Unemployment

According to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, the unemployment rate in Wisconsin for December was 5.8%, which is below the national rate of 7.1% for the same month. Since October, I've been listening (when I have time) to podcasts from NPR's Planet Money. They have attempted to explain how this percentage is calculated; I have tried to understand. The number reflects the percentage of the workforce that is unemployed and collecting unemployment "benefits." It does not include people who are underemployed, whose benefits have run out but who remain out of work, or who WOULD work but have given up finding a job. So, that number doesn't really give the whole picture. It does provide an easy way to keep tabs on how good or bad the economy is.

Obviously, there are a lot of people without jobs right now, and that number continues to grow. Soon we'll find out what the unemployment rate for January was, and as far as I can tell, economists expect it to continue to increase through 2009, possibly into 2010. Unemployment is affecting many, many people. My brother and his husband have been affected. Einar's sister and her family have been affected. Einar and I have been affected, Einar moreso than I. Deeply. Profoundly. Please pray for us.