The real numbers are numbing. One in 6 of us is unemployed, One in Five of us is underemployed. Most of us who are employed are not secure. Since most of us are two worker households or have kids that can't find work, I would guess that 1/3rd of nuclear families are working with significantly reduced disposable income. Add to that the workers who are insecure about their employment and one pay check away from problems. This is brutal.
Wall Street and the MSM are in alternate reality. It is really bad out there and not getting better.
Terrific post, and allansfca underscores it with the numbers on just how far-reaching this problem is. In economic terms unemployment is a "trailing indicator," but realistically it's the one that hits ordinary people the hardest, and with the most repercussions. Right off the top of my head I know a half-dozen smart, capable people who've lost their jobs in the past year, in all kinds of fields. I'm out of work myself. Even aside from the financial impact, it's incredibly discouraging to know you have something meaningful to contribute to society, yet to be involuntarily "underutilized."
Posted by Chris M. at June 27, 2009 12:11 PM