Gallup poll shows 20% of American workers are either out of work or under-employed

The Gallup polling organization conducted a survey in January to independently gauge the overall U.S. employment situation. The survey results showed a much grimmer picture than official U.S. data indicates. The survey was conducted from January second to January thirty-fist, with more than 20,000 U.S. adults participating.

Their findings estimate that about 30 million Americans are underemployed; either being jobless or able to find only part-time work.

The survey comes at a time when voter anger over the slow economic recovery is running high and President Obama's efforts at increasing employment through government programs have been obstructed by republican stone-walling in Congress.

The results showed that underemployed people spent 36 percent less on household purchases than fully employed workers. Six in of 10 of those were not hopeful about their chances of finding adequate work in the coming month.

Gallup found that 55 percent of underemployed Americans approve of president Obama’s performance, as compared to 49 percent of the overall public. Could this be why republicans don’t want to help these people and get the economy moving again?

Gallup’s January findings estimate that 19.9 percent of American workers were either without employment or worked part-time because of suppressed economic conditions. The Labor Department posts the figure at16.5 percent.