No Wonder Many Americans Are Pessimistic

At first glance, today's report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics that job openings rose 2.6 percent in December from a month earlier could be seen as a positive sign for the labor market, especially considering that official jobless totals have declined for three straight months (through January).

Since the downturn began, however, the ranks of the unemployed have swelled at a far faster pace than the number of job openings. Back in December 2007, for example, there were 1.8 unemployed workers per opening; at the end of last year, the ratio was 6.1, a jump of nearly 240 percent.

This dramatic divergence suggests two things: not only are people worried about losing their jobs, they are also concerned that they will have a much harder time finding a new one than before. Given how important a paycheck is to most Americans, no wonder so many remain pessimistic about the outlook.

Comments

[roger]

It takes 400 people to build 100000/130000 cars
so say,s Mexican President Felipe Calderon says Chrysler will produce between 100,000 and 130,000 vehicles at the plant,
unless we change the system, we have much to worry about

[Matt]

I am starting to freak out I have been out of a real job for almost a yr and cant find a new one. Maybe I should start sending letters to BO begging him to lower business taxes, I am loosing hope.

[Small Town Gal]

It's worse than that, but I'm not sure what to do about the problem that is most corrosive at the bottom of this problem. That is that human labor has become fundamentally devalued. There used to be honor in a job well done. We owned items that could be repaired, if not by the owner than by someone who owned a shop for that purpose. Now the products are either: (1) made by essentially slave labor somewhere in the third world to last for a very short time and be discarded, having been purchased at a price that reflects that labor is no longer the most expensive element in creating things, or (2) made by machine, with the same quality and price-point as the slave-made items; or (3) so computer driven that only a computer can diagnose the problem, and only a new chip can fix it.

The role of labor in producing goods has been broken. Worse, having to labor with your hands is disdained by the new overlords who trade on tiny changes on a computer screen. There just isn't a recognition anymore of the value and satisfaction of producing something real with your labor.

Thing is, those two attitudes/values are the fundamental thing I see in third world countries. I'm figuring that's where we're headed.

[roger]

A MONUMENTAL CONTRADICTION:
Labor is the creator of ALL wealth, 100% of it.
The Captains of Industry have two main objective,
maximize profit,minimize (eliminate) labor cost.
Slowly but surely killing the goose that lays
the golden eggs.
PS: they have never read the story of Midas

[Kevin@OutOfYourRut]

Small Town Gal - I think you've gotten it figured out. But it isn't just "labor" in the sense of factory type jobs, it's most jobs. There are fewer and fewer jobs that can't be replaced by a machine, a computer or cheap overseas labor, including increasingly office jobs.

It's probably time for us to consider going back to the past and try to figure out what we can do that will add value to the economy--the build a better mouse trap idea. It seems to have died here but it's alive and well in 3rd world countries.

We need to stop thinking about getting a job and work instead on creating businesses that add real value. With that will come (at least initially) the need to lower our living standards and save more money. Anyone who can build things or fix things will have an inside track because that's what we desperately need. We're awash in services of questionable value but we import THINGS from places where people respect such work.

This is a very different future than the one most of us were trained for, but reality is what it is.

[roger]

Kevin is right,the modes of production,whether, industrial,retail
or financial are totally being automated,physical and labor skills
are on their way out. This is the real cause of to days turmoil.
But as much as I would like it we cannot turn the clock back.
The days of my father who run his own family business will never
come back,no more than than the wonderful rides I used to enjoy
(as a child) in our family T ford

[DavidDT_TTW]

George Carlin said: "No wonder education sucks and will never be fixed. The owners of this country want stupid obedient workers just smart enough to perform basic tasks and never complain about ever shittier hours and jobs flowing out of the country"

"we are all diseased"

[Lee]

I look at this chart from a Californian perspective and I see a fast growing workforce (illegal’s and anchor babies) matched with a deteriating business environment.

Businesses want to make profits, of course, what would be the point otherwise? But, businesses do not want to shrink and lay off people. That is just a reaction to dealing with lower sales volume, lower margins and added cost from all sources, including taxes. If a business doesn't do what it has to survive today, then it has no hope for a better future.

There is no inherent evil in business. It has served Americans well for 100s of years.

Why are business conditions so bad? Many reasons, not the least is that the government thinks it is an unlimited piggy bank for every hair-brained buy votes thing it can think of.

But mostly the kind of businesses that are young, fast growing and normally creating lots of jobs are dying out in America. Go to the stores and car dealers and you will see what countries the American worker is supporting. The American worker is creating lots of jobs with their purchases; they are just not here in America.

Continue to ignore these facts and keep on our current path and we will be like the PIGS in Europe that we read so much about in the news. Business is what made America great. Socialism is not the answer. Destroying business is the beginning of the end of our greatness. Use your brains, look around the world and see where this road leads.

We can only “produce” our way out of this. Raising taxes and printing money will not work. We must find a way to buy more American made goods so we can all go back to work. One tire at a time, or whatever, we can find MADE IN AMERICA.