Changes

[[Image:U-2009-2.jpg|thumb|275px|left]]

[[Image:U-2009-2.jpg|thumb|275px|left]]

After reaching a low of 4.1% in October, 2006, the U.S. [[unemployment]] rate has been trending upward, reaching 8.1% in February 2009.  

After reaching a low of 4.1% in October, 2006, the U.S. [[unemployment]] rate has been trending upward, reaching 8.5% in March 2009.  

Some people think that to get figures on unemployment the Government uses the number of persons filing claims for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits under State or Federal Government programs. But some people are still jobless when their benefits run out, and many more are not eligible at all or delay or never apply for benefits. So the Government conducts a monthly sample survey called the Current Population Survey (CPS) to measure the extent of unemployment in the country. The CPS has been conducted in the United States every month since 1940 when it began as a Work Projects Administration project. [http://www.bls.gov/cps/cps_htgm.htm]  

Some people think that to get figures on unemployment the Government uses the number of persons filing claims for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits under State or Federal Government programs. But some people are still jobless when their benefits run out, and many more are not eligible at all or delay or never apply for benefits. So the Government conducts a monthly sample survey called the Current Population Survey (CPS) to measure the extent of unemployment in the country. The CPS has been conducted in the United States every month since 1940 when it began as a Work Projects Administration project. [http://www.bls.gov/cps/cps_htgm.htm]  

Finally--and most serious--is '''cyclic unemployment''' (as in [[Recession of 2008|2008-2009]] and the [[Great Depression]]), when the whole economy is sagging and businesses lay off tens of thousands of workers every day. A few new jobs are created every month but they are overwhelmed by the jobs that are lost.  In February 2009, the U.S. economy lost 651,000 jobs net (that is, jobs that disappeared outnumbered jobs that were created by 641,000). Over 4.4 million jobs were lost in 2008-9.

Finally--and most serious--is '''cyclic unemployment''' (as in [[Recession of 2008|2008-2009]] and the [[Great Depression]]), when the whole economy is sagging and businesses lay off tens of thousands of workers every day. A few new jobs are created every month but they are overwhelmed by the jobs that are lost.  In February 2009, the U.S. economy lost 651,000 jobs net (that is, jobs that disappeared outnumbered jobs that were created by 641,000). Over 4.4 million jobs were lost in 2008-9.

 

At election time, unemployment is often portrayed as a great evil, but Milton Friedman said,

At election time, unemployment is often portrayed as a great evil, but Milton Friedman said,