housing much more expensive than anywhere else. Heck, look through an auto repair manual sometime; the specs are literally different for California models than for the exact same auto sold anywhere else.

California is a black hole in which money disappears, never to be seen again. It is, as mentioned above by mikerussellus, the perfect little playground for governmental programs. We are seeing the result of those programs, not the result of capitalism or patriotism or conservatism or Christianity, or any of the other scapegoats normally sought out for blame. No, this is the result of out-of-control government. And it's not just limited to California; It is beginning to plague every major metropolitan area or 'socially progressive' state in the nation. It's just that California has always been on the cutting edge of new societal ideals, and they thus are the first to begin the fall.

What I find unbelievable is the naietivity (is that a word?
) demonstrated by the rest of the country. They can look at this happening right in front of their eyes, and without looking away fall into the exact same trap. Lemmings have nothing on us humans.

Sadly, it has now gone past the point of no return, which is why this is now one of the rare times I post such a thing as I have here. It cannot be stopped. The supports are now crumbling too fast to repair them, and the governmental programs that are being used to hold the economy up are simply not able to bear the load.

Nothing can be done. There is no one you can vote for, no protest you can attend, no government program you can support, that will even lessen the coming collapse. Prepare for yourselves, and prepare for the worst.

And remember that the worst is worse than you imagine.

TheRedneck



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 10:31 AM
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I've noticed alot of big name furniture and appliance stores advertising crazy deals on TV lately.

Get this: 50% discount plus an additional 25% discount and 5 years no interest, no tax. So 75% off their usual price and 5 years to pay.

That is how desperate they are to sell their wares.

Things are going to hell in a hand basket.

You just have to take a good look around you to notice that the foundations of the nation are crumbling.

Our grocery bills have gone up since the spring. We very healthy foods and try to budget $200 a week but since the spring the same amount of food now costs upwards of $240-$260. Meat is pretty stable but fresh produce and canned goods are going up. We are lucky enough so far but things are starting to get a little tight and there seems to be no end in sight with the way things are going.

[edit on 7-9-2009 by warrenb]



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 10:35 AM
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When I first moved here, it seemed like the jobs were growing on trees. I've been very well off for a good three years, but now the jobs have simply dried up.

Around Fall 2008 I noticed there was a paradigm shift. They started cutting positions left and right at my last job for NO reason. Every day we were threatened with the prospect of being fired so they could hire people to do the same job for less pay. Everyone was afraid to lose their job, even if they did a good job and had no complaints. People were conspired against and intimidated on a daily basis, including myself, in order to fire as many people as possible.

Eventually after a few months I found another job, but it just hasn't been the same. The only work I can find is always an hour away. I am lucky to find something that pays 75% of what I previously made.



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 01:00 PM
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Aren't these numbers distorted somehow?

If you are just talking about working age people, then people in families, only one parent will work, that makes about 50% jobless (as one partner is looking after the kids). Then adjust for the people with no children, is this number really so outrageous?

OK, so it is higher than it's been for a while, but I think they should present it more as a % of people seeking work. Just going on working age makes it sound much worse than it probably is.

[edit on 7-9-2009 by harpsounds]



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 01:17 PM
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Come on people let's not blame the government on every damn thing. I believe STRONGLY in less government. Our damn government is way too invasive, controlling, and powerful. Especially in California. However, not every damn thing wrong with our economy and country is a result of the government. It's time INDIVIDUALS start holding themselves accountable and collectively we as citizens start being responsible. California has way too much government but it is also awash in greed and fraud. I have a friend that is getting sued (yes unfortunately he is a friend of mine) by the FTC due to his company committing mortgage fraud and basically lying and cheating fellow Americans out of their hard earned money. This song is played over and over in the state of California. There is PLENTY of wealth and PLENTY of money in this state for EVERY single person to have a job......and to have good jobs with good benefits. You can criticize government all you want about how they hamstring small businesses etc. But let's not kid ourselves....businesses turn around and hamstring their workers buy letting their CEO's making MILLIONS AND BILLIONS while their workers fight for the scraps. We as middle class Americans need to do away with both..........big government and rich, greedy, corporate elites. There are A LOT of corrupt private businesses in California.

On another note..........I live in Orange County, CA and it's disgusting how people live out there. Whether they are living beyond their means or just plain filthy rich............I'm disgusted by the difference between the haves and have nots in America. i don't think I've ever seen so many million dollar homes, BMW's, and people that just don't give a # about living like gluttons with no regard for their fellow Americans. California is definitely the worst of times for some and the best of times for others. And unfortunately the rest of the country is headed the way California is.



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 01:18 PM
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Originally posted by mikerussellus
reply to post by warrenb
 


It's only going to get worse. The more taxes imposed on those that do the hiring is only going to create a spiral sharply downward.

This is a perfect "micro-cosm" for what the politicians want to do to our whole country.

This is the hope and change they voted for. . . .



over the last 30 years, the % (percent) of taxes paid compared to income, on the wealthy and corporate have gone down...the % (percent) of taxes paid compared to income, on the commons has gone up....apparently what the politiciians WANT to do, and what HAS ACTUALLY HAPPENED are two different things.


[edit on 7-9-2009 by jimmyx]



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 01:24 PM
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Oh and one more thing.....Americans can say screw unions all they want. Yes unions are corruptable just like a lot of things but the worker has lost all their power in this country. Workers used to have some pull in the United States 50 years ago. Not anymore. Workers can be displaced and tossed aside at will. And when people say Americans are overpaid or union members are overapaid maybe but it's the CEO's and upper management do nothings that are usually just as overpaid. It's time the little guy fights back a little more in this country. We've all been brainwashed to think because someone believes in worker's rights and what not they are a socialist. Quite the opposite. For capitalism and a free market to work there has to be a balance between labor and capital.



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 01:29 PM
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reply to post by harpsounds
 


How many households can depend on only one income? Both my wife and I work and we just "make it". With the cost of living difference between here (KS) and California, I just can't see one earner households being effective.

And even if you bring down the #'s adjusting for adults that willingly stay at home, you're still talking about a huge amount of unemployment.



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 01:30 PM
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reply to post by jimmyx
 



Yes and the richer you get the more money you can spend on tax loopholes and tax havens to hide and protect even more of your money. I love how many stupid people laud the rich for giving away to charity and what not....they get HUGE tax write offs for those donations. And I also get sick of hearing about how heavily our corporations are taxed. Maybe they are but those corporations have no problem passing those taxes on to the consumer in the form of higher prices. I wish I could pass my tax expenses on to others.



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 01:36 PM
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reply to post by warrenb
 


Love those sales warren.. I bought a new big screen flat hd tv last Jan .. $1,400 was the listing on sale.. I have a $1,100 credit limit on my card .. they gave me the tv, the stand, the extended warrenty and an hd tv antena (I don't watch tv thus no cable) all for exactly $1,100.

And no interest for 3 years.

Granted it was at the worst point for the economy, but they were practically giving stuff away. Hopefully after christmas I can get a new guitar at a crazy price


Ps. Theredneck: awesome post buddy



posted on Sep, 7 2009 @ 01:38 PM
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reply to post by Tinman67
 


That's exactly how "they" want it. Why do you think the big push for women to enter the workforce oh so long ago? Not only would it add to the government's tax base but it would also destroy the family structure. America was a strong country and the middle class was strong because of family values. Say what you want about traditional family values but we are a much stronger nation and people when we can sit down together for dinner as a family and dad can get off at work at 5 and throw the ball in the front yard with his son. Does that mean women should stay home and do laundry all day? Of course not. But destroy the family and you destroy the glue that once made this country strong and healthy.



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