Shock Employment Figures: Fewer Than 46% Of Americans Have Jobs - RawStory

[WillyT]

Shock employment figures: Fewer than 46% of Americans have jobs
By David Edwards - RawStory
Thursday, April 14th, 2011 -- 1:44 pm

<snip>

The percentage of Americans who have jobs has fallen to the lowest point in three decades and now hovers just above 45 percent of the total population, according to an analysis of labor data published by USA Today. The report, based on figures provided by the Census and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, showed that at 36.7 percent, Mississippi had the lowest percentage of population working.

Employment rates were also low in California and Arizona, where just over 37 percent had jobs. At 55.8 percent, North Dakota had the highest rate of employed residents. Overall, 45.4 percent of Americans were working, the lowest since 1983. Employment peaked at 49.3 percent in 2000.

"The bad economy, an aging population and a plateau in women working are contributing to changes that pose serious challenges for financing the nation's social programs," the paper noted.

The news comes at a time when Republican senators have unveiled a plan to raise the retirement age, which would force more Americans to search for jobs that just aren't there.

<snip>

Link: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/04/14/shock-employment-figures-fewer-than-half-of-americans-have-jobs/

USA Today piece: http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/employment/2011-04-13-more-americans-leave-labor-force.htm

:kick:

[Yavin4]

1. The Economy Has Had An Overall Negative Job Creation Rate Since 2000

Since 2000, the number of jobs lost has surpassed the number of jobs created. Meanwhile the population had grown. There are more of us for less jobs than there were in 2000.

In sum, we never fully recovered from the recession in early 2001. Then, we had the collapse in 2008, and now we're struggling to re-gain from that.

All the while, the Bush tax cuts were in effect.

[iwishiwas]

2. And remember that many of the jobs are lower paying, some without health benefits.

[anneboleyn]

3. Wow. Those numbers are tragic indeed. Our companies move overseas and our workers have no jobs

And now with no job prospects people have to work until they are seventy (if the repubs have their way). Honestly, I don't know what is going to happen to the remaining shreds of the "middle class" in this country.

[OregonBlue]

4. What percentage of those are retired, disabled, or children. This figure has no relevancy. Silly.

[WillyT]

6. Actually, I Think It Does...

Only 45.4% of Americans had jobs in 2010, the lowest rate since 1983 and down from a peak of 49.3% in 2000. Last year, just 66.8% of men had jobs, the lowest on record.

The bad economy, an aging population and a plateau in women working are contributing to changes that pose serious challenges for financing the nation’s social programs.

Same as OP.





From: http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/employment/2011-04-13-more-americans-leave-labor-force.htm

:shrug:

[eridani]

7. Bullshit--of course it is relevant. Repukes want to raise the retirement age for Soc Sec

--and Medicare. Early retirement is keeping the employment situation from being far, far worse than it is already. And you call that irrelevant?

[lonestarnot]

10. Are you rich?

[xchrom]

5. Yes and as we are finding out a low dollar won't have us exporting our way out. Nt

[liberalla]

8. K & R

Wow. I am surprised.

[lonestarnot]

9. Damn!

K & R!

[mrdmk]

11. Our leaders need to read about the fall of the Roman Empire

No economy will survive if more than 50% of the population is not working, that has been proven throughout history...

K & R


On edit: more for less

[leftstreet]

13. ...or the French Revolution

:-)

[OhioChick]

12. K&R n/t