Technology vs. Labor

                                                              By: Penelope Roussetzki

    

       One of the most talked about topics during this election has been, unemployment and how the candidates foresee the future relating this problem. People were concerned on how the candidates formulate plans for job creation. The unemployment rate seems to be improving but very slowly. As technology moves faster each day, jobs continue to become outsourced. Technology has effectively improved the quality of production, yet impacting technology in the labor force. In fact, more companies need fewer workers to facilitate manufacturing companies because the sophisticated machine has made it possible to seamlessly assemble its production.

        Job creation continues to improve to bring unemployment to a lower percentage compared to 2009 when the recession hit. In a recent Time magazine article jobs are being created to bring unemployment down a few notches, wages are still totally stagnant. The percentage of the unemployment rate has to be significantly lower than the current 7% in order to see dramatic changes in wage boost. The way to get the economy going is to consume, though we haven’t seen changes in consumer demand.

     Tying in the advances in technology with prolonged consumerism is what continues to weaken the economy. We have seen labor replacement with technology but this is something that we have little to no control over. These changes may be drastic and there will come a point where adjustments will be made. In a college express article they articulates how technology develops, career options will appear in some cases, entirely new occupations and jobs that already exist today will be preformed in a new way. As the labor force continues to adjust to the changes labor will be reinvented and more people will develop new skills that will be demanding and necessary.

        Cloud computing has become the next innovative way to facilitate business strategies. Forbes article on cloud computing has explained how “the result of the shift to cloud, there is growing demand for professionals and managers that are more focused on business development than they are in application development.” This is an example of what technology is being used to incorporate future jobs.

       In conclusion, the perditions of future technology changing the path of economic growth and labor modifications will become challenging, but the awareness is implanted by placing together the adjustments. Obama with continue to improve the labor force and as part of his plan he states “ no games, no politics and no delays”. Labor will have its changes and predictions continue to formulate the idea that the machine will replace labor as they continue to better them. This is something to be aware of in the coming years and it is up to us to adjust to the changes.

Works Cited:

-Foroohar, Rana. "More Jobs Less Pay" Time 22 Oct. 2012: 23. Print

Mumbai. "EMC to train 30,000 in Cloud Computing Data Science" Daily News, November 8, 2012.    Web. <http://india.nydailynews.com/business/cff7396589d78b751b7e224f947768da/emc-to-train-30000-in-cloud-computing-data-science>.

Rafter, Michelle.  "Going, Going, Gone: Jobs that Technology is Leaving Behind." NBC News, November 7, 2012. Web. "http://csbj.com/2012/11/09/automation-gives-jobs-but-also-takes-them-away/>.

Rowh, Mark "Technology that's Changing the Future" Fobes.Web.<http://www.collegexpress.com/interests/science-and-engineering/articles/careers-science-engineering/technology-s-changing-future/>.

Unemployment Report: The Results Are In

By: Anna Spivak

As we enter the final, faithful days of the 2012 election, the promise of a hopeful future hangs on the minds of many Americans. With the Bureau of Labor’s release of the final unemployment report on Friday, November 2^nd, the closing battles have begun; A chance for both candidates to tie up loose ends and prepare for an encounter with voters who have experienced the highest unemployment rate of any incumbent since Franklin Roosevelt (Associated Press, 2012).

According to CNBC, among other numerous sources, President Obama is discussing “progress,” in regards to unemployment. Although we are not there yet, his camp maintains, there has been progress. With the realization of this very slow moving development, Obama tells a campaign rally in Toledo, Ohio, “We know we've got lots to do.”

Governor Romney has said that the final report is a concrete reminder of the halt our economy has experienced; an important point he will surely present in his closing case on the topic of unemployment and the policies implemented by President Obama.

Both candidates have an opportunity to use these statistics in their closing arguments. Terminally, they read as follows: An increase in the unemployment rate for African Americans is up to 14.3 percent, long term unemployed (27 weeks or more) was little changed at 5.0 million, Civilian labor force grew by 578,000 to 155.6 million, Labor Force Participation rate edged up to 63.8 percent, and total employment rose by 410,000 (Atkinson, 2012). Public data extracted from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics maintains that the unemployment rate in the United States currently rests at 7.9 percent.

It will be interesting to see how this unemployment report and its reaction will play out in the election. As stated by Bert Atkinson of the Independent Journal Review, the Obama administration will be sure to mention the addition of 171,000 new jobs to the work force while Governor Romney’s campaign will report on how weak the recovery has been along with how the unemployment rate is still not where it should be.

With many other issues at the forefront of the Election, along with Hurricane Sandy devastating a record amount of business and their employees, the issue of unemployment has taken what seems to be a backseat. However, to some undecided voters, a candidate’s stance on this particular topic might make all the difference. When looking at the record amount of young voters that participated in the previous election, it seems obvious that the candidates should turn some of their appeal toward them.  Creating new jobs and feeding the work force that so many of us depend on is crucial during this time.

In hopes of a bright and prosperous outcome for the unemployed after the election, the issue might not lay so much in the hands of the President, but in the citizens themselves. To thrive and do well in this country, it takes a vast amount of hard work and dedication put forth by the individual. Whoever is elected will hopefully do their best to aid the unemployed population, while the unemployed population should do as much as they can to help themselves.  

Works Cited

Atkinson, Bert. "Final Jobs Report Before Election Released." Independent Journal Review. N.p., November 2 2012. Web. <http://www.ijreview.com/2012/11/21138-breaking-final-jobs-report-before-election-released/>.

. "Unemployment Report: Final Fodder for Election." CNBC. Associated Press, November 2 2012. Web. <http://www.cnbc.com/id/49657340>.

. "Bureau of Labor Statistics." United States Department of Labor. N.p., November 02 2012. Web. <http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000>.

Obama First President Since FDR Re-Elected With 7.9% Joblessness

      President Obama won his bid for re-election despite the high unemployment rate that has plagued his administration. His win was surprising because no other candidate has won re-election with such high rates of unemployment

since FDR. It shows that voters have confidence in the President’s slow and steady approach to fixing the economy. This boost may be due to the

unemployment rate dipping slightly below 8% in September (7.8%) and October(7.9%), after years of stagnation at around the 8% range. President

Obama was also able to secure the votes of Ohio a crucial swing state, because of the financial bailout of the automotive industry his administration approved. In Ohio 1in 8 people are employed by the automotive industry and this drove the Presidents approval rates high enough to win the state. Many voters also seem to agree with the President’s approach to dealing

with the “Fiscal Cliff” and tax increases Obama hopes to implement when

the current tax rates expire. Lastly many voters according to this article seem

to blame George W. Bush for the current economic situation and Obama

simply inherited all these problems, which he now has the opportunity fix.

Romney/Reagan

 Things are better than expected, the rise for employment and economic stability continues to improve. Though, the surveys on unemployment were conducted before the storm Sandy. There are estimates that this storm could shave off 50 billion dollars of the GDP. “Generally, the report shows that things are better than we’d expected and certainly better than we’d thought a few months ago,” said Paul Dales, senior United States economist for Capital Economics. “But we’re still not making enough progress to bring that unemployment rate down significantly and rapidly.” Again, President Obama might have an upper hand, which could add more votes in his power. These economic gains are still inching in under Obama's presidency, could give him some lead. Romney on the other hand is confident that there will be major economic growth, if elected president. “Today’s increase in the unemployment rate is a sad reminder that the economy is at a virtual standstill,” he said. Not sure if Romney is convinced about the slight unemployment change, he might think its not doing well enough at this rate. Frankly, his plan is unclear but in broad strokes it appears to be a classic top down republican approach. Some have compared these views and economic strategy to those of Ronald Reagan. Romney is an admirer and inspired by Reagan. Reagan was famous for saying "In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." A major part of Romney's platform is to reduce the size of government and reduce the federal government's regulation of the private sector. This is the cornerstone of his pro-business economic strategy and it is very Reagannesc.

FINAL JOBS REPORT STATISTICS

Latest unemployment statistics before the election, provided by the Bureau of Labor:

 Unemployment rate for blacks increased to 14.3 percent.

 Long term unemployed (27 weeks or more) was little changed at 5.0 million (40.6 percent of the unemployed.

 

Civilian labor force grew by 578,000 to 1555.6 million.

Labor for participation rate edged up to 63.8 percent.

Total employment rose by 410,000.

FULL ARTICLE: FINAL JOBS REPORT