If you don’t have a job, do you really give a S!ht about anything else?

Let’s be honest:  If you are out of a job and deprived of income is there ANYTHING more important to you than getting a job so you can pay your bills, keep your dreams and stay in your home?  I can’t think of any other issue more pressing to most working people.  So what IS our government doing about the roots of this recessionary economy?

Workers lost jobs at a faster pace in June than in the prior month, the Labor Department said Thursday. Nonfarm payrolls shrank by 467,000 in June higher than the 325,000 decline expected by economists surveyed by MarketWatch and the 322,000 jobs lost in May. The unemployment rate ticked higher to 9.5% in June from 9.4% in the previous month. Economists had expected the unemployment rate to rise to 9.6%. Average hourly earnings were flat at $18.53. Economists had been expecting a 0.2% gain. Earnings are up 2.7% in the past year. The average workweek fell six minutes to 33.0 hours. Hours worked fell 0.8% LINK

Excuse my doubts about this official number of unemployed.  I don’t think it accurately reflects the TRUE number of individuals who are under employed, unemployed (but off the numbers roll), people who are technically working, but in jobs far below their previous income.  I think there are a huge number of people who are strung out on credit cards – using them to pay for utilities and groceries while they frantically search for a job.  ANY JOB.  Folks taking jobs for ten bucks an hour, when their homes and other financial obligations demand ten times that amount to stay solvent.  It’s a slippery slope and many are are losing it all.  Look around your neighborhood, gym, grocery store.  Look at the empty business offices, the vacant retail strips, the number of forclosure signs vs actual “for sale” signs on real estate.  I think the REAL number of unemployed is at least 20%.

Our government workers and leaders all have jobs. They have job security and don’t know what it’s like to be without an income.  So, they put IOU’s and Health Care decisions well before true jobs stimulus measures.  They are insulated.  They don’t wake up in the middle of the night with money worries.  They don’t suffer the depression and shame of not being able to provide for their families.

BREAKING NEWS: Economy loses 467,000 jobs in June, worse than expected; jobless rate at 9.5%
Jobless rate rises to 9.5 percent
Employers slashed a larger-than-expected 467,000 jobs in June.   LINK

Teacher layoffs continue.  Post Office layoffs are in the works. Planned IOU’s to state vendors for work already done.  Why are companies STILL off-shoring jobs without penalties? Why are credit card rates astronomical and why are the banks unwilling to make loans with all that stimulus money?

When will President Barak Obama and California Govenor Arnold Schwarzenegger focus in on salvaging the middle class workers?

I didn’t say SAVAGING THE MIDDLE CLASS.   i SAID SALVAGING THE MIDDLE CLASS.  Nothing disappoints me more than our leadership missing the big picture right now.   I meant to say  I am really PISSED OFF, not just bummed out about this continuing travesty for American workers.  There is absolutely no committment to the middle class, outside of Vice President Biden’s sad little middle class task force website where you can complain, but apparently without any true help forthcoming.

Larry & Terry, let me know when the Teabaggers decide that our jobs are number one and will be protesting THAT.  I’ll be there!


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