The American Worker: Downward Mobility

All the indicators show an improving economy and, finally, the start of job growth. More than eight million unemployed workers see hope around the corner and re-enter the nightmare of job search with increased enthusiasm and the positive outlook they lost six months ago when they virtually gave up on ever finding a good position.

What do they find?

Service jobs: customer service, hospitality, tourism, food, travel, entry-level healthcare, retail. What are these jobs offering? 30%, 50%, 75% less income than the old manufacturing jobs which have moved to foreign countries. Where are the benefits, the insurance, the paid holidays, retirement plans? Where have the stability, seniority system and regular raises gone?

It is a new world, an evolving economy, a changed future. Everything will work out, government forecasters confidently predict. With tax reductions continuing, the economy will expand and thousands of high-tech, highly compensated positions will be created. Keep the faith, job seekers are advised -- this is the United States where innovation and entrepreneurship always prevail and life gets better and better.

Keep mouthing the platitudes and perhaps the 50 year-old former auto worker with an eleventh grade education or the 60 year-old dislocated engineer with outdated job skills and high blood pressure will actually start to believe it. At least until they return to active job search and encounter the real, not the hypothetical/political, labor market. That is when the true economic progression of twenty-first Century America emerges: an increasing number of millionaires, an increasing number of entry-level, low paid workers, and a great middle class vacuum.

The displaced worker is confronted with the choice of working at a level far below his/her skills, education, and abilities warrant, or staying unemployed. When the government reports that in the near future "Every one who wants a job will get one," the connotation of unemployment is that jobless workers do not WANT to work. This political myth leads to increased depression, diminished self-esteem, and the final conclusion by the legions of the unemployed that their personal fears turned out to be true: they are worthless, unwanted, redundant. The universal anxiety about not being quite good enough, not measuring up, not able to run with the big dogs has been validated and the mental health of the unemployed deteriorates further.

Virginia Bola operated a rehabilitation company for 20 years, developing innovative job search techniques for disabled workers, while serving as a respected Vocational Expert in Administrative, Civil and Workers' Compensation Courts. Author of an interactive and emotionally supportive workbook, The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a monthly ezine, The Worker's Edge, she can be reached at http://www.virginiabola.com

---

Policy Separated from Politics

Alexander Hamilton ? Policy Separated from Politics:I am related to... Read More

Treasury Department Falls Short on Blocked Persons List

I would like to discuss the blocked persons list of... Read More

Population Control and Water Supply Issues

As we increase our populations every new soul will require... Read More

The Absurdity of the Public School Monopoly

The notion that local governments should have almost total monopoly... Read More

Maryland State Legislator wants to kill jobs and small business

Last year a Maryland State Legislator whom I presume never... Read More

Bosnia - An Economy in Search of a State

Bosnia-Herzegovina (heretofore "Bosnia") is an artificial polity with four, tangentially... Read More

Revitalizing The Power of the Baby Boomers

As baby boomers, we have been spoiled all of our... Read More

Pilot-Less and High Speed Train Transportation Systems; Better Strategy Needed

We recently saw another ferry accident, this one in NY... Read More

How Can We Elect Good Leaders?

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Men desire power. Give power to... Read More

TABOR: The Growing Taxpayer Bill of Rights Movement and Economic Incentives for Industry

A governing.com report blast one of the major grassroots initiatives... Read More

Thinking on Energy

Regarding the de-regulation of energy, this is not such a... Read More

UAV Targets, Aerial Dog Fights, Interception, Future of War Intelligence

The UAV, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is hear to stay and... Read More

Howard Deans Big Fat Mouth

"The only time I open my mouth is when I... Read More

A Deal Made With Ireland

SYNOD OF DRUM CEATT (494 - 5):It is interesting to... Read More

Monetary Flows, Consumer Debt, Policy, Trade Deficit and Reality

America has some monetary issues, which need to be addressed.... Read More

Whats Right About Nebraska: How the Democrats Lost the Heart of American Populism

(Note: This article was written slightly before the 2004 election;... Read More

Mexicanizing America

A friend of mine, who lives in the thick of... Read More

Retirement Age Will Have To Be Raised Since People Are Living Longer

With people living longer we have some problems as those... Read More

The United States Government Owes Arthur Anderson 16 Billion Dollars

Since the court case was over turned against Arthur Anderson... Read More

Battling Societys Cancer: Unemployment

The official figures are staggering: 35% of the workforce -... Read More

Socialist Public Schools In America

Many parents might think it a bit farfetched to compare... Read More

North Korea and Diplomatic Solutions; Random Thoughts Part II

North Korea and diplomatic games; something has to give and... Read More

Wealth Distribution and Inheritance, What Will They Buy? Cars

Wealth Distribution is often discussed at length in periodicals such... Read More

Is The Bill Of Rights Necessary?

The Bill of Rights to our Constitution caused -- and... Read More

The Fed and Other Garbage

"The Jesuit priest John H. Surratt, proven to be the... Read More

5 Years in Prison for Satirical Flash Films About the President of Belarus

They do not allow the criticism of the president in... Read More

Social Security Rant

As the Baby Boomer Generation continue to get older, one... Read More

America Needs Election Reform to Ensure Congressional Honesty

America must implement a policy on Election Reform that is... Read More

Super Voting Ink and Vaccines

In the future when we decide to help nations vote... Read More

Just War

In an age of terrorism, guerilla and total warfare the... Read More

Belly Full of the Clintons [Political View]

As I read the papers and watch the news day... Read More

I am Not an African American

I am not an African-American. Don't call me an African... Read More

Another Whistleblower -- is Anyone Listening?

The plight of whistleblowers ? those employees who sound the... Read More