Unemployment up for fifth straight month

Remember the "It's the economy, stupid" mantra from the '90s? Something tells me we're going to be hearing that one again.

For the fifth straight month, unemployment in the U.S. has shot up - this time to 5.5%. (Not 5 out of 5, to use our battle cry from 8th grade, but 5.5.) The jump in May was the biggest since 1986! Nearly 50,000 Americans found themselves out of work just last month.

I just can't believe it's only 5.5%! Where I come from, I don't think it's been under 15% since 1997, and I'm sure it's higher than the official numbers claim. When a person is unemployed for too long, they're no longer counted in the official figures, because they no longer qualify for unemployment benefits. So just think how many people are missed by the 5.5% figure.

The jobs simply aren't there. Today I checked Monster.com (coooookie...munch munch munch munch!) for opportunities in case my writing gigs fail. I typed in several fields I'd be interested in, and it only came up with 4 open positions in my area - 3 of which had nothing to do with what I was looking for. The only remaining one required a bachelor's degree.

Then again, I also checked low-paying fast food positions, and quite a few openings came up. Quite frankly, I have zero interest in these jobs, and I'd much prefer to be homeless and have to survive on eating grass than to take such a job. Nothing personal, but that's how I feel, and I'm going to stand up for myself by saying so. With 3½ years of college, I feel I have a right to expect better than a job making minimum wage serving burgers. (I'd probably be earning less than I am now from my book sales and blog revenues.) I've worked too hard in life to get ahead.

Indeed, the loss of jobs in May hit the manufacturing and construction sectors the hardest. The low-paying service field actually added jobs. Of course.

We need to start indexing the minimum wage with (whoosh...whoosh) inflation. Because members of Congress get a pay increase every year (which violates the Constitution), you deserve one too. I think there should also be a guarantee of a job for everyone who wants one. Maybe we can start by finding a way to halt outsourcing.

(In light of the loss of jobs to other countries, it's particularly ironic that I can't find this story being covered anywhere except on foreign news sites.)

(Source: http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/001200806061863.htm)