Unemployment Among the Young in North Carolina

When I traveled to Italy four years ago, I remember hearing from locals about the severity of unemployment affecting young adults.  I was told that the unemployment rate nationwide was 25% for those younger than, I think, age 25; and the rate was even worse in southern Italy.  I remember thinking about how our American economic system was superior to the democratic socialism that prevailed in Europe.

However, Civitas yesterday had a post that illustrates how things have changed here since then.

Here are the nationwide figures:

The total unemployment rate for the age group (16-24) is 18.1%, a 1% improvement from last year’s numbers, but still over 4% higher than in 2008. The data is particularly rough for young minorities, with a fifth of Hispanic and a shocking 31% of African-American youth unemployed.

And here is the data for the state of North Carolina:

The 2010 census found that 16-19 year olds in North Carolina had an unemployment rate of 27%, while 18.4% 20-24 year olds were unemployed.

With the step-wise adoption of democratic socialism in the United States and North Carolina, especially during recent years, we are now becoming quite competitive with Europe with respect to unemployment among the young.  Of course, this is absolutely terrible for young people, and terrible for family formation. 

But I suppose we ought to congratulate ourselves.  We have arrived in a Brave New World that had been constructed over a period of nearly a century.

Comments

[Stormy]

And, this is why we are going to see more "flash mob" violence in this country from young teens, as we saw here in Greensboro in July, as well as in Philadelphia and Milwaukee. There may have been other incidents across the country as well, but the media seems to be keeping a lid on reporting of them.

Brave New World, indeed. Scary New World!

[Roch101]

There was no flash mob violence here. That "story" was discredited. Repeating it is testimony to gullibility.

[Ken Hill]

The minimum wage laws contribute to the high unemployment of the young. If something is priced higher than a customer thinks it is worth, it is left unpurchased. Wages are the purchase price of labor. And the effective wage rate for the unemployed is $0.00 per hour.

[Joe Guarino]

Stormy, I think it is inevitable that domestic unrest, not unlike that which we have seen in Europe, will follow if the young become a class that is permanently disenfranchised economically. In fact, we will see a host of social pathologies increase even further.

Ken, I agree that the minimum wage laws increase unemployment among the young. And yes, the effective wage rate for the unemployed is $0.00 per hour-- unless, of course, they are being paid to be unemployed.

[Stormy]

Digtriad reported as such on July 27th: http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/article/184488/57/Police-Investigate-Downtown-Greensboro-Flash-Mob-Beatings WFMY, Channel 2 reported it, and they are certainly not into right wing conspiracies.

So, if it was discredited, it still exists in the cybersphere, Roch. So, what is the evidence that discredited it? You are always good about saying nothing happened and calling people stupid. Show us the evidence. How was what happened covered-up?

In any event, the incidents in Philadelphia, Denver, Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee, and multiple others surely happened. And, there have been many smaller cases of "flash mobs" making lightening raids on stores, taking whatever they want. These flash mobs are real, they are increasing, with the use of social media. There is a good bet that these events all were conducted by unemployed youths. Young people with time on their hands and no fear of consequences is a bad combination.

[Roch101]

I'm glad you cited that article, Stormy. That's the faked story, alright.

From this episode, you will learn two things:

1. You are informed by inferior news sources.
2. You lack the skills required to discern BS.

The story you swallowed hook line and sinker, has zero substantiation of any mob violence, organization by social media or multiple occurrences. One should have recognized that even before authorities subsequently refuted it just by thinking critically.

You might ask yourself how much of your opinions are shaped by things that are real and how much are reactions to these kinds of shadow puppets people have scared you with.

You should also expand your sources for information. That this story was discredited was not "covered up."

Please see:

http://roch101.blogspot.com/2011/07/wfmys-mark-geary-takes-steamy-stinky.html

http://edcone.typepad.com/wordup/2011/07/omg-flash-mobz-gso.html?cid=6a00d8341cc33e53ef014e8a3967cf970d#comment-6a00d8341cc33e53ef014e8a3967cf970d

http://www.news-record.com/blog/2011/07/28/entry/flash_mob_attacks

[Stormy]

Let's see Roch, the source that you cite, other than your own, comes from John Robinson, N&R. And, in that story, JR says:

"We have reported on people being assaulted downtown in the past. We've also reported on vandalism downtown. Neither is new (or acceptable). But calling them flash-mob beatings — suggesting they are organized assaults — doesn't sound right. And I hope I'm right about that."

That's real solid evidence that this is a fake story. Is that all you've got? It seems that you are the one stirring the pot here to "hold the media accountable". Well, let me tell you that the national media has picked-up on the WFMY story, so you better go national and protect Greensboro's name.

And, once you put that one to rest, you need to hold the media accountable for sloppy reporting on flash mobs in Philadelphia, Denver, Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee, and multiple other locations. I'm sure that there are many people around the country that lack the skills required to discern BS, who would appreciate your courageous actions in protecting us from inferior news sources.

Oh, and when you do that, you might want to drop the use of Alinsky Rules for Radicals, such as your use above of:
"Rule 5: Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. It’s hard to counterattack ridicule, and it infuriates the opposition, which then reacts to your advantage."

Thank you, Captain Roch!

[Roch101]

You'll understand if I do not respond to you in the future.