‘Can’t AFFORD to breathe’: What voters are saying about their finances and the K-shaped economy

Labor Market Trends - The U.S. economy lost 23 thousand jobs last month, falling significantly short of the 83 thousand jobs projected by economists[1] - The unemployment rate dropped slightly to 4.1% as fewer individuals sought employment[2] - After adjusting for government workers and World Cup seasonality, the actual job growth was approximately plus 100 thousand[2] Economic Indicators & Inflation - Hourly earnings grew by 3.2% over the year, while inflation stood at 3.5%, resulting in a net pay cut for workers[6][7] - Public sentiment reflects a bleak economic outlook, with 71% of voters describing the economy as either not good or poor[8] - A K-shaped economic divide persists, where the top 10% of Americans account for half of corporate spending in the United States, while lower-income workers struggle[11][12] Technology & Employment Impact - Artificial Intelligence is not currently replacing jobs in massive waves, but it is impacting wage growth and entry-level corporate positions[14][15] - Entry-level and assistant-style jobs are particularly struggling to find work as AI agents increasingly handle initial-level tasks[14][15]