POLL: Unemployment Affects Three Out Of Four Americans

Nearly three out of four Americans have been directly affected by the recession, either because they have been unemployed or know someone who has lost their job, according to a new survey.

The report, prepared by Rutgers professors Carl Van Horn and Cliff Zukin, find that 73% of Americans have either been unemployed themselves (14%) or saw an immediate family member (12%), another member of their family (30%) or a close friend (17%) lose a job.

The survey also finds profound pessimism about where the economy is headed. More than half of Americans say they believe the downturn reflects a "lasting economic change" (56%) rather than a "temporary economic downturn" (43%). Large majorities believe that the economy will remain in recession or worse a year from now.

"After suffering through the worst economic disaster most have ever experienced," Van Horn said in a statement, "American workers have diminished expectations about America's economic future and do not have much faith that the nation's political leaders can move the country forward."

Asked about the causes of joblessness, the survey respondents mentioned three above all: global economic competition, illegal immigration and Wall Street bankers.

The survey also found great skepticism about the government's ability to handle the economy and, despite the widespread impact and pain, no consensus about potential remedies. For example, a majority rejects further economic stimulus -- 70% disagree and only 30% agree that "The United States needs another economic stimulus package even if it causes the debt to increase." Yet a majority (54% to 46%) agrees that "the federal government should fund programs that create jobs for the unemployed even if the debt goes up." Americans were also evenly divided on whether the federal government should "cut taxes for businesses to create jobs" even if it increases the debt.

Comments

[ravencalling]

08:04 AM on 09/03/2010

From me, friends who have lost their job - check, family without a job - check, family in the military scared of civilian life and lack of jobs - check, seeing fellow employees frog marched out in a lay-off - check, knowing someone who committed suicide over loss of job - check, knowing people who left the country because of losing their jobs - check. Not voting for teabaggers or republicans - check.

[RestorationAmerica]

12:41 AM on 09/02/2010

Recovery 101 – Have we seen much bang for the bucks spent in expectation of stimulating the US economy? The answer is No!
The only solution to really get the economy going and create jobs is to offer a residential mortgage interest tax credit, governed by the same higher income phase out rules as the current mortgage interest tax deduction. A credit rather than just a deduction will cause money to pour money into the US housing market and create jobs for real economic growth. The cost to taxpayers for such a program would be far less than the already spent stimulus money and spur the US economy enough to pay for itself. Without such a solution, we may continue to stagnate as we have for the last year and a half.

[USPAC]

12:23 AM on 09/02/2010

Obama is not a progressive, he's a sell-out

[a space alien]

03:52 AM on 09/04/2010

Question: What do you think John McCain would've done if he had been elected into the White House? After all, he was the only other choice we had.

I'm genuinely interested in your answer.

[rb9900]

12:03 AM on 09/02/2010

We have to end this! As Progressives we must make a stand. Any Politician whether Dem, Rep or Independent who voted for TARP DOES NOT GET A VOTE in November.

And Politician who took a single Dollar of Wall St/.Bank Lobbyist money get no votes in November.

We as Progressive must show the country, we will not comprimise!!! Our vote can not be bought.

And don't tell me "Oh but the Republicans will win". From what I can see the Chris Dodd, Obama/Giethner Demos have sold us out already - they have not earned our vote.

If we hold true to our values other drift less American will be attracted to what we say.

[nexxtep54]

11:47 PM on 09/01/2010

Smart Americans should be asking how a country one tenth it's size ( population ) could out-perform it per-capita on: social advantages, exports, imports, health and welfare, education, civil rights, social equality, transportation, infrastructure, environment and quality of living.

Are there any smart Americans left ?

[Eileen Left]

11:45 PM on 09/01/2010

No short supply of people on the right calling the unemployed "lazy" all while the senate republicans filibuster so the " $30B JOBS BILL" can't even come to a vote. The GOP wants the economy to suck as much as possible in Nov because they think they will pick up more seats that way. Greed Over Principle

[MrUnlimited]

10:20 PM on 09/01/2010

Article title: POLL: Unemployment Affects Three Out Of Four Americans

First sentence: "Nearly three out of four Americans have been directly affected by the recession, either because they have been unemployed or know someone who has lost their job, according to a new survey."

Are you serious, Mr. Blumenthal? What a stupid poll! Lumping people who "know" someone who is unemployed with people who are ACTUALLY unemployed is newsworthy and worth a needlessly alarmist headline?

Integrity is an endangered species in the era of 24 hour news.

[KathyinCT]

11:08 PM on 09/01/2010

Get a dictionary and read the definition of the word "affects."

YOU are the one out of touch, not the poll takers OR this reporter.

Watching a family member or "close friend" go through months of fruitless job hunting, lose his or her sense of self worth, struggle to pay bills and keep a roof over the heads of the kids, and grow increasingly despondent certainly DOES affect people who may not, themselves, be unemployed.

It is scary to watch and makes you wonder "when will it happen to me?"

If leads to the overall sense of pessimism and doom that the story mentions.

[MrUnlimited]

11:26 PM on 09/01/2010

Still not worth the headline. For what it's worth, I'm also "affected" by unemployment according to this article. Unlike you, I simply don't believe that the fear/pity/anxiety that I feel (as an observant 3rd party) is anywhere near as legitimate as whatever is going through the mind of the people who actually have to figure out a way to feed/clothe/house themselves on a day to day basis. My stress is NOTHING compared to the stress of actually struggling to survive. Which is why this article annoyed me so much.

Get off your high horse and stop making this about you. Seriously. Oh goodness, how will you ever be able to handle the pain of THINKING about unemployment or WATCHING a relative or close friend suffer? Give me a break.

P.S. For what it's worth, the study in this article IS newsworthy; it's the reporting that I disliked. Describing the stress of watching a loved one suffer through unemployment shouldn't implicitly equated with the stress of ACTUALLY suffering through unemployment.

[whatrunuts]

09:40 PM on 09/01/2010

if you like this vote D in Nov. you'll love the results

[lacie]

09:11 PM on 09/01/2010

- I was gainfully employed in New York for over 30 years with a squeaky clean job history until Bush became President
-In 2003 I lost my first job ever due to being downsized
-In 2004, I found another full-time job and took a 20K pay cut and that job merged in 2005 and I have not been able to land another full-time job yet
-Scrub my computer and you will see the hundreds of job applications I have sent from 2003 until Sept, 2010. Since 2004, I have worked long-term temp jobs and recently part-time employment
-In an effort to get back to work in any capacity, I took a part-time job working in a school in Sept 2009 and have made less than my unemployment. This job ended in June 20l0
-I made a predicition in one of my post here in December, 2008 that with a GOP lost to a black man, the GOP and Corporate America would do everything to see this President fail, even if it meant destroying and dividing this country. QUITE sick I MIGHT add.
-If you have a job, good for you, but if for any reason you lose your job, then you will truly understand what the 99’ers and other unemployed are experiencing in this country
- VOTE NO TO THE REPUBLICANS AND TBAGGERS

[ravencalling]

07:50 AM on 09/03/2010

lacie, your story is repeated so many times. Anyone who is employed today cannot be under any illusions about remaining employed. Being unemployed is not a disease, but Repubs are treating it like it is a self inflicted one. Any tea-bagger, republican that loses their job will learn this fact but that does little to help anyone. In today's economy, not helping to restore jobs and voting down benefits is like collectively voting to send your fellow Americans, including veterans to the glue factory. Death panels indeed.

[Gmoney1]

08:44 PM on 09/01/2010

if they voted for Bush - who cares - and they know who they are - who cares - go to Beck's next revival and pray with him -

[vetxcl]

07:22 PM on 09/01/2010

not sure. the impression i get from the catastrophizers here at huf po, everyone seems to be on the bread line. (look up the origin of the word catastrophizer will you, commuter?) forget half full or empty, the glass is bone dry at huf po.

[Hwrd Sprague]

07:18 PM on 09/01/2010

What a stupid headline!! Unemployment affects 4 out of 4. Everyone pays and is somehow affected

[whatrunuts]

09:41 PM on 09/01/2010

true. the working are subsidizing the unemployed

[KathyinCT]

11:10 PM on 09/01/2010

Subsidizing?

Is that like in the Bible when Jesus said that we should care for and "subsidize" even the least of these my brethren . . . .?

[MrUnlimited]

10:25 PM on 09/01/2010

While your point is technically true, I find it (and the headline) to be needlessly dramatic because you and the article's author appear to be implicitly trivializing the plight of the people who are ACTUALLY unemployed; that's why the above article is of such poor quality.

No offense, but I could easily use your logic to say that the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars affect everyone (since everyone pays, etc.), a technically true, but needlessly dramatic (and fairly tasteless) assessment since there's a huge different between having some of your tax dollars being allocated for war and having a limb blown off by an IED.

[KathyinCT]

11:12 PM on 09/01/2010

To the contrary, I think the story shows how profound the impact of the current downturn really is.

The GOP demonize the unemployed (lazy, drug dealers, hobos, spoiled, etc.) but fail to realize that nearly everyone has someone they care about who is suffering.

[Iamobserver]

07:03 PM on 09/01/2010

CODYCAP
I GUESS THIS MEANS I WIN!

[Shzron1946]

06:26 PM on 09/01/2010

Nobody who can actually remedy this cares about it. Can't make Congress do anything about it. So why bother writing about it? It isn't even news anymore. People are hungry, homeless, jobless. Too bad we are not a foreign country they are trying to mollify, bet they would help us then.

[doubtingdavid]

05:46 PM on 09/01/2010

Well Doh!!! Tell me somnething we don't know. And how many jobs were "saved or created" this week?. That's right the new spin is jobs "touched". HAhahahahahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Figerre]

06:42 PM on 09/01/2010

you can be as snarky as you want to be about 'saved or created' unless you are an AZ teacher who got her/his job back -- or a cop that wasn't laid off in AZ, you might have a different viewpoint. Just sayin'

[Gmoney1]

08:46 PM on 09/01/2010

and how many jobs were lost by the rethugs in 2008 - you want a job - go get Beck to pray for one for ya -