Can the Broken Job Market Be Fixed?

The White House is under fire for a worsening employment situation

By Liz Wolgemuth

Posted: October 7, 2009

There are multiple employment issues confronting the administration: long-term unemployment; continued job cutting; shorter workweeks, thanks to slashed worker hours; discouraged workers dropping out of the labor market; and mismatches between worker skill sets and employer needs. To get the long-term unemployed back to work—a tougher job than getting others back to work because of skills lost during unemployment as well as employers' preferences—Harvard economist Lawrence Katz says that a government tax credit to companies who hire such workers might be an option.

The basic solution to all of the employment issues is an employer base that is sufficiently confident in the economy to begin hiring again, but with so many people out of work and without money to spend, it could be a while before anyone can claim confidence.

We the People

You are all correct but we are the gov., until everyone or the mass-majority join together for the common good and the welfare of the nation as a whole! Those who have the political power's will allow out sourcing of work to oversea's company's owned by american corparation's for profit or political gain's. Total athority is corrupt this I belive is what we have in our gov. today one body of the gov has no power's over the remaining two and president's are free to pardon anyone especially those with close tie's whom without it might shed light on the corroption of power! It is the burdin of the Middle and Low Income who must organize and make those in power rule for the people by the people who have impowered them. The truly poor are distrustful of all and are simply trying to focuss on surving. Those who are rich by the labor of the downtroddin have thier own ajinda such as Power or Political Favor. Until we educate and imbody our voting right's and join together to over look all predudice we've created against ourselve's such as classes of citizen,race,age,country,state or polical affiliation we are no longer the gov of the people. Rather a country governed by political corrouption impowerd by us the people. A country must be goverend by it's people for the people and it must provide for the majority basically 75% or Two Third's. A nation divided especially on so many issue's will crumble we are at a cross road and I fear not for my children but for our nation ; IT is not a country I know anymore.

John Henry of CA @ Jan 03, 2010 21:41:34 PM

US Politics is Broken

1. Nothing will get corrected until we have term limits for ALL politicians. Our fore fathers never envisioned a day and hour in which we'd have people sitting in office for 20,30 or 40 years.

This leads to corruption and putting the needs of big business/lobbyists over the common person first.

2. Finance Campaign reform: If you live in MA, why do you want someone from WY sending money in to influence your election in MA ? You don't ! Registered tax voters living in their state should be the only ones who can contribute to a campaign.

Business contributions should be held to a minimum as well.

3. Tell me what the US government has run successfully ? fannie may, freddie mac, US Post Office, Social Security, etc ? all broke

Why do I want the US government getting into health care ? Heck NO ! Tort reform: YES, Truth in Billing by Doctors & Medical Institutions: YES

Career Politicians have a strangle hold on the US Government & our money.

4. Consumption tax should replace the income tax and or a combination of a flat income tax along with a consumption tax.

This isn't rocket science here folks.

Get involved in your state and pass term limits !!!

Peter B. of ME @ Oct 22, 2009 14:08:11 PM

Liz is clueless in BusinessWeekLand

I remember why Business Week is a waste of time.

The US just posted the largest debt to GNP ratio since WWII and your solution is to create more government jobs?

Your just proposing to sell your grandchildren into salvery.

That's right, government debt is a promise to tax the next generation.

Obama gave away stimulus money to the richest bankers with no conditions. It is not the working class that is at fault.

He fooled me really good. Then he put that Sec of Treasure (i.e. banker lobby expert) to protect the bankers and the corrupt Fed Chairman. Now we learn that he didn't even write his own book or speeches.

I want my vote back. He has failed to do anything on his list except blame others.

The solution is to recall a President that is clueless and to hold new elections.

We need a President that has a history of creating jobs, not increasing taxes for worthless government jobs.

John Plate of CO @ Oct 18, 2009 14:30:44 PM

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