I want to occupy this space today to direct you to a couple of opinion pieces that discuss not only the current joblessness that in all likelihood will not get any better for a long time, but also talk about the disproportionate suffering borne by those least likely to be able to afford it.
Bob Herbert's NYTimes column The Worst of the Pain delineates three broad categories of unemployment using the 4th quarter, 2009 U.S. unemployment statistics analyzed by The Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University. He points out the differences in joblessness among the groups, with emphasis on the very poor of this nation and the crippling effects and potentially scary outcomes not only for them, but also for the entire nation.
| |
The highest group, with household incomes of $150,000 or more, had an unemployment rate during that quarter of 3.2 percent. The next highest, with incomes of $100,000 to 149,999, had an unemployment rate of 4 percent. Contrast those figures with the unemployment rate of the lowest group, which had annual household incomes of $12,499 or less. The unemployment rate of that group during the fourth quarter of last year was a staggering 30.8 percent. That’s more than five points higher than the overall jobless rate at the height of the Depression. The next lowest group, with incomes of $12,500 to $20,000, had an unemployment rate of 19.1 percent. |
Over at Blue Commonwealth the always thoughtful poster, Teacher Ken, delves even deeper into the meaning of the numbers focusing on both the un- and under-employment figures and the threats to our democracy by the obstructionist policies that prevent problem-solving of these issues. In addition, he goes on to say that we could look at this as a moral issue. The suffering, hopelessness, and the death of their dreams for a better life that are a reality for too many of our citizens are not what good people should allow. From whatever perspective we consider unemployment, a lot of people with nothing to do are unstablizing elements in society. These two pieces are especially prescient given the kinds of cuts our own Virginia Governor and legislature are making to education and social programs. I urge you to take a few minutes to read both these authors.