Our long slide toward economic oblivion continues, and survey after survey has shown that most Americans are deeply unsatisfied with the current state of the U.S. economy. Inflation is out of control, most Americans are getting poorer due to the rapidly rising cost of living, the housing bubble has started to burst, and the commercial real estate market is a giant mess. But employment is supposed to be our bright spot.
The Biden administration continues to tell us that the unemployment rate is less than 4 percent and that there are lot of jobs available for those that want them. But is this really true?
To answer that question, it is imperative to understand that our government places unemployed persons into one of two categories…
Jobless people are classified into one of two categories by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)—either unemployed or not in the labor force. To be classified as unemployed in the month they are surveyed, people must be actively looking for work. If they are not actively looking, they are classified as not in the labor force.
Over time, the definition of “officially unemployed” has gotten more restrictive, and today only 6.097 million working age Americans are considered to be in that category. Meanwhile, a staggering 99.800 million working age Americans are considered to be “not in the labor force”.
When you add both categories together, you get a total of 105.897 million working age Americans that do not have a job right now.
Let me try to put that into perspective. During the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009, that number never even got up to 90 million. So that means that the number of working age Americans that are not employed at this moment far surpasses anything that we witnessed during the Great Recession.
Please do not believe the garbage that the federal government is trying to sell you. Unemployment is not low. In fact, John Williams estimates that the real rate of unemployment in this country is somewhere around 25 percent.
If you are out of work at this moment, please realize that you are not alone. In April, 37-year-old North Carolina resident Al Brown lost his job, and now his family is really struggling…
Al Brown and his fiancée faced a tough call in May when reviewing their weekly budget: What’s a higher priority, more food or dish soap?
Based in Concord, North Carolina, Brown was the main breadwinner for his fiancée and their two children. Then in April, he was let go from his job as a global director of business development at software company Cascade.
He’s since quit his gym membership and sold miscellaneous items around his home, including a computer and yard furniture, to make ends meet. His 13-year-old son quit the basketball team. While losing the family’s source of income has taken a financial toll, it’s also resulted in a mental one.
Since he was laid off, Brown has submitted more than 600 job applications, but that has produced only a few interviews and no job offers…
Brown, 37, now spends his days scouring the internet for jobs or reaching out to potential connections. After filing over 600 applications, only a handful have produced interviews, he says.
If jobs are easy to get, why hasn’t Al Brown been able to find one?
Can anyone out there explain that to me?
Perhaps I am just a little slow, because what the Biden administration is telling us about the economy does not seem to correspond with reality at all.
54-year-old Nina McCollum has applied for “hundreds of jobs” since losing her position in March, and she is still jobless as well…
Nina McCollum, 54, was laid off from her writing gig at jobs site Glassdoor back in March. She hasn’t found a new role since, despite applying to hundreds of jobs.
She’s been living off her savings, selling her blood plasma and frequenting food pantries just to get by — all while taking care of a teenage son. Her domestic partner helps out, but he can’t make up for her lost income.
Why can’t these people find work?
What is wrong with them?
Of course the truth is that there is nothing wrong with what they are doing. They are diligently searching for jobs, but the reality of the matter is that the employment market has gotten very tight.
Meanwhile, the cost of living just continues to rise, and that has resulted in a “collapse of household savings”…
In February, the U.S. personal savings rate was estimated to be around 4.6 percent—much below the decades-long average of about 8.9 percent, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. But what does this mean?
Some economists think that the collapse of household savings could lead to a spending slowdown and trigger a recession.
The Biden administration may never admit that we have entered a major economic downturn, but that is precisely what we are witnessing.
In fact, the Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing purchasing managers index has now been below 50 for eight months in a row…
The U.S. manufacturing sector fell deeper into recession territory in May, extending a multimonth slump as experts warn that the economy faces “clear challenges.”
The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said in a report Monday that its manufacturing purchasing managers index dropped to 46.0 last month, the lowest reading since May 2020 and the eighth consecutive sub-50 reading.
Any readings below 50 represent recession, with all key sub-components in contraction, including the employment index, suggesting layoff pressures are building.
It’s really happening.
Other than for a brief period during the pandemic, we have not seen economic turmoil of this magnitude since 2008 and 2009.
Unfortunately, we are still only in the very early chapters of this crisis.
The economic outlook for the remainder of 2023 is very bleak, the outlook for 2024 is even worse, and the long-term outlook is nightmarish.
But you have to give our leaders credit for propping things up for as long as they did. By flooding the system with money, they were able to delay our moment of reckoning for a long time.
Of course their gimmicks were also making our long-term problems even worse, and now our long-term problems have become our short-term problems.
There is so much pain ahead of us, and our country is not prepared to handle it.
Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.
Article cross-posted from The Economic Collapse Blog.
Starting the Day With a Scripture-Inspired Roast Helps Center Your Thoughts on Eternal Truths Amid Temporal Pressures
The world can seem chaotic, especially right after we wake up. Many believers start their mornings reaching for something familiar — a hot cup of coffee — yet end up settling for mediocre brews that do little more than deliver a caffeine jolt. The daily grind of life, with its endless distractions, news cycles, and responsibilities, can leave even the most faithful feeling spiritually parched alongside their physical fatigue. What if your morning ritual could do more than wake you up? What if it could ground you in truth, nourish your body with exceptional quality, and quietly advance a kingdom purpose at the same time?
That’s the promise — and the reality — behind Promised Grounds Coffee. This Christian-founded company doesn’t just roast beans; it approaches every step as an act of worship and discipleship. By selecting only the top 10% of specialty-grade beans, ethically sourced from dedicated farmers in Central and South America, and small-batch roasting them with reverence in Austin, Texas, Promised Grounds delivers what many describe as the best coffee available — never burnt, never bland, but rich with origin stories and layered flavors that honor God’s creation.
From the vibrant Psalm 27 Roast (a light, bright medium option) to the bold yet peaceful 2 Timothy 1:7 Decaf, each bag carries a Scripture verse that turns your daily pour into a gentle reminder of faith. And through their Ounce Per Ounce Promise, every ounce of coffee you enjoy provides an equal ounce of clean water to families in need via partnership with Filter of Hope — literally brewing hope for body and soul, one cup at a time.
The challenge for today’s Christians runs deeper than finding a decent cup. In an age of convenience-driven consumerism, it’s easy to support companies that dilute values or remain silent on matters of faith. Many believers want their everyday choices — from what they drink to how they spend — to reflect discipleship rather than just convenience. Promised Grounds solves this by weaving Christian excellence into the entire process: beans nurtured with prayerful stewardship by farming families, roasted as an offering rather than a commodity, and packaged with Bible verses to encourage a mindset of gratitude and purpose from the first sip. Reviewers consistently praise the smooth, rich profiles — whether enjoyed black in a drip maker, iced on a warm day, or shared in fellowship — noting how the quality stands toe-to-toe with premium secular brands while delivering something far more meaningful.
This integration of faith and flavor addresses a real need in Christian households and ministries. Busy parents, church leaders, and remote workers alike report that starting the day with a Scripture-inspired roast helps center their thoughts on eternal truths amid temporal pressures. The coffee’s exceptional character — bright citrus notes in lighter roasts or deep chocolate undertones in bolder ones — comes from meticulous selection and careful roasting that respects the bean’s natural gifts rather than masking them. It’s the kind of coffee that elevates a simple quiet time, fuels productive workdays, or sparks meaningful conversations when shared at Bible studies or outreach events. And because it’s ethically sourced with integrity, every purchase supports sustainable livelihoods for farmers who treat their crops like family harvests.
For those leading churches or small groups, the impact multiplies. Promised Grounds offers bundles and options perfect for hospitality ministries, turning ordinary coffee service into an opportunity to point people toward the living water of Christ. Imagine greeting visitors with a warm cup whose very bag carries God’s Word — a subtle yet powerful witness that aligns with the Great Commission. The company’s Texas roots and commitment to “brewing hope” resonate especially with believers who value American enterprise paired with global compassion.
Of course, quality alone isn’t enough if the experience feels out of reach. Promised Grounds keeps it accessible with practical perks like free shipping on orders over $40, sample sets for discovering favorites, and thoughtful add-ons such as faith-themed mugs. Whether you prefer whole beans for fresh grinding, grounds for convenience, or even bulk options for larger households and ministries, the result is consistently superior coffee that makes discipleship feel integrated rather than added on.
As you consider how to align even the smallest habits with your walk with God, Promised Grounds Coffee stands out as a refreshing solution. It tackles the dual problems of subpar daily sustenance and disconnected consumption by offering a product that genuinely excels in taste while advancing a mission of clean water, farmer dignity, and scriptural encouragement. Believers who make the switch often describe it as more than a beverage upgrade — it becomes part of their rhythm of gratitude, a daily invitation to remember that every good gift comes from above.
If you’re ready to transform your mornings (and perhaps your church gatherings) with coffee that honors both exceptional craftsmanship and Christian values, I encourage you to explore what Promised Grounds has to offer. One sip at a time, you’ll be nourishing your body, refreshing your spirit, and participating in something far greater — all while enjoying what truly is among the best coffee available.
Weird?! No mention that Manchurian Joe’s first actions as prez was to remove all caps on foreign visa workers and offshoring of American jobs and opening the borders to allow in millions of ILLEGAL invaders?!
A teensy oversight?!?!
Obviously, the war on small business with those lockdowns has been highly successful AND since small business has historically been both a major employer, and the infrastructure of FREE ENTERPRISE, this is an enormous hit on the American (and China’s) economy!!!
From 1980 to 2014, real wages overall in America rose ONLY 0.47% —– as opposed to other OECD countries where it averaged from 80% to over 500% —- so the lowest nation to America real wages increased over 160 times more so than in America —– what one gets when jobs are offshored combined with the insourcing of foreign visa workers and illegals!!!
And now it is far worse, given both the aforementioned and the introduction and heavy emphasis on AI today!
(Have never trusted any government unemployment/employment stats for decades, especially ever since Harvard’s Martin Feldstein was involved!)
Word up, Snyder —- flooding the system with excess $$$$$ while destroying the USD as the global reserve currency while artificially dismantling the supply change appear to be MAJOR DRIVERS of real inflation (25% to 40%) so “our leaders” are the perps, dude, not the saviors and our benefactors!
Intended “SUPPLY CHAIN”