Posted on 11/08/2013 10:37:43 AM PST by SeekAndFind
34.3%: Share of Americans over age 16 who say they don’t want a job, up from about 30% two decades ago.
Americans aren’t just leaving the labor force — those who have left it are drifting further away.
Economists studying the labor market have traditionally focused on two types of people: those who have jobs (the employed) and those who are trying to find them (the unemployed). Together, those groups make up what is known as the “labor force.”
As close observers of the economy already know, the labor force has been shrinking as a share of the population, a trend that began in the early 2000s, accelerated in the recession and has continued during the weak recovery. The so-called “participation rate” — the share of the population that’s working or looking for work — now stands near a three-decade low.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.wsj.com ...
Why don’t more Americans WANT to be president?
Cause they lose their food stamps?
Americans aren’t just leaving the labor force — those who have left it are drifting further away.
All by design...Obam’s voter base
There are many answers about why people do not seek employment, but the typical response to them is to “man up”, and that “any job is a good job”. Not true.
It is not just individual reasons, but cumulative reasons that convince so many that employment isn’t worth it. For similar reasons, people are not getting married and having children, either.
Too much is demanded of employees, and not enough given to them in return. Not just money, but time and labor is demanded more than the job is worth. Employers often show zero loyalty to employees, but expect it in return. And remember, you have to join the employee “group cheer” every morning.
You cannot work in fast food without a college degree? What percentage of jobs out there demand grossly overqualified and experienced workers for no reason?
It’s not all the employers fault, either. Government does its level best to make employment onerous.
More and more people, that I used to respect, are making that choice: quitting their jobs and applying for public assistance.
Why sweat for a living, when santa clause will make others sweat for your benefit?
Here’s the thing most people tend to overlook: LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE.
It fell to 62.8 percent, down from its previous 63.2 percent, the worst showing since March 1978:
See here:
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/11/08/u-s-unemployment-ticks-up-slightly-2/
My out of work acquaintances are drifting further away from work because they are over 50 and don’t have fresh skills and employer interest in hiring and/or training them. Also, they have aging parents and kids in high school and are using the time to take care of them. They are sinking down to one income and eking along ok, so long as major repairs can be staved off. They can do that for the foreseeable future, and meet their family obligations, so that’s what they are doing.
That’s not how you grow an economy or instill vigorous optimism in the next generation, but it does have some advantages in terms of simpler lifestyle.
Anyone ask them? That would answer the question instead of statisticians guessing.
Sums it up nicely. Most of Americans who lost their jobs lost them because the US manufacturing and technology workforce were abandoned in the quest for profits at all costs. And now even so called “conservatives” are whining because they now have to shoulder the costs of all of these formally employed people. WTF? Did you just expect these people to disappear when you kicked them to curb? or you moved your plant to china? Or hired a bunch of illegals to replace them?
This is why I never buy anything new, only old US made items from yard sales and swap meets. The quality is much better, and I don’t contribute to the current looting class. Starve the beast. It can only live if you are weak enough to let it.
My 2 cents based on my experience.... The non-white-male entities have poisoned the workplace and I used to spend most of my time defending my decisions. Disposable workforce, work a contract for 6-9 months, then spend the next 3 months looking for work. Can make more money in the “underground economy” doing Craigslist work and no taxes....
Why work when it’s easier to vote Democrat?
There’s lots of over 50 ones who want work but can’t find it. Sooner or later you give up and live on savings as long as it lasts (if you have savings). Then you go on welfare.
People who are struggling to get by in modestly paying jobs look around at all the others who get SNAP, Obamaphones, and now free or subsidized health insurance, and think “WTH, why should I continue to be a patsy?”
I can't believe it's taken a damn Commie nearly destroying our Republic to drag me to that realization. But then again, lessons are never learned when times are good, 'cause you're too busy enjoying life.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
Depressing thought.
Thanks Obama, for killing business optimism and hiring, among other things.
I don't know where you have been since 1970, but I was totally involved in the manufacturing sector since then, and I can state without hesitation that that sector was decimated by overlapping federal regulations without end and increasingly onerous taxation, along with very powerful unions.
Actually, pay rates on the manufacture of multiple items is a small fraction of the final costs.
Nothing will bring those sectors back until there is a serious reigning in or dismantling of those factors. Which is to say, in the present political climate and its likely future, never.
I’m living the life you describe for a number of reasons. It’s just easier for everyone to have someone available in a crisis. Many days I wish I had a steady job. But I also don’t need a new car and a bigger house with more stuff. Just my family.
Oh it's worse than that. I did this hypothetical: let's say a woman has two children and doesn't marry the baby daddy, but instead "rents an apartment" in his house. Assume this woman works part time about 20 hours and makes $200 a week and gives baby-daddy $400 a month rent. Will she get food stamps for three, free breakfast and lunch at school for her kids, Medicare or subsidized Obamacare, a rent subsidy, an Obama phone and heating assistance? Will she get more money back in federal tax than she put in because of her "poverty"? Will this upstanding family man only have to worry about individual insurance for himself?
It's insane. It's pretty easy to figure out why food stamps are used at Trader Joes.
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