Michigan Unemployment Rate Hits 12.9%

[Purveyor]

Source: WLNS - LANSING

Michigan's unemployment numbers are out for April, and the numbers aren't good.

New numbers from the state's Department of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth show Michigan's unemployment rate hit 12.9% in April.

That's the highest its been since November of 1983.

And economists say with Chrysler in bankruptcy and General MOTORS Not far behind, the numbers will only get higher.

Charles Ballard, MSU Economist: "It's likely that Michigan's unemployment rate is not at it's peak yet. We probably will see at least a couple of percentage points, I hope that's not true, but that's sort of the way it looks right now."

The unemployment numbers are more proof of just how tough the job market is in Michigan.

Read more: http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=10397006

[Romulox]

1. Why does the Obama admin continue to shovel money to Wall Street, while turning the screws on us?

:wtf:

[WriteDown]

6. Well...

Michigan is no California. :sarcasm:

[Zhade]

22. Because he already got your vote, peasant.

NT!

[Psephos]

30. Unfortunately, you're probably not far from the truth there n/t

[Bozita]

2. Wonderin' what it would be if part-timers, the underemployed, and the hopeless were included

25? More? Less?

[blue_onyx]

4. It would be 20-25%

I graduate from college quite a while ago and I haven't found anything. I'm not getting unemployment so I'm not included in the numbers. I know others who aren't included in the official unemployment numbers. It's going to get worse which is the saddest part.

[Lorien]

5. I'm guessing that every State has a higher than 10% unemployment rate

I'm self employed, as are most of my friends. Many of us have been unemployed for months, but naturally we can't file for unemployment so we aren't counted. Other friends of mine have had their hours cut in half or are taking long furloughs. The real numbers of the "under-employed" (those who aren't making ends meet) are probably pretty staggering.

[Spouting Horn]

36. The self-employed

sure can file for unemployment benefits.

[phusion]

7. I know it's a big choice...

but when, in your mind, do you decide to leave Michigan? Just curious

[blue_onyx]

10. I'm not sure

When it's no longer a choice, I guess. The problem is, there's nowhere I really want to go. Most of the states I would find acceptable aren't far behind in terms of unemployment. I'm not a particularly social person so leaving my family and friends would be a big deal for me. I don't like to travel a lot so coming home to see everyone would also be an issue.

[WriteDown]

13. My advice...

Don't set barriers for yourself. I agonized over leaving NYC over 15 years ago, but had to due to not being able to afford to live there anymore. Then I was in NC, then GA, then VA, then TN, and finally TX. TX has been a nice surprise in that it was somewhat insulated from the housing bubble due to their strict requirements for 2nd mortgages, although its not my favorite place due to the climate. All my family is still in NY, but at least I'm doing well and living my life.

[blue_onyx]

14. Thanks

I hate the heat, as well as the conservative/Republicanism of the south so I would never move there. The states I would find acceptable are: California (because of the entertainment industry), Oregon, Washington, IL, and most of the Northeast. Like I said, some of these states are pretty close to MI unemployment (particularity CA, OR) so I'm not sure how much luck I would have elsewhere. I guess I'll just wait and see what happens. If I have to move then I will...otherwise I'll try to stay.

[WriteDown]

15. A couple of urban legends there....

Not all the South is conservative. You've got Chapel Hill, Dallas, Austin, Charleston, etc. All with a nice, hip vibe. There is a lot more to the South than people realize and the misperception is staggering sometimes.

[blue_onyx]

16. I never said every city the south is conservative

The south, however, is really the only area where Republicans are competitive. There may be areas that are more liberal but on a whole, the south leans conservative/Republican. NC, SC, and TX are probably at the bottom of my list of states to move to but thanks for the suggestions. :)

[WriteDown]

17. This is why I fear that progressives are doomed to

failure. If no one is willing to relocate, than the voting block in those states remains exactly the same. Then again, it does keep those gems of cities relatively uncongested and unemployment lower than most other places (although not low enough). :). I suggest you visit Chapel Hill sometime.

[blue_onyx]

19. Why are we doomed?

NC shifted to the Dems in 2008. NC and TX definitely aren't hurting for population growth. In fact, many of the states that will lose representatives/electoral votes after the 2010 census are Democratic states. I know Michigan will lose 1...or maybe 2 the way the auto industry is going. This could hurt the Dems in future elections more than some progressives not moving to the south.

[WriteDown]

20. NC has always been a swing state...

And it will probably sway back and forth as the years go on. The saving grace for NC though is that a lot of Northeasterners are choosing NC over FL as a retirement spot.

Personally, if I had my choice of places to live right now it would be Nashville. Amazing city with a nice atmosphere.

[Igel]

24. You can move to quite a few cities in Texas and

seldom actually run into somebody whose politics you dislike--or, better put, seldom run into somebody whose politics are both obvious and those you dislike.

As for the background noise, it's mostly background noise.

[WriteDown]

28. Bingo...

Perception is seldom reality.

[llmart]

27. Just a reminder........

that most places in the northern lower peninsula and the UP have just as many rednecks and conservatives as places in the South. I've lived in NC and there are some liberal areas that are beautiful places to live. I've been "Up North" to many places in Michigan and you can keep the beer guzzling, gun toting, knuckledraggers.

[WriteDown]

29. Even up in NY...

there are a ton of people that aren't exactly "tolerant."

[Romulox]

31. OT: Interior Wa. State is hillbilly heaven. nt

[4_TN_TITANS]

33. Don't forget Nashville......

Davidson Co. went for Kerry and Obama. Memphis is a strong Dem-hold too. Just don't wander into East TN unless you are headed to the Smokies!

[Hannah Bell]

18. the numbers don't come from who's collecting unemployment. they come from surveys.

if you're actively looking for work, you're (a representative "you") in the numbers.

[blue_onyx]

21. A lot of the number the news reports

are based on unemployment filings. "600,000 filed for unemployment this month." So a lot of the "official" numbers used to determine the strengthen of the economy are misleading.

There have been times when I stopped looking or just said I wasn't looking so I would fall into the "discouraged worker" category.

[Hannah Bell]

25. the official ue numbers aren't based on ue filings, or on collecting ue.

Unemployment Measurement

United States Bureau of Labor Statistics

The Bureau of Labor Statistics measures employment and unemployment (of those over 15 years of age) using two different labor force surveys conducted by the United States Census Bureau (within the United States Department of Commerce) and/or the Bureau of Labor Statistics (within the United States Department of Labor) that gather employment statistics monthly.

The Current Population Survey (CPS), or "Household Survey", conducts a survey based on a sample of 60,000 households. This Survey measures the unemployment rate based on the ILO definition.<30> The data is also used to calculate 5 alternate measures of unemployment as a percentage of the labor force based on different definitions noted as U1 through U6:<31>

U1: Percentage of labor force unemployed 15 weeks or longer.

U2: Percentage of labor force who lost jobs or completed temporary work.

***U3: Official unemployment rate per ILO definition.

U4: U3 + "discouraged workers", or those who have stopped looking for work because current economic conditions make them believe that no work is available for them.

U5: U4 + other "marginally attached workers", or those who "would like" and are able to work, but have not looked for work recently.

U6: U5 + Part time workers who want to work full time, but can not due to economic reasons.

Note: "Marginally attached workers" are added to the total labor force for unemployment rate calculation for U4, U5, and U6. The BLS revised the CPS in 1994 and among the changes the measure representing the official unemployment rate was renamed U3 instead of U5.<32>

The Current Employment Statistics survey (CES), or "Payroll Survey", conducts a survey based on a sample of 160,000 businesses and government agencies that represent 400,000 individual employers. This survey measures only nonagricultural, nonsupervisory employment; thus, it does not calculate an unemployment rate, and it differs from the ILO unemployment rate definition.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unemployment


The only stats UE is counted in is: how many people on UE.

[sarcasmo]

34. I am not included either, I take care of my wife who is Disabled, I don't count in that number.

[Applepie]

3. What a bleak economy

I am a Michigander and don't remember the unemployment being what it is today. Many people who have jobs are working such few hours. I am very depressed about it all.

[Spouting Horn]

37. I think the answer

is more tax hikes, especially on those who can afford it.

[Mithreal]

8. What's sadder, no plan to correct unfair trade and outsourcing.

Green jobs will be outsourced or H1B'd just as well.

[madrchsod]

9. this is a map of the march numbers....

http://data.bls.gov/map/servlet/map.servlet.MapToolServlet?survey=la&map=county&seasonal=u&datatype=unemployment&year=2009&period=M03&state=26

upper michigan seasonal employment is`t factored. 18%-25%

[valerief]

11. It's the seventies all over again. nt

[madrchsod]

12. in the 70`s we thought there was a future

but we know better now...

"....the foreman says, boys the jobs are going and they ain't`s coming back..."

[Thothmes]

23. You mean the Carter years

[valerief]

32. No, not Carter. Unemployment was much worse in the Nixon/Ford seventies.

Carter brought it down and Raygun brought it back up again.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Us_unemployment_rates_1950_2005.png

[roamer65]

26. The 1974-75 and 1981-82 recessions were under Rethuglicans.

The 1981-82 recession was known as the Reagan Recession.

[Wednesdays]

35. K&R

:kick: