BLS data gatering hasn't changed much in the past 60 years or more; it always amazes me how 4.5% unemployment is "full employment' when a Democrat is in the White House but it's all "smoke amd mirrors" whenever a Republician is in.

You want to talk about falling off the gird...how about the thousands of businesses started by the formerly unemployed that doesn't show up on the grid either? If someone is not working in today's economy you can bet there is one primary reason for it...they won't take a job.

The auto industry is very big to our economy right now but so what? Some 60% of us used to be farmers now it's around 2% yet somehow, everybody still eats and we even produce enough food to take care of a lot of the rest of the world...when the auto industry goes something else will take its place...we won't be around to see it but I'd say 100 years from now, however people get around and goods get moved from place to place won't look much like the private/personal automobiles and trucks we have today.

As for the hourly wage these new jobs are paying, according to the obviously unbiased author; I say that's up to to the individual...you get paid for what you know and what you can do and if you aren't getting paid enough then you either need to know more or do more; neither Bush, his replacement or the union can do that for you.

 

This has got to be the strangest thread ever. I actually completely agree with Nashville and kind of feel like guy missed a point. I live in south Louisiana which is not exactly booming economically and you can't go a mile down the road without coming across some place thats hiring. And not just minimum wage jobs. I understand that when you lose a high paying job you don't just want to work anywhere you can find a job but really jobs are out there. You may not want a certain job or you may not like the pay, but there are lots of jobs out there.

 

My emphasis wasn't meant to be much on Bush, but they rejected making needed changes on the BLS that was proposed, b/c of the election year.
The problem is that this time it's not cyclical unemployment, jobs are gone for good, and retraining takes time, no matter who pays for it.
I would add, "they won't take a job that's a net loss". Jobs that won't cover the bills are plentifull, but what good are they?
When it makes more financial sense to stay home and watch your own kids b/c daycare+gas, or similar situation, is a net loss. Or maybe while they're not working, they're going back to "learn more".
More accurately 60% used to OWN farms, now 58 % work for Krogers or some other Mega farm, for less money. Lots of lost land equity...not to mention Genetically Modified produce.
Well I'm talking in our lifetime, I just hope we start making the majority of goods we use here again like we should.
Unfortunately that's not always how it works, more often it's WHO you know more than WHAT. And Unions can help with that, I see it all the time where I work. Also, Skilled Tradesmen right now are seeing first hand it's more of how cheaply you can work, rather than the depth of your knowledge or experience...neither do you any good when companies have a cap on what they want to pay.

 

An American car is one the is mostly made right here, in the U.S.A., including parts and machining.

If American Name companies want to offshore most of their parts or assembly, take jobs from Americans, why should Americans feel guilty about buying foreign Brands??????

Loyalty is a 2-way street.