Unemployment map the month prior to Obama being sworn in:
Let's take that 4.5 million to task. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics the recession bottomed out jobs at 106.8 million private labor positions. The current number stands at 111.3 (July Numbers) While this is 4.5 million jobs, when Obama took office in January 2009 the total was 111 million. So on it's face he can only claim a net gain of 300,000 jobs. But if you use fantasy and conjecture..fiddle with the numbers a bit...Voila! 4.5 million! I love fuzzy math, seeing that I'm not a great mathematician the fuzzy makes it more cuddly. Of course the truth is a bit more hard to swallow. 133.6 million workers when he took office and 133.2 now, a net loss of 400,000 jobs. And that falling unemployment number? Almost 400,000 Americans just gave up looking for work and exhausted their unemployment. The number of people signing up for disability and food stamps are far outpacing job growth.
Current unemployment map:
(We have way better graphics now from just four years ago)
What does that mean to me? I have a job, so why should I care? I look at it this way: I believe everyone should work to the greatest of his/her ability for their employer. You and I are charged with providing a good or a service for someone who is paying us a wage. If you do not provide that good or service at the level expected, there is someone out there that will. I believe I am worth more than my employer pays me but in this current job market there are many with my skill set that do not have jobs. So, while I believe I am worth more, in reality, I am not. There is someone that will do the same service I provide for the same or less monetary compensation. Free market system. Capitalism. Cost effective business decisions. Unlike our government. Public compensation packages grew over the last four years while median income for private sector jobs fell. Even as they spend into debt every second of every day. Government's business model is failing us.
Not one of us Americans can say that some form of this failing economy has touched our lives in a negative way. Every one of us can say we know someone that is suffering because of this economy. Whether is ourselves, a loved one or simply an acquaintance we all have been touched. Remember this when you head to the voting booth. Would you rather have someone that played the game of capitalism and won big or four more years of the same?
That's my two cents, spend 'em or put 'em in the dish for the next person.
