Unemployment rate rises, job growth slows

[MadHound]

Last month the unemployment rate rose one tenth of one percent to 9.1%. The stagnating economy, never strong to begin with, added only 54,000 jobs, a rate that certainly doesn't even come close to fulfilling our employment needs.
<http://www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cpseea03.htm>

High unemployment seems to be the new normal, with neither party either able, or willing, to do what needs to be done to correct the problem. In fact, for the wealthy and corporate elite, the ones who truly control our politicians, a large pool of unemployed labor is a good thing, it means that labor is cheap. Never mind the human suffering that accompanies such a situation, they don't care.

Our administration continues to do nothing of substance to reduce unemployment, neither is Congress. The opportunity for a true, WPA style jobs creation program was squandered. Such a program is still possible, though apparently too tough for this administration or Congress to deal with. . Other options do exist, the Federal hiring freeze could be ended, expanding the National Park Service, various projects could be undertaken. But none of these look like they are going to happen. Instead, this administration's focus on jobs disappeared after the 2010 elections, and probably won't get back there until next year, when Obama needs our votes again.

By then, for far too many, it will be too late. Hundreds of thousands of workers are dropping out of the work force, retiring early, or simply discouraged. Hundreds of thousands of new graduates entered this work force last year and this year, and still haven't found a job in their field. Study after study has found that such unemployment after graduation leaves a permanent mark on those people, they don't reach their earning potential, are poorer over the span of their working life, and in general have a poorer quality of life.

But hey, this is good news for the wealthy and power elite, and apparently, in our new corporate serfdom, that's all that matters.

[panader0]

1. "job growth slows"

At least, it's still growth. Even if it's not as robust as it has been in previous months, it's still growth.
What if the the numbers had been negative?

[MadHound]

2. Don't worry, that will probably be coming next month

The fact of the matter is that it takes the creation of approximately 125,000 new jobs every month to keep up with the growth of the labor force. It is going to take much more than that to reduce our unemployment rate to a reasonable level. If we continue plodding along at fifty-hundred thousand new jobs a month, our economy is going to slow, stall and dive. It is that simple, and it will happen sooner rather than later, since our economy is already in bad shape.

This administration needs to refocus on jobs, now, before it is too late.

[Pale Blue Dot]

3. It is negative.

The economy needs over 100K new jobs each much to keep up with population growth. That's common knowledge.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

5. RepubliCONS have been blocking all jobs bills that were passed by the Dem House.

Why can't DU remember that?

[OhioChick]

4. Very, Very bad news n/t