New Horrible Unemployment Numbers: Top Five States
Unemployment is up in the official numbers for May in 48 states! And the winners in top unemployment are:
· Michigan: 14.1%.
· Oregon: 12.4%.
· Rhode Island and South Carolina: 12.1%.
· California: 11.5%
Thirteen states are in the double digits; New York City is now at 9%—just below the national rate of 9.4%. Congratulations! Also: "The labor market remains weak but it's starting to stabilize," Maxwell Clarke, the chief U.S. economist at IDEAglobal in New York, told Bloomberg News. This is a fucking lie.
"Stabilize" means them that haven't, won't.
Right on. What about all those who are now falling off? Those who aren't eligible for unemployment anymore or who have giving up on working within the system? Unemployment numbers are a farce.
12.4%? Yikes. Guess I'd better stop reading The Awl and do some work.
Also, these numbers are artificially low since we in the US incarcerate close to one percent of the population, and those folks are not counted among the unemployed.
The numbers are also inaccurate thanks to years of Republicans fiddling with the way we track unemployment.
Giving all the devils their dues: the number fudging was a multi-decade process that began under Reagan, but the models were jiggered just as blatantly under Clinton.
Basically, we are the UK, but with better weather (except where non-applicable).
And our unemployment benefits don't have a cute nickname.
NOT THIS WEEK!!!!!!!
Remember my whole missive to the young Harvard scribe, basically telling him to buck up and head forth bravely into the world?
Never mind all that.
(though, it's still fucking ridiculous to be surprised that you won't be handed a job at the New York Times).
I think in this context "stabilize" can also mean dead. Dead is the ultimate in stable, Maxwell Clarke — if that is your real name.
Regards,
Tengrain