Events this weekend showcased the intense bifurcation of America into two separate realities. As our country observed the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, former presidents gathered, sans Donald Trump, in New York for a solemn ceremony — wearing masks even though they are fully vaccinated and were outside.
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose for the first time in five weeks even though the economy and job market have been recovering briskly from the coronavirus pandemic.
States with Republican governors are leading the U.S. economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, while those run by Democrats – which tended to impose lengthier and stricter lockdowns on businesses – are faced with significantly higher unemployment rates.
For Fadi Achour, the general manager at Delta Hotels in suburban Detroit, September can’t come soon enough. He is operating with less than half his normal staff. Room service and overnight cleaning has been nixed. The restaurant has limited hours and a bare-bones menu.
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week to 744,000, signaling that many employers are still cutting jobs even as more people are vaccinated against COVID-19, consumers gain confidence and the government distributes aid throughout the economy.
