A stickier problem
America’s jobs woes cannot be cured just by waiting for economic recovery
THE economy stopped shrinking a year ago, but America's unemployment problem is as big as ever. The official jobless rate was 9.5% in July, and would be higher still had many people not given up searching for work. Some 45% of the unemployed have been out of a job for more than six months—the highest proportion since the 1930s. And judging by the recent rise in applications for unemployment benefits, the situation may soon get worse rather than better.
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline "A stickier problem"
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