How a New Jobless Era Will Transform America - The Atlantic (March 2010)

The Great Recession may be over, but this era of high joblessness is probably just beginning. Before it ends, it will likely change the life course and character of a generation of young adults. It will leave an indelible imprint on many blue-collar men. It could cripple marriage as an institution in many communities. It may already be plunging many inner cities into a despair not seen for decades. Ultimately, it is likely to warp our politics, our culture, and the character of our society for years to come.

via www.theatlantic.com

Don Peck closes his thoughtful, informative and well-researched article on the future of the American labor market with a call:

"We are in a very deep hole, and we’ve been in it for a relatively long time already. Concerns over deficits are understandable, but in these times, our bias should be toward doing too much rather than doing too little. That implies some small risk to the government’s ability to continue borrowing in the future; and it implies somewhat higher taxes in the future too. But that seems a trade worth making. We are living through a slow-motion social catastrophe, one that could stain our culture and weaken our nation for many, many years to come. We have a civic—and indeed a moral—responsibility to do everything in our power to stop it now, before it gets even worse."

However, this important call will not be heard until progressives change their narrative.  The current narrative - that we need to somehow restore the free market system to its previous glory by stimulating the economy with government spending has been met with deep rooted resistance, culminating in the formation of a new party - the Tea Party.  In spite of it's members being amongst the most hard hit by the recession, their ideology resonates with ideas about freedom and the American dream.  A new progressive narrative must emerge - one that clearly articulates the labor crisis as a result of changing labor value in a new attention driven economy.  Though Peck articulates the social crisis this change has brought on, and makes a strong call for the government to do all it can to fix the problem by reducing unemployment, the other side of what government must do is not stated.  The government must establish a permanent safety net for the unlucky citizens who have been abandoned by this economy.  Health insurance reform is mandatory.  And a "basic income" will need to be established to increase consumer spending, eliminate the unemployment insurance bias against those with non-traditional jobs who have been equally impacted by the recession, and reduce rising inequality, which goes hand-in-hand with high unemployment and declining productivity.