Number of Parents Suffering Long-Term Unemployment Soars

[Nambe]

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 /U.S. Newswire

Long-term unemployment among parents surged more than 50 percent in a 12-month period, according to an analysis released today by the Children's Defense Fund. One out of every 100 American parents was jobless and suffering long-term unemployment (more than 26 weeks) in June 2003, the highest percentage in years. The rapid rise indicates that the economy continues to worsen for many families with children. ---

"We can build a nation where all families have the support they need to make it at work and at home," said Edelman, "Rising numbers of jobless workers and their children have nothing to celebrate this Labor Day weekend. While they wonder how they are going to put food on the table, the average millionaire is looking forward to a $93,500 tax break."

The analysis uses data from the federal government's monthly Current Population Survey. The long-term unemployment trends for parents parallel figures for Americans overall released by the U.S. Department of Labor.

[diamond14]

1. pics from the Poor People's March...in DC, Sat., August 23, 2003

[teryang]

2. 1 out of 100?

In my house it's one out of two. Funny, I know very few people in this community, just the few people at the office, and one of the spouses, a strapping intelligent man has been out of work for a year, so thats 2/14. (My sons been out of work for months but he can't afford a family.) Most of the parents we know socially are self employed, work long hours six or seven days a week because they have to. Fortunately they scrounged up enough money to start a subsistence business. Mostly they work for the landlord, tax collector and suppliers. That's if they bother to pay taxes. They have no health insurance. No benefits. No vacations.

Our insurance at the office just went up 29 percent. My local taxes just went up 50 percent ($600). Local gas prices just went up almost 20 percent. But things are getting better according to the government. The state just spent 8 million on tourist commercials to help out Disney and Budweiser. The story started out saying "big increase in tourists expected in Orlando area." Then as the story went on it became apparent that this was an expectation, not a fact. They are desparate. Welcome to the banana republic. It's feudal capitalism.

[Kbowe]

3. Republican family values...

Keep them barefoot, pregnant, ignorant, and give them a gun and promise no taxes; they will be happy.