Any economists out there who can explain something to me?
When in high school I recall that an unemployment rate of 4% is considered full employment as the 4% count for those sick, disabled, junkies etc............eg those unable to hold a job for reasons out of their control (debatable with substance abuse but were included anyway as "out o their control). The current unemployment rate is officially 4.1% in the US and ironically exactly the same in Australia. When you have full employment the economy is booming, as are government revenues is what logic dictates.
So I ask how can it be that the government is running a deficit at all? Let alone a large one like in the US and Australia. Do I recall correctly that 4% unemployment is considered full employment? Is it because we count unemployment differently or are our governments just wasteful?
[tradingeconomics.com]
[fiscaldata.treasury.gov]
Many jobs today are part-time that way companies don't have to pay benefits and Goverment registered them as employment. In Toronto Canada a minimum wage is $15 an hour full time and in reality a person needs to make ends meet at $33.00 an hour. Our Citizens are in deep trouble because today it's most difficult than ever to find a full time job. Lucky I've been an entrepreneur all my life.