Curiosity: what industrialized country is in BETTER shape employment-wise?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

Britain? Some Scandinavian country? Japan? Australia?

[Joanne98]

1. All of them

They actually COUNT the unemployed in their country's. We only count the people collecting insurance checks. That's why Bushco won't extend benefits. It would make the unemployment numbers go back up. We also have more people in prison than any other country in the world. That also keeps our numbers down. Republicans love to lie about numbers.

[StopThief]

3. Can you direct me to a link. . .

that would show how other countries calculate their unemployment rates? It would be helpful during discussions with others.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. Try this to start...

http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2000/06/art1exc.htm

[Gulf Coast J]

8. That simply isn't true

The unemployment rate in the United States is calculated using a monthly survey of 60,000 households. People collecting insurance checks has absolutely nothing to do with the national unemployment rate.

The prison population is a fair point, but the are quirks with every population. For example, Japanese women are more likely to withdraw from the labor force during a recession instead of looking for other jobs. So their unemployment rate is very low, but the labor force participation rate for women is low.

A survey of unemployment rates from the most recent issue of The Economist

Australia: 5.9%
Belgium: 12.8%
Britain: 4.9%
Canada: 7.4%
France: 9.6%
Germany: 10.3%
Japan: 5.0%
Spain: 11.2%
Sweden: 5.9%
Switzerland: 4.2%
United States: 5.6%

[StopThief]

2. Employment wise. . . .

the U.S. is in the best shape.

[TreasonousBastard]

4. None, really...

It seems all industrialized countries have their problems:

http://www.publicpurpose.com/lm-intlunem.htm

For a more detailed analysis:

http://www.house.gov/jec/employ/intern.htm

[revcarol]

6. But the other countries have REAL SAFETY NETS.

So even if the people are long-term unemployed, they don't suffer like our people.They have medical care, housing payments and other things that are "socialism."

[TreasonousBastard]

7. This is true...

and you don't see slums, homeless, monster prison complexes, and other evidence of our "superior" culture in most of Europe. Streets are cleaner, too.

However, these safety nets and the extremely restrictive labor laws over there are costing them a bundle. They are looking for some middle ground but, like here, that middle ground is tough to find.