Economic Snapshot

In this series

Economic Snapshot: August 2015
David Row helps his 8-year-old son Lestat learn to ride a bicycle as a homeless man reads outside a homeless shelter in Los Angeles on September 14, 2011. (AP/Jae C. Hong)
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Economic Snapshot: August 2015

America’s middle class deserves a shot at real economic security, and it is about time that policymakers make it happen.

Christian E. Weller, Jackie Odum

Economic Snapshot: July 2015
New York State Trooper Maxine Mendez, left, speaks to Xiaojiao Zuo about employment opportunities during a U.S. Chamber of Commerce jobs expo in New York on June 30, 2015. (AP/Mary Altaffer)
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Economic Snapshot: July 2015

Middle-class economic stability for all is the key to stronger economic growth and should be front and center on policymakers’ agendas.

Christian E. Weller, Jackie Odum

Economic Snapshot: June 2015
A jobseeker listens to an employer during a job fair in Sunrise, Florida, June 2015. (AP/Alan Diaz)
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Economic Snapshot: June 2015

Policymakers need to create real economic security by fighting the twin evils of massive income inequality and anemic economic growth.

Christian E. Weller, Jackie Odum

Economic Snapshot: May 2015
A corporate recruiter speaks with job applicants during a job fair in Chicago, April 2015. (AP/M. Spencer Green)
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Economic Snapshot: May 2015

Policymakers need to build on successes of past progressive policies by implementing measures that raise wages and boost productivity growth.

Christian E. Weller, Jackie Odum

April 2015
Job seekers fill out job applications at a Bed Bath & Beyond table at a job fair in Miami Lakes, Florida, October 2014. (AP/Alan Diaz)
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April 2015

Policymakers need to build on successes of past progressive policies by implementing measures that raise wages and boost productivity growth.

Christian E. Weller, Jackie Odum

March 2015
A roofer works under the midday sun in Gilbert, Arizona, in July 2014. (AP/File)
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March 2015

Policymakers need to build on successes of past progressive policies by implementing measures that raise wages and boost productivity growth.

Christian E. Weller, Jackie Odum

February 2015
Instructor Lavinda Young, left, helps Fabian Perez, center, and Lazaro Chaviano, right, with their resumes during a job fair at the Hospitality Institute, in Miami on January 23. (AP/Lynne Sladky)
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February 2015

Policymakers need to build on successes of past progressive policies by implementing policies that raise wages and boost productivity growth.

Christian E. Weller, Jackie Odum

January 2015
An abandoned school is locked near downtown in Danville, Illinois, where manufacturers that provided thousands of middle-class jobs have closed. (AP/Seth Perlman)
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January 2015

Americans are still waiting for an economy that works for everyone, rather than a lucky few.

Christian E. Weller, Jackie Odum

December 2014
A homeless man sleeps on the sidewalk under a holiday window at Blanc de Chine in New York. (AP/Mark Lennihan)
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December 2014

Economic data show that it is time for an economy that works for everyone and not just the wealthy few.

Christian E. Weller, Jackie Odum

November 2014
Job seekers attend a job fair in Miami Lakes, Florida, October 2014. (AP/Alan Diaz)
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November 2014

This month’s economic data shows that it’s time for an economy that works for everyone and not just the wealthy few.

Christian E. Weller, Jackie Odum

October 2014
Job seekers Madelin Garcia, right, and Noharis Nunez fill out a job applications at a job fair in Miami Lakes, Florida. (AP/Alan Diaz)
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October 2014

Congress needs to play its part in building a postrecession economy for everyone and not just the wealthy few.

Christian E. Weller, Jackie Odum

September 2014
Cindy Reilly, center, sets the dinner table for her children Isabella, 7, left, Sierra, 4, and her husband Mike in the kitchen of their home in Nipomo, California. (AP/Eric Parsons)
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September 2014

New economic data shows that post-recession gains continue to go to the wealthiest while the middle class continues to be squeezed.

Christian E. Weller, Jackie Odum

August 2014
A jobseeker listens to an employer during a job fair in Sunrise, Florida, June 2015. (AP/Alan Diaz)
Report

August 2014

As we approach Labor Day, Congress needs to cut the party-line bickering and refocus its efforts on policies that help American workers.

Christian E. Weller, Jackie Odum

July 2014
Job seekers wait in a line at a job fair in Southfield, Michigan. (AP/Paul Sancya)
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July 2014

Despite an improving labor market, Congress needs to do more to create opportunity for all American families.

Christian E. Weller, Jackie Odum

June 2014
Recruiter Christina O, with New Western Acquisitions, left, take Raheem Shaw's resume during a job fair, June 23, 2014. (AP/Matt Rourke)
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June 2014

Five years after the Great Recession, conservative lawmakers continue to stifle our economy and the middle class.

Christian E. Weller, Jackie Odum

May 2014
President Barack Obama meets with business leaders about creating and investing in jobs in the United States, Tuesday, May 20, 2014, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. (AP/Charles Dharapak)
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May 2014

Despite a broken Congress, the president can still push progressive policies to help strengthen the middle class.

Christian E. Weller, Jackie Odum

April 2014
Elizabeth Rich helps a man sign up for the Affordable Care Act at Swope Health Services in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP/Charlie Riedel)
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April 2014

Progressive policies similar to the Affordable Care Act can lay the foundation for stronger growth and help those most in need.

Christian E. Weller

March 2014
Recruiter Valera Kulow, left, speaks with job seeker Leonardo Vitiello during a career fair in Dallas. (AP/LM Otero)
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March 2014

Progressive fiscal policy must complement monetary policy to boost economic growth.

Christian E. Weller, Sam Ungar

February 2014
The economic challenges for America’s middle class and the American Dream are massive and require bold and swift responses from policymakers. (AP/Andres Kudacki)
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February 2014

In the fifth year of recovery, policymakers must create an economy that works for everyone.

Christian E. Weller, Sam Ungar

January 2014
Stan Osnowitz, 67, is one of the 1 million long-term unemployed Americans who lost their unemployment insurance benefits in December. (AP/Patrick Semansky)
Report

January 2014

To help the middle class and create jobs, Congress should pass a one-year extension of unemployment benefits and raise the federal minimum wage.

Christian E. Weller, Sam Ungar

December 2013
Volunteers at St. Ignatius Food Pantry bag items for individuals and families as a temporary increase in food stamp dollars from the 2009 economic stimulus expires, and more than 2 million low-income Illinois residents benefits are cut. (AP/M. Spencer Green)
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December 2013

Economic data show that this is a recovery for the rich—not a recovery for everyone.

Christian E. Weller, Sam Ungar

November 2013
Retired U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Thomas Gipson, of Atlanta, right, has his resume looked over by Ralph Brown, a management and program analyst with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during a job fair for veterans at the VFW Post 2681, Thursday, November 14, 2013, in Marietta, Georgia. (AP/David Goldman)
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November 2013

Economic data show that Congress’s fiscal brinksmanship is keeping businesses from investing in America and consequently holding back overall growth.

Christian E. Weller, Sam Ungar

October 2013
The recent federal government shutdown negatively affected the economy this month. (Flickr/wizzer2801)
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October 2013

Congress must move past its partisan pettiness and enact policies to help the American economy.

Christian E. Weller, Sam Ungar

September 2013
Luis Rodriguez, who has been out of work for a year, fills out some forms at the California Employment Development Department office in Sacramento, California, Friday, September 20, 2013. (AP/Rich Pedroncelli)
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September 2013

As we draw closer to a fiscal crisis, Congress must not allow the American economy to be held hostage by radicals bent on scorching the earth.

Christian E. Weller, Sam Ungar

August 2013
A home is sold in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, Tuesday, July 23, 2013. (AP/Gene J. Puskar)
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August 2013

Policymakers need to find and enact policies that can spur faster economic growth.

Christian E. Weller, Sam Ungar

July 2013
Employment Specialist Louis Holliday, right, helps an applicant file for unemployment at a Georgia Department of Labor career center, Thursday, July 18, 2013, in Atlanta, Georgia. (AP/David Goldman)
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July 2013

Economic and labor-market gains continue this month, but policymakers should focus on long-term strategies to strengthen the American people and help U.S. businesses prosper.

Christian E. Weller, Sam Ungar

June 2013
Job seekers fill a room at the job fair. In the State of the Union, President Barack Obama must address the minimum wage and retirement security, among other topics, to tackle inequality.
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June 2013

Despite gains in the housing market, economic growth and labor-market growth remain too slow to make a difference for the American middle class.

Christian E. Weller, Sam Ungar

May 2013
A home is for sale in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, May 6, 2013. The housing market continues to recover from historic lows as unemployment and economic suffering remain too high. (AP/Gene J. Puskar)
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May 2013

It’s time to consider additional policy measures to bring down unemployment and economic suffering from their still-too-high levels.

Christian E. Weller, Sam Ungar

April 2013
In this Thursday, April 3, 2013, photo, people fill out applications at the Green Mountain Flagging table at the 4th Annual Central Vermont Job Fair in Montpelier, Vermont. (AP/Toby Talbot)
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April 2013

The U.S. economy needs more policy attention in order to reach a self-sustaining recovery.

Christian E. Weller, Sam Ungar

March 2013
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March 2013

Though the economy and job market have both maintained steady growth, lawmakers can do more to ensure a positive future for struggling Americans and a prosperous economy for all.

Christian E. Weller, Sam Ungar

February 2013
The lights of the U.S. Capitol remain lit into the night on Tuesday, January 1, 2013. (AP/Jacquelyn Martin)
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February 2013

Policymakers can accelerate modest recovery with increased infrastructure investments and boosts to personal income.

Christian E. Weller

January 2013
Fog obscures the Capitol dome on Capitol Hill in Washington on Monday, December 10, 2012. The resolution of the fiscal showdown allowed the economy to keep growing in January, but more needs to be done to help the economy. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
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January 2013

The modest recovery continues, held back by the unresolved debt ceiling and spending cuts that create uncertainty, slowing job creation and economic growth.

Christian E. Weller

December 2012
In this Friday, February 22, 2013, photo, a
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December 2012

Our modest economic recovery will need continued attention, and policymakers must quickly resolve the fiscal showdown to end the uncertainty that could derail the recovery.

Christian E. Weller

November 2012
In this Thursday, October 25, 2012, photo, Carmen Nazario of Albany, New York, fills out an employment application during a job fair at the Marriott Hotel in Colonie, New York. (AP/Mike Groll)
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November 2012

Policymakers need to continue paying attention to our moderate economic recovery.

Christian E. Weller

October 2012
A home is shown inside the Winthrop subdivision in Riverview, Florida. (AP/Chris O'Meara)
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October 2012

Policymakers need to build on past policy experience to strengthen the economic recovery.

Christian E. Weller

August 2012
Linda Robinson and her husband Timothy use a computer to look for work at WorkForce One in Hollywood, Florida. Though the economy continued to make modest gains in August, policymakers must do more to ensure economic and job growth in the months to come.<br /> (AP/Lynne Sladky)
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August 2012

Policymakers should not let politics stand in the way of boosting economic and job growth, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

July 2012
People walk by recruiters at a jobs fair in the Pittsburgh suburb of Green Tree, Pennsylvania, Tuesday, July 10, 2012. (AP/Keith Srakocic)
Article

July 2012

Slow job growth and lingering wealth losses should be at the top of lawmakers’ minds, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

June 2012
In this June 13, 2012, photo, job seekers have their resumes reviewed at a job fair expo in Anaheim, California. (AP/Jae C. Hong)
Article

June 2012

Policymakers need to create more economic certainty for American families, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

May 2012
Construction workers finish up on a new home seen for sale in Springfield, Illinois. Americans bought more new homes in April, the latest signal that the U.S. housing market is steadily improving. (AP/Seth Perlman)
Article

May 2012

Policymakers should feel a sense of urgency about helping America’s middle class, writes Christian Weller.

Christian E. Weller

April 2012
An unidentified worker sews together the parts that make up a baseball glove at the Nokona Baseball Glove Company in Nocona, Texas. (AP/ Orlin Wagner)
Article

April 2012

The economic outlook is better for families, writes Christian E. Weller, but trouble spots remain, particularly on the jobs front.

Christian E. Weller

March 2012
Private-sector job creation continues to rise but smart economic policy is needed to continue strengthening the recovery. (AP/ Rick Bowmer)
Article

March 2012

Smart economic policy can continue to strengthen the economic recovery and help accelerate private-sector job creation, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

February 2012
A member of the Home Defenders League talks with a Bank of America worker during a rally in front of a Bank of America branch in June 2011. Massive household debt is the reason why foreclosures have remained high in the past few years. (AP/Paul Sakuma)
Article

February 2012

Our economy is recuperating but getting it back to full health will require policies aimed at job creation and at the most vulnerable, says Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

January 2012
Zenobia Bechtol and her 7-month-old daughter Cassandra are seen  in the dining room of her mother's apartment in Austin, Texas, on December 14, 2011, after Bechtol and her boyfriend were evicted from their  apartment after he lost his job. High unemployment as well as poverty continue to affect many Americans. (AP/Erich Schlegel)
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January 2012

Smart economic policy can continue to strengthen the economic recovery, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

December 2011
People wait in line to enter a job fair Friday, December 2, 2011, in, Portland, Oregon. The unemployment rate stood at 8.6 percent in November 2011, and the average length of unemployment reached a new record high of 40.9 weeks. (AP/Rick Bowmer)
Article

December 2011

Economic growth will require some additional policy support in the near term, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

November 2011
Job seekers stand in line and wait to enter a career fair in Independence, Ohio, Thursday, November 10, 2011. (AP/Tony Dejak)
Article

November 2011

The economy isn’t growing fast enough to bring down unemployment, writes Christian E. Weller. Policymakers need to step in with targeted measures.

Christian E. Weller

October 2011
Job seekers talk with prospective employers at a job fair Wednesday, October 26, 2011, in Brookpark, Ohio. Private-sector job growth is too weak to improve the economic fortunes of America’s middle class, making jobs policymakers’ top priority. (AP/Tony Dejak)
Article

October 2011

Policy needs to focus on creating more and better jobs more quickly, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

September 2011
People wait in line at the 2011 Maximum Connections Job and Career Fair, Thursday, September 15, 2011, in Portland, Oregon. (AP/Rick Bowmer)
Article

September 2011

Smart jobs policy can help struggling families in the short term while improving the foundation for faster economic growth in the future, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

August 2011
Job seekers line up to see recruiters during a career fair in Plano, Texas, on August 15, 2011. The unemployment rate stood at 9.1 percent in July 2011, making jobs a continued focus for policymakers. (AP/LM Otero)
Article

August 2011

Policymakers have a tough task ahead of balancing economic growth with deficit reduction, writes Christian E. Weller. But it’s not an impossible task.

Christian E. Weller

July 2011
A large line of attendees wraps around the room as others sit filling out applications and looking through classifieds during a National Career Fairs job fair Wednesday, July 13, 2011, in Dallas. Businesses are worried about Congress’s inability to come  to an agreement on the debt ceiling that protects economic growth, and they are putting off hiring in this time of heightened economic uncertainty. (AP/Tony Gutierrez)
Article

July 2011

Policymakers need to resolve the debt limit debate in a way that doesn’t hurt economic growth, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

June 2011
Job seekers stand in line at a job fair in Southfield, Michigan, Wednesday, June 15, 2011. There were still 6.9 million fewer jobs in May 2011 than at the start of the recession in December 2007, and the population has also grown since then, putting the labor market deeper into the hole than the raw number suggests. (AP/Paul Sancya)
Article

June 2011

Failing to raise the debt ceiling would threaten a fragile recovery, writes Christian E. Weller in this month’s economic outlook.

Christian E. Weller

May 2011
A price board is shown at a Shell gas station in Novato, California, Thursday, May 5, 2011. A gallon of regular gasoline cost at least $3.96 through the first three  weeks of May 2011. This is the highest gasoline price since July 2008. (AP/Jeff Chiu)
Article

May 2011

The current budget negotiations need to find a growth-enhancing balance between spending and revenue changes that do not unduly burden middle-class families, writes Christian Weller.

Christian E. Weller

April 2011
Article

April 2011

Policymakers have to secure the gains of the recovery while strengthening the recovery for the American middle class, writes Christian E. Weller in this month's economic snapshot.

Christian E. Weller

March 2011
Rising oil prices are putting a damper on household budgets. (AP/Gregory Bull)
Article

March 2011

Policymakers must act to secure tentative economic gains, writes Christian Weller.

Christian E. Weller

February 2011
State of California Employment Program Representative Brigitta Croil assists job seeker Freddy Gomez at the Verdugo Job Center in Glendale, California, on February 3, 2011. Unemployment remains extraordinarily high such as communities of color, young job entrants, and people with little educational attainment. (AP/Damian Dovarganes)
Article

February 2011

Policymakers need to build on the success of past initiatives such as the Recovery Act to strengthen the labor market recovery, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

January 2011
A roofer works on a house in the planned community of Monterra, in Cooper City, FL, January 18, 2011. Policymakers have to focus on jobs, especially for groups seeing extraordinarily high unemployment such as communities of color, young job entrants, and people with little educational attainment. (AP/J Pat Carter)
Article

January 2011

Good jobs that pay solid wages should remain a top priority for policymakers as our labor market continues to lumber, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

December 2010
Jay Bashant, of Buckyeye, AZ, looks over job ads at the Maricopa County Workforce Connections job fair in Phoenix on November 23, 2010. The unemployment rate remains high while families experience massive  financial distress as foreclosures and credit defaults hover near record  highs. (AP/Matt York)
Article

December 2010

Building a bridge to a stronger, self-sustaining recovery remains a top policy priority, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

November 2010
Unemployed workers fill out online resumes at the Maricopa County Workforce Connections job fair on November 23, 2010, in Phoenix, AZ. Economic growth is subdued, and job creation stays sluggish. (AP/Matt York)
Article

November 2010

Building a self-sustaining recovery should remain a top policy priority given slow job creation and widespread financial distress, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

October 2010
KW Hardscape employee Eric Hengehold stacks stones in an accent pond on October 21, 2010 in Chandler, AZ. Arizona's unemployment rate stands at 9.7 percent for the second consecutive month. (AP/Matt York)
Article

October 2010

The economy is recovering, but public policy still needs to be aimed at job creation, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

September 2010
Job seekers check listings on a job board at the Nevada JobConnect Career Center on September 1, 2010 in Las Vegas. (AP/Julie Jacobson)
Article

September 2010

Policy needs to intervene to create more jobs quickly so that businesses see more customers and American families can ultimately shake the economic burdens left over from the economic crisis, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

August 2010
A roofer woks on a new home in view of One Liberty Place skyscraper in Philadelphia. The private sector is beginning to grow again, but there is still trouble in the housing market. (AP/Matt Rourke)
Article

August 2010

The private sector is on the road to recovery, but high household debt, large trade deficits, and weak state and local finances endanger this growth, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

March 2010
Traders react on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Companies are now sitting on cash, but they're going to need to spend it on investments and people for the economy to recover. (AP/Richard Drew)
Article

March 2010

Companies are sitting on cash, but they need to spend it on investments and people, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

January 2010
Nick Rodriguez looks at job listings for tow truck drivers in the New York State Labor Department's Division of Employment Services in Brooklyn, NY on January 6, 2010. The U.S. economy shed 85,000 jobs in December 2009, and economic policy must ensure strong job growth either through direct public investments or by encouraging private-sector firms to do more. (AP/Mark Lennihan)
Article

January 2010

We need to find a better balance between profits and jobs to ensure a strong recovery, writes Christian E. Weller.

December 2009
The check-out line winds through a Target store in Mayfield Heights, OH on Black Friday. (AP/Amy Sancetta)
Article

December 2009

The economy is in recovery, but now we must work on ensuring strong job gains and durable economic growth, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

November 2009
A woman waits to get help with her resume at JobTrain job training facility in Menlo Park, California. (AP/Paul Sakuma)
Article

November 2009

Policy attention should focus on job creation to ensure that the recent improvements are not short lived, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

October 2009
A woman works on a computer at the Milwaukee Hire Center in Milwaukee, WI. The average length of unemployment in September 2009 was 26.2 weeks, the median length of unemployment was 17.3 weeks, and 35.6 percent of the unemployed were out of a job for 27 weeks or more. All of these indicators are at their highest level since 1948. (AP/Morry Gash)
Article

October 2009

Christian E. Weller argues that policymakers need to focus on those economically most vulnerable as the labor market tries to recover.

Christian E. Weller

September 2009
A man fills out an application for a United Parcel Service during a job fair sponsored by the National Urban League in Louisville, Kentucky. (AP/Ed Reinke)
Article

September 2009

Christian E. Weller argues that continued public support for investment in health care, energy, education, and innovation are necessary to bring millions of lost jobs back.

Christian E. Weller

August 2009
Applicants wait in line at a job fair in New York City; it will likely take years to bring the unemployment rate down to pre-crisis levels. (AP/Mark Lennihan)
Article

August 2009

Christian E. Weller argues that continued public support for investment in health care, energy, education, and innovation are necessary to bring back millions of lost jobs.

Christian E. Weller

July 2009
Janet Francis looks at job postings at the New York State Department of Labor. Employers cut a larger-than-expected 467,000 jobs in June and the unemployment rate climbed to a 26-year high of 9.5 percent. (AP/Mark Lennihan)
Article

July 2009

We are learning the hard way this month that Wall Street, the economy, and the labor market are three separate things, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

June 2009
The sign for a subdivision of new homes shows houses sold and sales pending in Happy Valley, Oregon. The number of U.S. homebuyers buying a previously occupied home took the largest monthly jump in nearly eight years in April, but there are still plenty of danger signs for the U.S. housing market. (AP/Don Ryan)
Article

June 2009

There are no “glimmers of hope” yet for families, writes Christian E. Weller. The economy will have to grow for an extended period before families regain economic security.

Christian E. Weller

May 2009
Store closing signs are posted at a furniture store in San Jose, California. (AP/Paul Sakuma)
Article

May 2009

It will take an extended turnaround period before families feel economically secure again and the United States begins to see positive economic growth, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

April 2009
Job seekers wait in line at a career fair in Bellevue, Washington. The unemployment rate rose to 8.5 percent in March. (AP/Ted S. Warren)
Article

April 2009

The government has its work cut out for it when it comes to fixing the economy, writes Christian Weller.

Christian E. Weller

March 2009
Job seekers wait in line at a job fair in San Mateo, California. (AP/Paul Sakuma)
Article

March 2009

It’s hard to find any good news in economic news these days. The only thing that can turn the economy around now, writes Christian Weller, is the federal government.

Christian E. Weller

February 2009
Job seekers stand on line at the National Career Fair where hundreds wait to enter the building. (AP/Craig Ruttle)
Article

February 2009

The U.S. economy is experiencing its worst recession in decades, writes Christian E. Weller, and the only sector of the economy that can turn it around is the federal government.

Christian E. Weller

January 2009
People pass a jewelry store that is going out of business in New York. (AP/Mark Lennihan)
Article

January 2009

The U.S. economy is experiencing its worst recession in decades, with jobs and wealth declining rapidly, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

December 2008
A shopper walks through the aisles of a relatively empty clothing store last week in New York. (AP/Mark Lennihan)
Article

December 2008

The recession was just declared, but things are looking worse. The labor market recession is accelerating, and more Americans are feeling increased economic pain, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

November 2008
A jobseeker fills out an online employment application. The U.S. economy lost 240,000 jobs in October 2008. (AP/Reed Saxon)
Article

November 2008

The economy is likely to get worse before it gets any better, writes Christian E. Weller in his monthly snapshot.

Christian E. Weller

October 2008
A businessman walks his son to school past the New York Stock Exchange on Friday in New York. (AP/Mark Lennihan)
Article

October 2008

House and stock prices are plummeting, and threatening to take the economy down with them, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

September 2008
Going-out-of-business signs are seen at Expo Furniture in Torrance, CA. Wholesale inflation has surged in recent months, leaving U.S. prices for the past year rising at the fastest pace in 27 years. (AP/Reed Saxon)
Article

September 2008

The labor market recession deepens, writes Christian E. Weller, yet trade deficits and tax cuts for the rich stand in the way of effective economic solutions.

Christian E. Weller

August 2008
Article

August 2008

Analysis from Christian E. Weller finds that more families are succumbing to economic pressure.

Christian E. Weller

July 2008
Families are feeling the economic pressure, as the price of basic necessities keep rising. Gas prices in June 2008, for example, were up 39 percent over June 2007. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Article

July 2008

Families feel the economic pressure, as the price of basic necessities keep rising. Easing the economic burden will not be easy, writes Christian Weller.

Christian E. Weller

June 2008
An unidentified worker sews together the parts that make up a baseball glove at the Nokona Baseball Glove Company in Nocona, Texas. (AP/ Orlin Wagner)
Article

June 2008

This month, job losses are mounting, wages are flat, and prices for large necessities are up, all while families struggle with record amounts of debt.

Christian E. Weller

May 2008
Article

May 2008

Easing the burden on families will remain difficult as long as trade deficits, low innovation, and long-term budget deficits perpetuate economic imbalances.

Christian E. Weller

April 2008
Article

April 2008

Massive debt, falling house prices, disappearing jobs, flat wages, lower benefits, and skyrocketing costs are emptying the pockets of middle America.

Christian E. Weller

March 2008
Article

March 2008

American families, burdened by debt, job loss, and the housing market bust, are feeling the pressure of a tightening economy from all sides.

Christian E. Weller

February 2008
Article

February 2008

Christian E. Weller assesses persistent economic weaknesses and calls for broad reform to follow the stimulus package passed last week.

Christian E. Weller

January 2008
Article

January 2008

Housing and mortgage market crises have translated into massive foreclosures and a much weaker labor market, says Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

December 2007
Article

December 2007

Families are still feeling the pressure of low growth, says Christian E. Weller, but we can put the economy back on track.

Christian E. Weller

November 2007
Article

November 2007

Recent indicators have performed better than expected, but the economy is still relatively weak and large risks remain, says Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

October 2007
Article

October 2007

Christian E. Weller assesses federal and personal debt, the housing market, and the state of the economy.

Christian E. Weller

October 2007
Article

October 2007

Christian E. Weller examines economic risks, including the end of the housing boom, massive household debt, and continued budget deficits.

Christian E. Weller

August 2007
Article

August 2007

We need a strong economic driver to replace the housing bust and help boost the floundering labor market, writes Christian E. Weller.

Christian E. Weller

July 2007
Article

July 2007

Employment and wages are slowly moving the economy along, but the end of the housing boom continues to keep growth slow.

Christian E. Weller

June 2007
Article

June 2007

Signs of trouble abound and consumers and businesses have become more cautious amid a weakening economy this spring.

Christian E. Weller

May 2007
Article

May 2007

Recent labor figures show slump for middle-class families, adding to existing problems with low income gains, declining benefits, and rising debt.

Christian E. Weller

April, 2007
Article

April, 2007

Recent trends are better than expected, but families still feel pressures, and weak jobs growth leaves breadwinners vulnerable.

Christian E. Weller

March, 2007
Article

March, 2007

Christian E. Weller on the uncertain housing market, long-term budget deficits, high trade deficits, and other risks.

Christian E. Weller

February, 2007
Article

February, 2007

Christian E. Weller explains that economic recovery may be improving, but the trade deficit remains high and labor market weaknesses persist.

Christian E. Weller

January, 2007
Article

January, 2007

Uncertainties loom as housing boom ends, family and federal debt mount, and employment remains subdued.

Christian E. Weller

November
Article

November

Personal and federal debt burdens jeopardize our economic opportunity and contribute to the slowing economy.

Christian E. Weller

October, 2006
Article

October, 2006

Families are not alone in their debt woes; federal budget deficits soar while the trade deficit continues to run at a high level.

Christian E. Weller

September, 2006
Article

September, 2006

Pressures of rising debt, poor wage growth, and worrisome macroeconomic developments squeeze America's anxious middle class.

August, 2006
Article

August, 2006

America’s middle class faces a slowing economy and a weakening labor market, while the federal budget and trade deficits hit record highs.

Christian E. Weller