Jobless In America

The job crisis. We’ll get the latest from the front lines and the big picture.

It is brutal. If you’re out of work, getting back in is a monumental challenge. There are not enough jobs, by a long shot. It’s crushing individuals and families right now. We’ll hear from some today.

And it’s putting a huge dent in our national future. Changing things we love most about this country. Crying out for action.

This hour On Point: the jobs crisis, from the big picture to the front lines. We’ll dive in.

-Tom Ashbrook

Don Peck, features writer for The Atlantic and author of Pinched: How the Great Recession Has Narrowed Our Futures and What We Can Do About It.

Marianne Steffey, 32-year-old former journalist for the Johnson City Press.

Stephen Rhymer, 59-year-old former Director of Communications and Public Relations at Great Plains Regional Hospital.

The Washington Post "In an effort to show the real impact of joblessness, we asked six people to contribute to a reader-powered experiment."

The Atlantic "The great recession has accelerated the hollowing-out of the American middle class. And it has illuminated the widening divide between most of America and the super-rich. Both developments herald grave consequences. Here is how we can bridge the gap between us."