The Empire 88

De neoliberale hel in de VS.

'America's Young Adults Face Serious Economic Challenges.
18-34 Year Olds Confronted with New Financial Obstacles Not Experienced by Previous Generation.

NEW YORK - December 13 - Today's young adults are feeling the full,
deep impact of a massive shift in the US economy, and are no longer
able to start and sustain a family, build a career and grow assets in
the same manner as the previous generation, according to a new report
series published today by Demos, a national, nonpartisan public
policy center.

The new five-part "Young Adult Economics Series" shows that America's
young people are feeling the full effect of a 30-year shift from an
industrial to technology- and service-based U.S. economy. The series
shows that the combination of stagnant wage growth, growing debt, and
high costs of education, homeownership and healthcare are new
realities. These are now common factors that challenge the ability of
America's 20-and 30-somethings to start, and sustain, an economically
stable adult life.

"Young people today are being hit by a one-two economic punch," said
Tamara Draut, director of the Economic Opportunity Program at Demos
and author of the series as well as a book entitled "Strapped: Why
America's 20-and 30-Somethings Can't Get Ahead". "For the young
generation of workers, the economy no longer generates widespread
opportunity and security, and our public policies haven't evolved to
pick up any of the slack. In fact, many of the problems we see today
are a direct result of a disinvestment in the policy investments
meant to ensure that the opportunity ladder is firmly in place."

"This research shows that, unless we address these problems--and we
can--this will likely be the first generation to not surpass the
living standards of their parents."'

Lees verder: http://www.commondreams.org/news2006/1213-13.htm