Jobless Rate Jitters

The lead article in The New York Times today is titled, “Jobless Rate Falls to 9.7%. Giving Hope Worst is Over.” It describes the fall from the 10 percent rate last month despite the net loss of jobs.

Talk about rose- color glasses, or grasping for straws, or seeing the glass as half full … or any other metaphor you can think of. Surely, we can hope for something better than this. Being happy at a net loss of jobs?

Yes, there are some positive signs. Manufacturing jobs increased as did temporary workers — indicating a need for more labor hours even if businesses aren’t hiring new full-time employees. But with the number of people who’ve lost their jobs — what is it eight million now? And the continuing blight of foreclosures? And an increased likelihood of a double-dip recession?

We need some new legislation from Washington that addresses these problems. Just like the automobile industry was resuscitated by “cash for klunkers,” we need to resuscitate the out-of-work and under-employed in this nation. Only in that way will we start to generate the badly needed revenues that will bring us out of this mess.

Let’s hope the Democrats and Republicans can work together for a change to help a nation in crisis. It’s no longer just the tea partyers who are angry.