As in any other playoff, candidate rhetoric let loose during the U.S. presidential race can be tough. We’ve held a front row seat to the 2012 showdown for over a year, with tensions still rising as the general election looms nearer. Some of the barbs launched along the campaign trail have been laughable: Newt Gingrich’s television ad incriminating Mitt Romney for his ability to speak French comes to mind. Others are not. The dialogue surrounding U.S. poverty and inequality, two issues that are hotter than ever during a deep recession that the nation has shown incapable of simply shaking off [...]
Job Creation
Falling unemployment rate inspires cautious hope
Government reports indicate the unemployment rate and the number of jobless fell in January to 8.3 percent, the lowest level since early 2009. While this data is a hopeful sign for the economy and workers, experts caution that salvation remains far off. Underemployment and long-term unemployment remain a problem, incomes are not growing, and... »
Debate rages over Obama’s jobs bills provision
President Barack Obama included a provision in his jobs bill prohibiting discrimination against job applicants based on unemployment. The provision was a response to recent job advertisements that specifically stipulated that the unemployed need not apply. However, Big Country representatives oppose the provision, arguing that it “micromanages the hiring process,” “threatens employers with frivolous... »
Fewer layoffs, but high jobless rates remain
While workers are less likely to be laid off now than in the last 14 years, the jobless still struggle with finding employment 20 months after the end of the recession. Employers are not likely to hire until they are more confident about the economy, which may not happen until consumer spending recovers. »
Fresno’s jobless rate stays high despite thousands of openings
Even though Fresno, Calif., has thousands of job openings, its unemployment rate is among the nation’s highest. Economists say the recession has accelerated the decline of some industries like construction, while growing industries such as health care require different skills. The jobs that are available are not a good fit for the unemployed. While... »
Falling unemployment rate deceiving
Although unemployment has fallen to 9.5 percent, economists argue that the dip is due not to the creation of new jobs – while the private sector added 83,000 jobs in June, the economy overall lost 125,000 jobs – but rather people giving up hope. Those who are not actively seeking work are not counted... »
Federal grants for water mapping help communities
Several counties in western Alabama have received federal grants to fund computerized mapping of local water systems. The grants, given through the Appalachian Regional Commission, which has been operating to alleviate poverty in the region since Lyndon Johnson’s presidency, make it possible for counties to inventory their water resources. That enables officials to determine... »