Vote Your Career!

Election Day is Tuesday, November 6^th, and I am urging you to take a moment to reflect on the facts that could affect your career and your future before casting your vote. 

Unemployment Rate

This unemployment rate can be measured in several ways.  The one that is most often released by the media is the U3 which includes the unemployed who are actively seeking employment.   Unfortunately, this does not tell the entire story.  The U6 includes those who have given up on seeking employment and part-time workers.   The U3 rate is currently 7.9% versus 14.6% for the U6.  Compare these numbers with January 2009 – U3 at 7.8 and U6 at 14.2%.   Have we made any progress since 2009?

National Debt

The national debt on January 20, 2009 was 10,626,877,048,913.08.  The debt as of November 1, 2012 was 16,221,685,381,838.28.  That is an increase of nearly 5.6 trillion dollars or an increase of over 50% (over 51,000 dollars for every person in the U.S.). 

Public Assistance

Since January 2009…a net of 194,000 new jobs have been created. During that same time, 14.7 million have been added to the food stamp rolls (source).   In other words, the food stamp roles are increasing almost seventy-five percent faster than the growth of jobs in this nation.

U.S. Credit Rating

Egan Jones downgraded the U.S. credit rating in mid-September 2012.   This is following the move by Standard & Poor’s in August 2011. 

Are we on the right road, or do we need to take the next available exit?