Projected “official” unemployment rates, 2011 through 2020, if total job growth for the next 10 years equals the average job growth of:

• The past 10 years, 2000-2009
• The best 5 year period of last decade, 2003-2008

Under the “highly optimistic” scenario that job growth for the next 10 years averages the best five years out of the past decade, (official) unemployment will still be nearly 8%, substantially higher than 2007. Source: Chicago Political Economy Group