Monday, February 6, 2012

Why the official 8.3 percent unemployment rate is a phony number—and what it means for Obama’s reelection

via The Enterprise Blog: Why the official 8.3 percent unemployment rate is a phony number—and what it means for Obama’s reelection "In January 2011, the unemployment rate was 9.1 percent with a participation rate of 64.2 percent. If that were the participation rate today, the unemployment rate would be 8.9 percent, instead of 8.3 percent. As an analysis from Hamilton Place Strategies concludes, 'Most of the shift of the past year is due not to the improvement in the labor market, but the continued drop in participation in the labor force.'" [Emphasis in original]

I commute every day to a temporary job where I work with 20 other people who, like me, would rather have a permanent position. On the weekends, I work at a part-time job that doesn't even require a high school diploma. I graduated magna cum laude from a top 20 law school and, according to everyone willing to speak to me about it, I have an excellent resume. What I don't have is anywhere to send it. From my experience, the "surge" in job production has yet to change the terrible lack of opportunities available out there for recent graduates. It's nice to know that someone out there is getting hired, but I won't feel better until I find something myself.

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