Take a look at this on the deteriorating U.S. labor market.
Highlights:
If you include the underemployed (those who want full time jobs but can only get part-time work) and people not currently search for a job, the unemployment rate is 8.9%. I'm not sure how our European brethren reflect these concepts in their numbers but it's very possible that our unemployment figures are simply not comparable to other countries' figures, and that our relative labor market situation is not nearly as strong as official unemployment numbers would suggest.
Also, as a former professor of mine noted, we should incorporate the number of people we incarcerate into the unemployment figures. This would noticeably increase our relative unemployment rate, since we are so incarceration-crazed.
The bottom line: Be skeptical when economic right-wingers point to our relatively low unemployment figures as a way of justifying right-wing style capitalism.
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(Not relates to unemployment)
ReplyDeleteI am currently facing the well traveled assertion of government inefficiency - this time with respect to public schooling. Can you offer counsel or readings to help address these blanket claims?
If folks are claiming charter and/or fully private schools are more efficient and get better results, you can grab some counter talking points here: Feeling Lucky?
ReplyDeleteGood point.
ReplyDeleteBut just to be sure, you are advising us to be skeptical when we hear low unemployment figures as a justification for how the game is played in the US, but you're not suggesting we fire back with the assertion that a lot of suffering people aren't reflected in those numbers, are you?
Because I think there's a reason our unemployment figures discount the incarcerated and underemployed. They also don't count national guardsmen on their 2nd or 3rd prolongated tour in Iraq who'd much rather be at home behind a desk.
The economic right-wingers are dog-eat-dog types that most likely embrace (perhaps not publicly, perhaps not even fully conciously) the advantages for the rest of us that we send so many people off to get stupid in prison, or to die in Iraq so we can continue to produce so much plastic junk.
"Tough shit for the weak" is inherent in their philosophy, even if somewhat understated.
That's also the underlying message in people's hostility towards public help for victims of the subprime crisis, no?
Vorman: take a look at this. I remember hearing about it on NPR a few years ago. I'm not sure if it's a silver bullet or not, but it sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteChris: I don't think I understand your question.
Vorman: I know a girl that has a lot of experience working in public, charter, and private school environs. You want her address? I know, I know, anecdotal evidence...
ReplyDeleteFinely: Yeah, I wasn't too clear. All I meant was, pointing out that what we call "unemployment" isn't taking it all into account, and that a low rate isn't necessarily a clean bill of health for all tiers of the society resonates with me. But for a lot of the right-wingers with whom we might debate and who would point to it as such probably already know that--they just don't give a shit.
But that's no failing of ours and it's no reason not to keep up the fight.
More Schools:
ReplyDeleteRemember the case of Philly, as well. Check out the BLAND Corp. study:
Nem Schools
Executive summary:
"Within Philadelphia, the schools managed by private providers were doing neither better nor worse than district wide achievement trends." And not for the cheaper cost that was promised.(don't have a cite for this. too lazy.)
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ReplyDeleteYeah, Chris, I think that was kinda my point. A lower unemployment rate is about the only thing we can point to that cuts in our favor relative to Europe. For the reasons I mention in the post, I think that comparison is not entirely legitimate.
ReplyDeleteNice link on education, EternalBalrogApocalypse. I will incorporate it into a post.