The shrinking labor force in perspective.

[CitadelGrad]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezr ... ml?hpid=z1

If the same percentage of adults were in the workforce today as when Barack Obama took office, the unemployment rate would be 11.1 percent. If the percentage was where it was when George W. Bush took office, the unemployment rate would be 13.1 percent.

[kalm]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezr ... ml?hpid=z1

If the same percentage of adults were in the workforce today as when Barack Obama took office, the unemployment rate would be 11.1 percent. If the percentage was where it was when George W. Bush took office, the unemployment rate would be 13.1 percent.

That's what I was suspecting in your other thread. Good article Graddy.

[DSUrocks07]

Retiring baby boomers ARE a factor. Its a generational issue (almost?) as much as a political one.

[CitadelGrad]

Retiring baby boomers ARE a factor. Its a generational issue (almost?) as much as a political one.

Baby boomers have been retiring for only a couple of years (assuming 1944 as the beginning of the generation and a retirement age of 65). That doesn't account for the trend or the acceleration of the trend over the past three or four years.