It is a well established fact that the unemployment rate in the
United States
is at a historical high. The months of August and September of 2008 indicate a rate of 6.1%. October shows a decline to 5.8%. Of the 50 states and
District of Columbia
,
Michigan
appears to be the hardest hit with 8.5% of its workforce unemployed.
California
,
Alaska
and
Ohio
all reflect rates higher than 6.6%. The Midwestern states of
Nebraska
,
North Dakota
and
South Dakota
all had a 3.3% or lower unemployment rate.
With all of these citizens unemployed, it will be of great interest to this writer to see who emerges victorious on
November 4, 2008
as the next president of the
United States
. The states with the highest unemployment rates vote will indicate to the candidates whose message was indeed believed and in whom the greatest hope for economic stability is given.
Michigan
’s job losses were over 68,000 and came as a result of the slow down in both the housing construction and auto industries.
Alaska
’s numbers are somewhat unique to that area in that many employees there work seasonally and are considered unemployed for the off-season of the year and many unemployed Alaskan native families live off of the Alaskan Permanent Fund. Also,
Alaska
as does
Washington
State
and
California
, has a higher minimum wage rate than many other states and there is the argument that a higher minimum wage causes many adults who would have qualified for the positions to be cast aside in favor of younger workers. That argument works for some employment areas but not for others so it is hard to determine how much the higher minimum wage actually figures into unemployment numbers. California has been hard hit by the housing crisis which has caused construction workers to be let go, mortgage companies to be closed and small businesses to fail for lack of any available financing.
With our economy currently spiraling out of control, it goes without saying that this presidential election will have an immediate and profound effect not only on our country’s psyche and confidence but the entire western world.
But hopefully, the concrete foundation of our country’s forward gain will be an improvement of the current unemployment status. This resulting from the country’s populace believing that we are not still mired in our past mistakes but progressing into a new, courageous and forward thinking future.