Guardian UK: Jobless millions signal death of the American dream for many

[marmar]

Jobless millions signal death of the American dream for many
Even the criminals have fallen on hard times in America's poorest city as the long-term unemployed struggle to keep a grasp on normality


Richard Gaines is one of the best-known faces on Camden's (NJ) Haddon Avenue. It is a rough-and-tumble street, lined with cheap businesses and boarded-up houses, and is prey to drug gangs. Gaines, 50, runs a barbershop, a hair salon and a fitness business. He works hard and is committed to his community. But Haddon Avenue is not an easy place to make a living in the best of times. And these are far from the best of times.

Just how badly the great recession has struck this fragile New Jersey city, which is currently the poorest in America, was recently spelled out to Gaines. In happier times – whatever that might mean for a city as destitute as Camden – local businesses on Haddon Avenue could at least rely on a bit of trade from those who made their money on the street.

Young men bought flashy clothes and got sharp haircuts and always paid in cash. But no longer. The economy is now so bad in Camden that even the criminals are struggling and going short. "Even the guys who got money from illegal means really don't want to spend it," Gaines said.

Such a development, though, is just a snapshot of the deep problems still hitting the wider American economy. Growth rates are stuttering and a recovery is struggling to take hold. It may even now be showing signs of going backwards again, as countries such as Germany start to power forward. Joblessness has taken hold in America, with the numbers of long-term unemployed reaching levels not seen since the Depression of the 1930s. The figures are frightening and illustrate a society that remains in deep trouble.

The headline jobless figure of 9.5% is bad enough but does not begin to convey the problem as it fails to measure those who have stopped looking for work. Over the past three months alone more than a million Americans have fallen into that category: effectively giving up hope of finding a job and dropping out of the official statistics. Such cases now number some 5.9 million and their ranks are likely to grow as millions more find their jobless status becoming a permanent state of hopelessness. Surveys show that with each passing week on the dole their chances of finding a job get slimmer. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/15/jobless-millions-death-american-dream

[MadHound]

1. As one living the nighmare, it isn't fun

My wife's salary is enough to keep us afloat, but with little to spare for extras. The personal toll that being unemployed is huge as well.

Sadly, this isn't going to turn around any time soon.

[endless october]

3. i hope you find something good soon.

i did nine months unemployed. i hated it.

[endless october]

2. outsourcing jobs hasn't worked as advertised.

it's just that simple.

[Donnachaidh]

10. sure it has -- for the elites and the corporate whores in Washington

Everyone else is on their own.

[Juche]

4. The sad part is it doesn't seem to matter to those in charge

Definitely not to the GOP, but even the democrats seem to consider it more of a controversial nuisance than a domestic emergency.

I really hope this period shatters the blind religious faith people have in Reaganomics and trickle down plutocracy. Corporate profits are higher than they were pre-recession, it is just all going to creating jobs overseas, stock buybacks and dividends. And since the wealthiest 10% own 80-90% of the stock, they get all the dividend and stock buyback share increases.

[fogonthelake]

11. you are right.

[Odin2005]

5. It's call a DREAM because you have to be asleep to believe it.

[cowman]

6. Ha

thats a good one and so true, fortunatly I got into a profession 35 years ago that was very good to me and now I am enjoying my generous retirement and because of that I donate quite generously to worthy causes and I still volunteer at our local Fire Dept until my wife retires in 3 months. But for all intents and purposes, the american dream is a thing of the past.

[Goldstein1984]

7. The criminals in Camden, NJ aren't doing very well, but...

the criminals on Wall Street are raking it in.

[Donnachaidh]

8. you wouldn't know it by the way our MEDIA whitewashes all the bad reports

And then spends a day gossiping about Steve Slater or Snookie.

Had to be a BRIT paper to say this -- we have Corporate whores.

[rucky]

9. That's a photo you never see in the US media. n/t

[fogonthelake]

12. I saw it the day someplace. Forget where (some website).

[w8liftinglady]

13. sometimes Guardian prints what we are too weak to.

[eridani]

14. Not only does it not include those not looking for work

It does not include those who took early retirement and early social security because of the job situation. It ought to include those doing useless and harmful things like denying health insurance claims or putting non-violent drug users in jail, but it doesn't.