How can we get unemployment down?

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   Mighty Momposted 12 years ago

   Just read the US added 103,000 jobs last month but the unemployment rate of 9.1% remains untouched. That is dismaying.
   
   Americans need work.
   Where will these jobs come from?
   When will they arrive and in what form?
   WILL they arrive?
   Will they arrive ONLY if a GOP candidate takes the White House?
   
   Your thoughts on this complex and worrisome problem.
   Feel free to include discussion of world economic collapse -- or keep your comments restricted to the US only.
   
   Thanks for sharing your theories and opinions.
   MM

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      Sue B.posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      The usual way of lowering the unemployment rate is changing the criteria for "unemployed."
      Technically, there are more people without a job than the "unemployed."  In the US people are classified as unemployed if they do not have a job, have actively looked for work in the prior 4 weeks, and are currently available for work.  That means the homeless, disabled, people who stopped looking, etc. are not counted.
      
      I have no idea how to get the rate to change.  the economy is too big for me.  My only idea then is that the economy is too big and we need to get back to smaller pockets of economies instead of one large global one.  It think we also need more jobs, work and focus on tangible goods.  Too many jobs became "fake" in the sense they have no real product I can actually take a picture of and show you.

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         tsmogposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Not having looking into it Sue, those figures come from the 'official' unemployment office rolls? Right? Adding to your etc, that would also mean those from say agriculture aren't  counted either when a crop fails or is tainted with ecoli, or the senior citizen on SS looking for work to subsidize that, or the student trying to pay rent, or the person who was fired nixed from the unemployment rolls, or the self employed no longer employed since those taxes were negated, or all those Hollywood actors/actresses out of work, since most are independent contractors. Wow, I see your point while chiming in.

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      lishacutepie9posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      ok i get it'

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      ricardocortezposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      in my opinion start a home base business........

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         Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         On an individual basis, that's a good idea.
         But on a mass scale, it's simply not feasible for ALL Americans to have home-based businesses!
         Thanks for your suggestion, tho.

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            Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Hey Mighty Mom,
            
            And what makes you think that exactly? The more, the better.

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               Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               I mean that we can't convert the entire workforce to home-based entrepreneurs.
               Some work is just not convertible.
               Anyone who wants to start a home-based business -- go for it.
               But America still needs actual JOB jobs.
               You know, like manufacturing and warehousing, truck drivers, construction workers, civil engineers, police, firefighters, teachers, hairdressers, waitrons,butchers, bakers, candlestick makers, doctors, lawyers and Indian chiefs...
               Stuff like that.

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                  Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  Mighty Mom, the more home-based businesses the better. Those that truly prosper would grow beyond being a home-based business. Thus, creating more JOB jobs.
                  That may be, but with the present system in place it's not good.
                  Which is why I said what I said in my other post in this thread.
                  All these jobs are already available and if my first post was handled as I said, then there would be more of these types of people to work and create these sort of jobs. It all starts by helping the small business flourish.

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                     Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     I guess I'm not following you here, Cags.
                     I totally agree, and have been thinking recently that microbusiness is a great idea that has been supported overseas and really should be supported here.
                     
                     I'm not quite grasping the trickle down (or up up out) effect of how my home-based business creates (for example) construction jobs.
                     
                     
                     Then there is the thorny issue of health insurance... with all these people becoming self-employed home-based business owners, how do they get insured???
                     
                     But no argument that any/all creative ways to earn money are good !

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                        Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                        I didn't think you did.
                        If you're running a prosperous home-based business and have more business than you can handle, then it becomes more than a home based business and becomes large enough to require a brick-n-mortar type location. You either have it built(construction jobs) or you find a suitable location and hire people to help handle your business.
                        They get insurance the same way other places do. They buy it and if they have employees then they can supply insurance to them too, depending on how many employees you have.
                        
                        It's important that government spends money on education and that the education system(presently broken) gets fixed. Making grants easily available to those who want to or need start up capital for home-based businesses would be a great start too, instead of all the red-tape people need to jump through just to get started. People need to understand that the best way to USE the economy is to be self-employed. More people need to be using it, because self-employment is always better than working for someone else.
                        
                        Not once have I ever heard a business owner wish that they were working for someone else, who controls their hours and their pay. NONE! All would not change it.

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                           Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                           Ok, thanks for clarifying.
                           I agree education should be FIXED.
                           We should make it easier to start a business and/or work. Period.
                           But not everyone is cut out to be their own boss.
                           Nor is getting health insurance as easy as you make it sound.
                           Trust me. I'm self-employed as is my husband (different industries).
                           Only one of us has health insurance and that's only due to a COBRA conversion (read $$$$$$$).
                           But that's a rant for another day and another forum.
                           Night, friend!
                           MM

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                              Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                              Good night Mighty Mom.

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                                 Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                                 Good night, Cags.
                                 See you tomorrow!
                                 Sweet dreams.

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      logic,commonsenseposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      They will come back no matter who occupies the White House.  Depending on who it is, it may take longer, but in the long run they will come back.  Where I work, we are starting to work overtime and increasing production.  Recalling many that had been layed off.  You can see it elsewhere as well.  More positions being advertised in the help wanted section.  Many companies are starting to ramp up production as they receive more orders.  If the climate to promote the growth of business is positive, it will happen sooner than later.  Banks are begrudgingly beginning to lend again, and as soon as they crack open their vaults to the consumer, demand will rise and production will increase, creating more employment.
      Remember when states and cities would fight for companies to locate in their locale?  That is what will stimulate employment, a culture that welcomes business and jobs instead of denigrating and hindering it.

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   paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

   Re-institute the draft.

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   davenmidtownposted 12 years ago

   it would be interesting to see WHERE those 103,000 jobs were.  Offshore american companies doing business in foreign lands?  I wonder if that included the reported 35,000 jobs to be cut by the U S Postal Services?  The draft would be good...

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      paradigmsearchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Yep, I say we draft everyone under 30. Unless they work for HP.

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   davenmidtownposted 12 years ago

   Even those that work for HP... and Any politician that has served for more then 4 years, regardless of age, should be drafted

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5. 78

   Mighty Momposted 12 years ago

   Draft everyone!
   What is this, Israel?
   But what about us who are over 30?
   We want jobs, too!

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      paradigmsearchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      That's the whole idea. With all the under-30 crowd drafted, we can have our pick of all the jobs they were taken away from.

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         Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Ohhhh. Now I get it!
         I've always wanted to be a barista!

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            paradigmsearchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            
            You have my full attention.

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   davenmidtownposted 12 years ago

   how many people does it take to operate a blender?

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      Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Punchline, please!

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         Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Not knowing the actual answer, I would have to guess 8 mexicans?

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            Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Uh oh, Cags.
            You've said the magic "M" word in a thread about unemployment.
            *ducks*
            You're in for it now, dude!
            Someone, very soon, is gonna start screaming about illegal immigrants taking all our coveted American jobs!
            
            So here's my solution. Deport all the blenders back to Mexico!
            Who needs their margaritas frozen, anyway?

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               Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Hey Mighty Mom, I don't doubt someone jumping on the band wagon of the illegals. It's a great talking point for the right.
               
               However, if you really want to solve the unemployment problem is this country, then I would suggest that more and more people actually take up working at home or out of their home to create earnings.
               
               Almost any sort of products/goods or services can be done from the home and no real need for start up capital or at least very little start up capital. The problem is getting people to do it. If the government provided incentives for people to work out their homes, making it easier for them to get grant money(instead of the BS redtape presently), then it might help.
               
               Originally, the government could have solved a lot of problems by not bailing out the companies that were failing and instead providing a lot of money to the people to eliminate their burdened debt. If the government had used the money to help people eliminate their personal debt and/or business debt via straight forward expenditures, similar to the "bailing out" fund created, then the Economy would have been able to recover, because people would have more money to spend and wouldn't be so worried about the amount debt that they are presently trying to overcome.
               
               I'm pretty sure people would have been able to use some of that money as start up capital for home-based business and website creation, and advertising resources, to get their home-based business into profitability quite quickly, but no government had to give the money to elitist instead, making matters worse.

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         Eaglekiwiposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         The right pair (hehe)

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            Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Ba da boom ba da bing!

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   Stevennix2001posted 12 years ago

   Offer employers more tax incentives if they choose to open more jobs in the united states versus overseas.

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      Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Nice carrot approach.
      Guess it's more realistic than slapping a fine on them when they export jobs overseas!
      MM
      P.S. Love the new avatar!

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         Stevennix2001posted 12 years agoin reply to this

         thanks MM, I'm glad you like it. im using it right now to promote one of my next preview hubs for movies coming out next year. I'll let you guess which film this character is from.   

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            Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            It's either Die Hard or Pulp Fiction.
            Am I right?

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               lishacutepie9posted 12 years agoin reply to this

               will u follow me .

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                  Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  Welcome here. It's not polite to ask that question in a forum.
                  Give me a reason to follow you and I will!

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                     Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     How about a dog bone? Good enough reason.

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                        Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                        "Are you calling me a DOG!??"
                        "Who's the dog in this scenario, Harry?"
                        Name that movie.

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                           Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                           Do you have to be a dog to enjoy a treat? I think not.

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               Stevennix2001posted 12 years agoin reply to this

               it's from die hard.  allegedly there's another die hard film coming out next year, so i'm endorsing it with this avatar until my previews of "action and adventure" films is published.  i used to have a red skull with a 2 on it to promote the expendables sequel, but i like this one better.

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                  Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  Hooray! I knew that one!
                  I like the original but "...with a vengeance" is good also.
                  Willis is one-of-a-kind.

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      paradigmsearchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Specifically...
      
      Currently all labor expenses are tax deductible.
      
      Change it so that only US labor expenses are tax deductible. Overseas labor would be not.
      
      

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         Stevennix2001posted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Hmm..that's an even better idea, as I can see how that would probably make U.S. employers more interested in developing their operations within this country versus outsourcing overseas.

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            LeanManposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Free trade agreements with China, low wages etc means that they can undercut home based manufacturers, and greedy companies that can see additional profits for the next three to five years just send out all manufacturing to these Chinese firms. They do not think beyond this time as the stock market wants to see continually improving profits and constant growth, and the executives want their bonuses for this year, so the companies have to follow the rest of the flock to reduce costs and increase profits - but this will cost the companies more in the long run!!
            
            However at some point the cost of transport and the introduction of import duties on various goods will make it more economic to produce back in the west. The trouble will be that the firms that have outsourced will have no capability to bring production back so we will see Chinese manufacturers setting up firms in the west to take advantage of cheap western labor that will endure poor conditions and low wages as otherwise they will have no money!!!
            So the jobs are coming, minimum wage working for subsidized Chinese companies based in the west!!!

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   lishacutepie9posted 12 years ago

   what ????

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   tsmogposted 12 years ago

   Maybe more frightening is the employment / population ratio
   

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    Jon Peterzposted 12 years ago

    We have to rebuld our infrastructure of roads and bridges.  That may help a bit.  Long term we have to bring back manufacturing to this country by taking away some of the incentives of comapnies to ship jobs off-shore.  No easy answers for that one.  I think there is a healthy economic policy balance/compromise somewhere that will lead America back.

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