7 Ways to Survive the Jobless Recovery

Take care of family first!

I get sick everytime I see our government and wealthy citizens sending money elsewhere. Aren't your eyes opened. Even the bible states that taking care of your family first is priority. We have so many deserving people right here at home, I pray someone will listen to this message. Taking care of others in other places besides these U.S. we live in, is a noble thing indeed. But wake up America, we have people right here that are in need of surgery, in need of food, in need of shelter that don't have a prayer. I have a prayer that I say to God, wake up the U.S. and let them truely be Family again like it used to be long ago. We are a good, noble, loving, caring country, but we have forgotten about our closest neighbors, and started looking in others back yard. Don't let us turn a blind eye to see what needs we have here at home. GOD BLESS US EVERYONE!

Glenda of MS @ Jan 29, 2010 15:15:58 PM

Insourcing

Did others of you see the movie Swing Vote? Kevin Costner's character came up with the term insourcing after having been replaced at work by non-English speaking outsiders willing to work for less money. The glut of illegal workers that so many contractors and some major businesses hire have one more advantage beyond work for substandard wages, and that is they work "on call" to some extent and seem to accept that they labor when there is clear demand but don't have hours or income when business is slow. My feeling is that the latter issue may be the more detrimental to citizens here in our country who labor for wages that are supposed to cover living expenses: home/shelter, food, utilities, etc., which cannot be done working two or three days a week. Here in the Denver metro area, some statistics suggest the Hispanic population has exceeded 30 percent, and the two largest school districts in the state, Denver and Aurora ISD(s), have been dealing with majority Hispanic student populations for most of the past decade. And the staggering numbers are largely illegal aliens' children. The term offered up front in the unusual political comedy seems apt and appropriate. We appear to be just as determined to destroy the local economy by way of "insourcing" as outsourcing jobs overseas. In this part of the country and along much of the corridor from Mexico northward, local economies and opportunities for US citizens to find gainful employment have been devastated.

Of course, the movie is not the issue, but if you want to consider some highly charged issues approached with a measure of humor, consider watching the DVD. So much of the current economic problems have been caused from within, it's just astounding. And turning ones head or burying it in the sand like an ostrich does no good. We must come to grips with outrageously poor decisions and greed which seems unaffected by any tinge of morality or reason. Insourcing has taken jobs from millions of Americans and hiked the curiously conservative assessment of unemployment levels significantly. Perhaps it's supposed to comfort someone somewhere who would look at the statistics to keep millions of us out of the 10-plus percent unemployed currently offered because many of us have been out of work too long. In each of my wife's and my families we have other relatives who have been unemployed for significant portions of the past several years who similarly won't show up in any of the statistics because of the lengths of time they were unemployed or kind of jobs that were lost, which would never show up on typical payroll assessments.

Policies which support the destruction of jobs for American workers are tragically misguided and must be altered. Addressing the insourcing problem would be a great place to start, but there is the potential for significant political cost and repercussions. We need greater resolve and real courage at leadership levels to turn this awful economy around.

DGH of CO @ Jan 29, 2010 13:17:18 PM

Does the Government Know?

Hello?!? Has our American government forgotten who made them rich?!? The hard working American middle class that use to outnumber the other classes is now sinking into poverty. The main reason: there are no more jobs that pay more than min wage when the cost of living just keeps going up. My husband will be jobless soon and his employer has offerd to pay tuition for 2yrs at the community college; but what is he supposed to major in? Everything they offer is either medical (which he is not a fan of) or manufacturing (which is all going overseas). This 'slump' in the economy is not going to bounce back because there are no jobs in America to help us bounce back. BRING OUR JOBS BACK HOME!!!! Its wonderful that America feels the need to support ALL the other people in the world but we have diseases that need medical attention, homeless that need care, orphans that need homes, people that are starving, and no way to pay for the things we need; but America can come up with the $$$$ to aid everyone else.

I was orphaned at 16, still in high school with NO realitives and I couldn't even get a free flu shot!

Jessi of TN @ Jan 27, 2010 23:13:40 PM

double duh support

Couldn't agree with MMM of CA @ Jan 23, 2010 15:02:46 PM more!

ItsAllAboutCorporateGreed of FL @ Jan 27, 2010 19:10:35 PM

double duh

since the U.S. has outsourced jobs (call centers, customer support centers...think DELL, SYMANTEC, to name a few) and the manufacture of our goods (when is the last time you were able to buy anything that wasn't made in CHINA--primarily---, KOREA, TAIWAN, or SOUTH AMERICA?) it is hardly surprising that their economies are growing and ours is flatlining.

I don't feel terribly bad for our car manufacturers since they have yet to come up with a vehicle that is as good as a Honda or a Toyota (my opinion), but I do feel terrible for the autoworkers. However, if one looks at the daily-use type goods, like towels, lamps, shoes, etc. that we import from China, for example, they are made so poorly (and I won't even get started on child-labor, etc.) it is no wonder they are so inexpensive compared to what it costs to manufacture the same in the U.S.----but we have given away our jobs and it started long before 2 years ago------- "We've lost more than 7 million jobs over the last two years, a huge setback."--------

Thank you.

MMM of CA @ Jan 23, 2010 15:02:46 PM

Lessons from a Single Parent

As a once-single-mom back in the '80's, I quickly learned to do without - especially once the credit card accounts were closed because my lousy lawyer didn't get me enough support from my well-to-do ex and I was totally unprepared to support myself & 2 kids, having been a housewife.

That was in '87 - since then I've had NO charge accts in all that time. I've been on the 'bohemian payment plan' ever since. Sure, I've done without nice vacations (when my jobs offered me one!), designer clothes and other 'toys.' But guess what?? Other than my mortgage, I have NO longterm debt, my $4k student loan (to put myself through my last year of college for my BA) was the only large debt I've incurred in all that time, and I sleep at night, knowing all I need to worry about are the mortgage, utilities, insurance and food. And believe me, in this economy, that is quite enough!

Mary of IL @ Jan 23, 2010 12:53:56 PM

FICO

since when did FICO get to rule our lives and determine our fate?

Hushmull of KY @ Jan 23, 2010 12:53:33 PM

duh

since when did FICO get to rule our lives and determine our fate?

Hushmull of AZ @ Jan 23, 2010 12:48:42 PM