7/29/2013 another rant on unemployment
There was an article in the NYT posted on yahoo concerning the struggles and near impossible conditions found by older unemployed people to land employment. It was a great article that seemed to nail the problem and nail the lack of interest by officials to help solve the problem. There was another article that came out on ABC.COM a day later that only added to the grief and frustration regarding the disappearing "middle class"...
In every speech that Obama makes he invokes the need to sustain a vibrant Middle Class ...ok amen,, the problem is that the middle class is dissolving every month,,, and they have joined the ranks of the lower class or those in dire straits.
Most people who are older and out of work and who are still in the job market find the picking slim to non-existent, that is a fact. Part of the problem is that older workers are in competition with younger workers who also cannot find adequate employment,, so they suck up jobs that under normal circumstances would serve the older workforce population, and therefore there is nothing left at the end of the day. People who at one time could make well over $100k a year with incredible resumes have to compete with younger workers for a job that yields maybe $30k and the numbers have increase exponentially since the 2008 downturn.
There is an epidemic of economically generated depression in this country, the likes of which have never been seen before and this will extend far into the future as far as the eye can see. We talk of terrorism. illegal immigration, the deficit, taxes, these are nothing but side-shows to the main problem in the country, which no one in authority is willing to address.. . it is far easier to scream and yell about border fencing in Arizona, or how much spending is gotten out of control,, these are nothing short of easy distractions to the 900 pound economic gorilla that is wrecking your national house.
For every one job advertised on line, consider that there may be conservatively 500+ qualified applications, and lets say after all is said and done with the weeding out process there is left perhaps 100. Maybe out of the 100 perhaps 10 are selected for an interview,, all this happens based on situations totally devoid of an employer coming in any contact with a potential employee,, If you are 50+ your chances of getting to the last leg of the 10 are virtually 0 ..
Chances are the only reason that this is getting any current press at all is the numbers of suicides have become striking to the point that they can no longer be explained away by alterative reasons.
I for one do not believe the unemployment numbers published based on the following logic.. if 5% is considered to be in the range of full employment how can we be at 7.6% in a growing economic condition, and so many industries are just not hiring or have been consolidated, or have been off-shored, or have just disappeared.
I should like to know WHY there is NOT ONE Congressional hearing on the National Unemployment Epidemic, and yet there are several on the NSA leaks, border fencing, etc.
In every speech that Obama makes he invokes the need to sustain a vibrant Middle Class ...ok amen,, the problem is that the middle class is dissolving every month,,, and they have joined the ranks of the lower class or those in dire straits.
Most people who are older and out of work and who are still in the job market find the picking slim to non-existent, that is a fact. Part of the problem is that older workers are in competition with younger workers who also cannot find adequate employment,, so they suck up jobs that under normal circumstances would serve the older workforce population, and therefore there is nothing left at the end of the day. People who at one time could make well over $100k a year with incredible resumes have to compete with younger workers for a job that yields maybe $30k and the numbers have increase exponentially since the 2008 downturn.
There is an epidemic of economically generated depression in this country, the likes of which have never been seen before and this will extend far into the future as far as the eye can see. We talk of terrorism. illegal immigration, the deficit, taxes, these are nothing but side-shows to the main problem in the country, which no one in authority is willing to address.. . it is far easier to scream and yell about border fencing in Arizona, or how much spending is gotten out of control,, these are nothing short of easy distractions to the 900 pound economic gorilla that is wrecking your national house.
For every one job advertised on line, consider that there may be conservatively 500+ qualified applications, and lets say after all is said and done with the weeding out process there is left perhaps 100. Maybe out of the 100 perhaps 10 are selected for an interview,, all this happens based on situations totally devoid of an employer coming in any contact with a potential employee,, If you are 50+ your chances of getting to the last leg of the 10 are virtually 0 ..
Chances are the only reason that this is getting any current press at all is the numbers of suicides have become striking to the point that they can no longer be explained away by alterative reasons.
I for one do not believe the unemployment numbers published based on the following logic.. if 5% is considered to be in the range of full employment how can we be at 7.6% in a growing economic condition, and so many industries are just not hiring or have been consolidated, or have been off-shored, or have just disappeared.
I should like to know WHY there is NOT ONE Congressional hearing on the National Unemployment Epidemic, and yet there are several on the NSA leaks, border fencing, etc.
Replies
Oh my friend, I could have written that... I am part of the over 50 crowd that is frustrated with no jobs or, as you say, 700 apply, 100 test, 10 get interviews and all those are under the age of 30. I finally landed a part time job that pays well only because I am supremely qualified and they were adamant about having the best qualified person no matter the age or location (lucky me, I work from home) and they were willing to pay very well for the high qualifications. I dread the thought of ever having to look for a second job to supplement this one or even just another full time job. When I see the protests asking for $15/hour for part time fast food jobs, I shudder. That $1 menu will become the $10 menu. Do these individuals not realize that if employers have to pay that high a \"minimum\" wage that the number of jobs will be cut severely? So let me demand $15/hour and then after they give in and I lose my job, it\'s still their fault.
This country is in very sad shape. Nobody wants to address the unemployment issue anymore because there are too many other things to yell at, too. Notice how there has been no talk at all of how many people are at the end of their extended benefits or are out of benefits altogether. Where does the 50+ individual go when there are no more unemployment benefits and the jobs are all paying $8.25/hour and going to that 21 year old college graduate with the Masters degree in psychology who can\'t find a job?
Sad, sad, indeed. In one way it makes me glad I\'m at the over 50 age. I will not have to face this tragedy for another 30 years. But my daughter will. And my grandson. And it makes me want to weep to think that the America I grew up in is long gone. And nobody seems to care except those of us over 50.
Thank you for writing this, my friend. Good job.
- Lynn
I sent a copy of my journal entry to my Congressperson ,, it will probably be deleted before it is read ,,
You might want to look into shadowstats where the real unemployment rate is well over 20%.
http://www.shadowstats.com/alternate_data/unemployment-charts
In my town, unemployment is 30%, which in my mind is absolutely unacceptable. At one point I was looking for work and over 300 applicants had applied for one job opening. As a sahm who took time off to raise a family my chances of getting hired decrease as time goes on. That\'s why I am trying to go back to school and maybe eventually get a job. Good luck to all of you.
Unemployment dips again ??? numbers continue to mislead,,, in a companion article ,, there are more p/t positions opening in selected areas with no benefits at all and capped at 20 hours,, full time employment continues to plunge and even accelerated rate... now 7.4% ?? ,,when elephants can fly !!