Implications of Higher 'Starting' Age Entering the Workforce

I will begin on a more anecdotal note, despite the very statistical nature of this article.

When I was a kid, my mother let me borrow the lawnmower only after I had finished our own lawn, to go around the neighborhood and provide the same service to others who weren't blessed with kids to do yardwork. I got $5 or $6 a yard and I was rolling in the bucks; enough to buy any toy I wanted, large or small.

When I turned 14, I was able to get a work permit. I no longer had to sell Christmas cards from door to door or do odd yard work to make a wage. Was I slave labor? No! Was I child labor? Yes. Was it immoral? Absolutely not! I learned the work ethic that made America great, and I learned it early, while my learning curve was short, fast and deep. The first job I had I was as a busboy and dishwasher. It was summer. It was hot. And I had a ball.

I had no idea I 'was being abused', because I wasn't!

At 47, some think I am old. Well, I am old enough to begin to say things like, 'those were the good ole days'.

I see a generation of lost souls with nothing to do. My son wants to be responsible when mom calls him out on his lazy behavior, but what is he going to do? Take a job from an illegal immigrant. Impossible -- he hasn't taken a foreign language yet. And it it is he who would be fired on the basis of HIS national origin. My, how things have changed.

Politics is becoming more complicated because, on this issue, we find both the extremes of both parties attacking our right to work as American citizens and legal immigrants by allowing us to be either pushed out of or prevented from entering the workforce.

I refuse to believe all of it is a sense of "spoiling our children" because frankly most Americans could use the additional income provided by their working kids. Mom could use a break as a working kid is out of her hair while she is at home or at her job. My mom was confident that her son wasn't committing crimes or doing drugs, as I was under supervision by mentors who cared about my personal development of a work ethic. It helped their businesses and it helped me.

I refuse, by the way, to blame this on the rising minimum wage, because even then, I was making the equivalent of $15/hr when adjusted for inflation. By the time I was 16 and had a driver's license, I was a stocker at a grocery store, in a union of all things, making $6/hr in 1976. That is like $20/hr now. But those rates don't exist now, as the rich in America have priced labor out of reality, on the low side for us and on the high side for them.

When I was 18, I worked in construction, $10/hr (1978). That rate stayed at a living wage through 1990, then it began to fall as subsequent administrations began to ignore the citizens for whom they work.

Many will blame it on free trade agreements. Others, who have actually read those agreements, realize it is about failure to enforce the labor relations clauses of those agreements, allowing multinational corporations to make profits without consideration of fair competition and humane treatment in their foreign factories.

It was during the late days of the Clinton administration that the rich discovered they could slowly either move jobs elsewhere, or they could hire illegal immigrants who cannot complain about their pay and treatment. Pay has become unlivable unless you have 10+ PEOPLE IN A SMALL HOUSE IN A BAD SECTION OF TOWN.

Our children have been taught to hate 'those people' and they do. They don't realize, it was the rich that made this happen, and it is they our children should be looking at... with contempt.

They have bought and paid for our officials whose jobs it is to curb their ferocious appetites for profit.

Though we have laws against the corporate abuse of our airwaves, no one enforces them. The entire AM dial is rotten with propaganda feeding the masters. This is not 'free market'; it is called antitrust and no one -- who is paid to care, does.

The data below makes it clear where America is headed; toward American adults/parents working for less than what their kids used to get paid due to a failure of the government to protect the very sovereignty that makes us a nation.

In the long term, we will see that it has and will continue to destroy the thing that made good kids into good citizens. Young people will grow up knowing they have been disenfranchised. Minorities, who ARE Americans will be pitted against those who take their jobs and fail to notice who allowed it.

America has entered an age when push must become shove, but who do we shove? The government has put border agents in jail when they simply do their jobs. The result is, no one is standing in line to become a border agent, so no one will guard the border and those who do will simply step aside and welcome those crossing (if they want to keep their jobs). Is this a slippery slope fallacy, much ado about nothing or a truly slippery slope where not only will we fall and slide down a deadly hill, but snow will avalanche behind us and bury us. Too dramatic?

Well, death, starvation and dying is pretty dramatic.

It sounds like a lot to infer from a lifetime of experience, observation and the data below that we are in danger of, if not already, becoming a slave nation and our kids will not even know they are slaves and neither will most adults as they become angry at the wrong enemies.

Note: the population has risen by as much as 1/3 (estimation due to impossibly high illegal immigration numbers) while the total number of jobs for those 16-24 has declined dramatically.

Data extracted on: May 16, 2007 (1:41:24 PM) Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey Series Id: LNS12000000 Seasonal Adjusted Series title: (Seas) Employment Level Labor force status: Employed Type of data: Number in thousands Age: 16 years and over Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual 1997 128298 128298 128891 129143 129464 129412 129822 130010 130019 130179 130653 130679 1998 130726 130807 130814 131209 131325 131244 131329 131390 131986 131999 132280 132602 1999 133027 132856 132947 132955 133311 133378 133414 133591 133707 133993 134309 134523 2000 136559(1) 136598 136701 137270 136630 136940 136531 136662 136893 137088 137322 137614 2001 137778 137612 137783 137299 137092 136873 137071 136241 136846 136392 136238 136047 2002 135701 136438 136177 136126 136539 136415 136413 136705 137302 137008 136521 136426 2003 137421(1) 137470 137439 137628 137538 137782 137483 137542 137591 137985 138453 138425 2004 138471(1) 138507 138436 138667 138835 139162 139584 139569 139491 139750 140272 140154 2005 140236(1) 140320 140599 141229 141569 141704 142084 142423 142449 142586 142597 142782 2006 143099(1) 143319 143680 143763 144045 144386 144330 144618 144906 145337 145623 145926 2007 145957(1) 145919 146254 145786 1 : Data affected by changes in population controls in January 2000, January 2003, January 2004, January 2005, January 2006, and January 2007. Series Id: LNU02000000 Not Seasonally Adjusted Series title: (Unadj) Employment Level Labor force status: Employed Type of data: Number in thousands Age: 16 years and over Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual 1997 126384 126887 128125 128629 129565 130463 131350 130865 129972 130671 130999 130785 129558 1998 128882 129482 130150 130735 131476 132265 132769 132206 131864 132424 132577 132732 131463 1999 131339 131639 132299 132552 133411 134395 134800 134264 133555 134390 134515 134696 133488 2000 134912(1) 135490 136054 136927 136685 137915 137769 137308 136790 137532 137461 137846 136891 2001 136181 136577 137155 137022 137121 137737 138239 136809 136835 136885 136370 136269 136933 2002 134177 135443 135558 135903 136559 137181 137495 137295 137377 137551 136684 136599 136485 2003 135907(1) 136433 136783 137424 137567 138468 138503 138137 137731 138619 138700 138556 137736 2004 136924(1) 137384 137691 138423 138867 139861 140700 140226 139641 140447 140581 140278 139252 2005 138682(1) 139100 139759 140939 141591 142456 143283 143142 142579 143340 142968 142918 141730 2006 141481 141994 142772 143405 144041 145216 145606 145379 145010 146125 146014 146081 144427 2007 144275(1) 144479 145323 145297 1 : Data affected by changes in population controls in January 2000, January 2003, January 2004, January 2005, January 2006, and January 2007. Series Id: LNS12000086 Seasonal Adjusted Series title: (Seas) Employment Level - 16-17 yrs. Labor force status: Employed Type of data: Number in thousands Age: 16 to 17 years Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual 1997 2616 2645 2617 2667 2619 2645 2629 2614 2647 2703 2709 2685 1998 2837 2772 2814 2790 2754 2694 2735 2761 2792 2706 2706 2840 1999 2771 2834 2790 2819 2834 2698 2830 2783 2729 2847 2775 2823 2000 2871 2791 2831 2823 2734 2826 2638 2753 2724 2656 2725 2790 2001 2604 2645 2622 2584 2652 2604 2581 2431 2549 2537 2493 2423 2002 2272 2348 2446 2313 2257 2354 2359 2333 2392 2380 2240 2258 2003 2363 2314 2281 2280 2328 2332 2318 2380 2289 2234 2359 2264 2004 2327 2274 2153 2215 2137 2087 2174 2128 2175 2211 2242 2241 2005 2287 2285 2323 2220 2232 2296 2260 2309 2302 2288 2281 2337 2006 2296 2364 2328 2400 2500 2535 2427 2390 2449 2560 2520 2513 2007 2394 2275 2301 2315 Series Id: LNU02000086 Not Seasonally Adjusted Series title: (Unadj) Employment Level - 16-17 yrs. Labor force status: Employed Type of data: Number in thousands Age: 16 to 17 years Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual 1997 2293 2327 2312 2419 2484 3003 3409 3102 2611 2640 2588 2591 2648 1998 2486 2456 2507 2543 2606 3065 3523 3226 2761 2650 2584 2738 2762 1999 2435 2522 2493 2571 2671 3078 3640 3237 2708 2798 2657 2706 2793 2000 2536 2499 2532 2572 2576 3222 3377 3169 2704 2615 2621 2681 2759 2001 2333 2382 2347 2354 2492 2961 3292 2781 2528 2493 2405 2323 2558 2002 2045 2126 2196 2109 2116 2666 2998 2659 2368 2337 2172 2164 2330 2003 2138 2103 2053 2087 2179 2622 2931 2710 2262 2188 2294 2175 2312 2004 2117 2079 1944 2032 1999 2334 2735 2421 2138 2160 2188 2168 2193 2005 2089 2098 2101 2040 2086 2558 2828 2622 2253 2231 2231 2270 2284 2006 2099 2177 2109 2210 2335 2833 3039 2715 2392 2495 2470 2449 2444 2007 2174 2066 2069 2129 Series Id: LNS12000012 Seasonal Adjusted Series title: (Seas) Employment Level - 16-19 yrs. Labor force status: Employed Type of data: Number in thousands Age: 16 to 19 years Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual 1997 6595 6585 6647 6704 6690 6531 6615 6650 6605 6686 6849 6817 1998 7035 6959 7014 6985 7007 7033 7018 7074 7212 7036 7052 7214 1999 7092 7229 7155 7153 7331 7037 7193 7117 7090 7232 7198 7251 2000 7298 7206 7241 7393 7280 7284 6995 7120 7110 7088 7143 7172 2001 7104 7038 7001 6860 6717 6812 6784 6356 6649 6602 6620 6400 2002 6361 6425 6507 6349 6332 6348 6317 6208 6416 6397 6209 6139 2003 6096 6054 5875 5945 5932 5880 5844 5865 5862 5851 6005 5855 2004 5975 5891 5762 5908 5903 5818 5895 5923 5895 5933 6035 5948 2005 5918 5813 5948 5912 5920 5990 6014 6060 6056 5970 6015 6081 2006 6090 6153 6150 6169 6215 6253 6197 6079 6060 6161 6202 6200 2007 6145 6078 6019 5970 Series Id: LNU02000012 Not Seasonally Adjusted Series title: (Unadj) Employment Level - 16-19 yrs. Labor force status: Employed Type of data: Number in thousands Age: 16 to 19 years Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual 1997 5952 6032 6182 6285 6537 7372 8145 7554 6285 6419 6552 6614 6661 1998 6396 6422 6571 6577 6847 7905 8580 7955 6838 6753 6744 7020 7051 1999 6460 6699 6715 6735 7150 7900 8752 7962 6724 6977 6909 7081 7172 2000 6666 6703 6786 6965 7076 8163 8474 7933 6752 6873 6859 7023 7189 2001 6511 6558 6568 6448 6506 7630 8190 7073 6341 6424 6361 6267 6740 2002 5843 5986 6108 5959 6120 7105 7615 6914 6131 6232 5973 5992 6332 2003 5612 5637 5512 5570 5722 6581 7039 6546 5615 5701 5780 5709 5919 2004 5503 5475 5402 5522 5690 6517 7114 6621 5645 5775 5816 5800 5907 2005 5460 5395 5570 5524 5707 6714 7260 6775 5789 5801 5803 5934 5978 2006 5620 5700 5757 5760 5990 7023 7494 6801 5783 5978 5989 6052 6162 2007 5656 5592 5611 5549 Series Id: LNS12024887 Seasonal Adjusted Series title: (Seas) Employment Level - 16-24 yrs. Labor force status: Employed Type of data: Number in thousands Age: 16 to 24 years Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual 1997 18878 18873 18948 18968 19194 18911 19086 19005 19042 19067 19313 19291 1998 19500 19447 19491 19565 19617 19574 19495 19572 19754 19725 19741 19853 1999 19798 19971 20077 19900 20185 19908 20100 20120 20107 20160 20148 20303 2000 20344 20253 20356 20540 20240 20479 20158 20414 20567 20570 20552 20606 2001 20601 20487 20493 20279 19974 20014 20112 19564 20131 19861 19939 19686 2002 19471 19769 19758 19600 19812 19696 19671 19693 19859 19692 19631 19551 2003 19605 19564 19355 19364 19344 19358 19218 19241 19258 19272 19380 19295 2004 19643 19538 19399 19704 19546 19505 19667 19680 19509 19747 19826 19779 2005 19649 19381 19654 19594 19663 19836 19934 19802 19873 19940 19955 19885 2006 19815 19947 19973 19957 20093 20105 20045 20133 19987 20010 20107 20273 2007 20231 20217 20224 19952 Series Id: LNU02024887 Not Seasonally Adjusted Series title: (Unadj) Employment Level - 16-24 yrs. Labor force status: Employed Type of data: Number in thousands Age: 16 to 24 years Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual 1997 17785 18012 18275 18440 18962 20203 21197 20207 18579 18764 18983 19075 19040 1998 18466 18621 18840 19059 19372 20866 21599 20722 19239 19448 19409 19654 19608 1999 18797 19163 19415 19400 19902 21177 22178 21220 19609 19915 19845 20137 20063 2000 19368 19484 19660 20032 19927 21756 22156 21481 20077 20356 20260 20460 20418 2001 19678 19745 19800 19778 19648 21212 22042 20529 19706 19694 19675 19547 20088 2002 18653 19074 19091 19108 19484 20828 21501 20653 19466 19542 19397 19394 19683 2003 18811 18880 18709 18873 19032 20432 20950 20181 18909 19139 19163 19136 19351 2004 18852 18841 18752 19184 19237 20587 21447 20660 19158 19609 19615 19619 19630 2005 18858 18670 18989 19071 19356 20949 21749 20814 19503 19794 19750 19733 19770 2006 19003 19182 19291 19406 19769 21268 21914 21167 19604 19853 19903 20129 20041 2007 19407 19415 19538 19368

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