[FITZ]

How many people combined --- from all the many welfare programs, the NAFTA displaced worker welfare programs, plus the officially unemployed are there? Has government social program spending (federal and state) been cut because of the high employment? That would be a better measurement.

[optimistically_conservative]

Welfare

I'd be happy to discuss whether government spending on unemployment and underemployment has been rising or falling over the last decade and comparing the business cycle trends and spending with those from the 60s, 70s, 80s, etc. I do think that is an important metric for verifying unemployment rates.