You already have 7-8 precent unemployment and probably had it back in 2002. The reason you don't know this is because of the very specific US way of counting un

You already have 7-8 precent unemployment and probably had it back in 2002. The reason you don't know this is because of the very specific US way of counting unemployment: someone who has not "actively" looked for work in the last 4 weeks is not counted. This is the reason countries in Europe tend to report higher unemployment than the United States does. Look to payrolls reports and the percentage of the population "working" for a better sense of the job market.