The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be

Wisconsin's unemployment is down to 7.2 percent, but locally this number translates into a large disparity between communities in Racine County. For the City of Racine and Mount Pleasant unemployment is down to 14 and 7 percent respectively, but they had been much higher a year ago. Most impressive though is Caledonia with a mere 3.8 percent of its’ citizens out of work. These unemployment statistics aren’t just improving; they look encouraging.

But for our neighbors who don’t have gainful employment, these numbers are meaningless. To our fellow citizens (225,000 of them) who don’t have a job, the only meaningful statistic is that they are 100 percent unemployed.

Numbers aside, “Statistics are human beings with the tears wiped off,” said Paul Broeder. Let’s not forget our neighbors and the all too real toll that has been visited upon them. Because, for them, the future really isn’t what it used to be.

Having been brutally beat down by the Great Recession they must be thinking, “The future ain’t what it used to be.” (Yogi Berra) Before the disaster visited upon the world economy by the perfect storm of greed, deregulation, and hubris; things were much different for these “statistics.”

They had 401k’s and IRAs. They owned homes increasing in value. Families took vacations, planned for their children’s college education. Plans for a comfortable retirement seemed not only plausible, but also achievable. And now? Lengthy unemployment has forced them out of their homes; using most, if not all of what was left of their retirement funds. After the market crashed to a dream shattering low of just over 6,500 points, these funds had been decimated. 401k’s were now just 4’s, and IRAs became lowercase “i”s. And now due to joblessness, they are gone.

College funds? Forget it. Retirement? We’ll to have to work to 80, even before the Republicans get their way with Social Security and Medicare. It is said the number one thing married couples fight about is money. That was when times were good. What toll must this economic devastation be having on these relationships?

As part of the President’s plan to stimulate the economy, they extended unemployment benefits. These checks, though small and not enough to pay all the bills, helped families with at least groceries, possibly even medications. Paying the “crazy” tax to the fringe Tea Partiers, the Republicans vilified the move (Representative Paul Ryan has characterized this as a safety hammock.)

Forget the rhetoric, go find someone right now and ask him or her if they would rather take a check (that in 2009 averaged $286 per week) or if they would rather have a job? But you already know the answer. Republican Tea Partiers just wanted another club to beat any dissenters. Righties get out your calculator and see if you can live on this amount.

To those who have been lucky enough to obtain or maintain employment, you are fortunate to be able to read about these “statistics” and not feel their sting.

Many politicians in Madison will point to the improving numbers and claim their policies are the birth-mother of this improvement, though being in office a scant two months or so. Claiming victory that truly must be shared by actions at the federal level and by the mere fact there is always recovery after a recession, regardless of any policy or actions. They will twist these numbers for personal and political gain ignoring the fact that real, suffering people are behind them.