I run a business in Massachusetts and pay my employees well over the minimum wage, but and its a big but I have to screen potential employees extremely close because most of my early hires really didn't want to work, I had a soft touch and now my wife does the hiring and things have improved greatly. There are a lot of unemployed people but not so many who have that drive like fellow mustachians.
From a youth's perspective, this is 100% true. I'm 22 with a high school diploma, and most of my peers are 19-25 with the same. The majority of them only work as much as they have to, and none of them do anything that gives them passion. It's a J O B to pay for alcohol, weed and a place to live (in that order) - if they don't live at home. Even still, I watched my mother sit on extended unemployment for almost two years before I moved out (stopped paying rent) and gave her a reason to get a job. She's over 50 years old.
In Feb 2013, it took me 3 weeks to find a good position with decent pay and heath benefits. I interviewed 3 places.
In the same month, it took my DH 4 weeks to find a part time job. He also interviewed 3 places.
Recently, DH took up the job hunt again and had 4 interviews inside of 3 weeks, and 1 job offer.
DH and I have essentially no marketable skills other than being sober, on time and literate.
My landlady, whom was recently laid off in the summer of 2014, found a new position in her field in less than 2 weeks.
My mother, after I moved out, found a position in her field in less than 3 weeks.
That being said, of my college educated peers, 100% of them have a job and long term financial goals, and most of them have a job in their field.
If you're healthy and capable, there's absolutely no reason not to have a job opportunity in the USA, period.