Why is the unemployment rate so high?

People need to go back to school and retrain. As the world goes on, its needs change. 100 years ago, someone who could shoe a horse was probably guaranteed a job, but times have change. Energy companies are desperately looking for people trained in ways to make things more Green. Also, going back to school puts you in the path of opportunities that you might not have been privy too before. Just a couple days ago, my English class was visited by the FAA who is hiring for a large varieties of positions. Had I not been in school, I would never have known about these openings.

Sure enough people need to retrain but also things are unbalanced with the amount of jobs outsourced. There are many manufacturing jobs that machines aren't doing that ARE being done in other countries as Garrard mentioned. And what about when I pay my AT&T bill and need to call customer service? I'm talking to a person, that sadly, I cannot understand which is saddest b/c that means that someone in this country isn't employed b/c a boatload of CSR jobs are outsourced to India and such places.

But true, education is key for the economy especially in a country where public education is free yet many of our youth would rather exercise their freedom to drop out which I'm sure is part of our economy's downfall as well (fewer people putting back into the system economically).

Ok...here's the deal. I agree with both Charles and Tracie. Yes, people need to retrain. True. The problem is that our government actually creates incentives for companies to outsource. This was especially true of the Bush administration. Case in point...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x807426

"Kerry Says Bush Wrong for Choosing Tax Breaks for Outsourcing Instead of Creating Jobs Instead of Creating Jobs; Outlines Plan during N.C. Town Hall"

The other problem is the cost of health care in this country. About $2000 of the cost of every car is the health insurance for the employees. Where I used to live in Detroit, they still build the cars on the US side but import every part from Canada to employ that "tax." Our economy will never recover without health insurance reform.

So the answer is Americans need to innovate both in the businesses we create, as well as the politicians we elect. Barack Obama is an absolute star. He's working hard for the people of this country.