<![CDATA[The View From Your Recession: Checking Back In]]>This update is from a reader who was gainfully employed with a new child but whose wife and other family members were struggling to find work. Original post here. The reader writes:

The good news first:  I was home to see our daughter take her first steps.  She is great.  Now the rest:  My employer had several rounds of layoffs this year, and my position was eliminated two months ago.  I cannot tell you how distressing this has been for us.  I have never had a job search experience as exhausting and discouraging as this one.  I have had several very good interviews which did not result in an offer simply due to the number of highly qualified candidates to choose from and the very slow rate of hiring.

My wife has given up on finding a job in her field, and enrolled in a program at a trade school. Her parents have moved in with one of her siblings to share bills and for help with their health problem.  Thank God for Medicare and Social Security which keep body and soul together for them, and for ARRA which allows us to afford COBRA.  No, scratch that – thank the politicians who fought for these programs and damn those who have tried to block or destroy them.

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