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Teen Summer Jobs Hit All-Time Low as Hiring Rate Collapses to 2008 Levels

PBD Podcast · Ferrari's EV Disaster + Mamdani's Asset Seizure | PBD #807 · May 27, 2026
Teen Summer Jobs Hit All-Time Low as Hiring Rate Collapses to 2008 Levels
PBD Podcast
PBD Podcast
Ferrari's EV Disaster + Mamdani's Asset Seizure | PBD #807
"The hiring rate has been falling for years. It has gotten down to the point where the hiring rate this year was about equal to where it was in late 2008. Hiring has been collapsing for years."
Teenagers are projected to gain only 790,000 summer jobs in 2026, the lowest rate of teen employment on record, while the JOLTS hiring rate has collapsed to levels last seen during the 2008 financial crisis. This represents a multi-year global phenomenon where businesses refuse to take risks on unproven workers, contributing to youth unemployment spikes in the US, Canada, and China.

About this episode

On this Business Wednesday episode, host Patrick Bet-David was joined by Tom Ellsworth, Jeff Snyder, and Humberto for a wide-ranging discussion covering Ferrari's controversial new electric vehicle, property seizure plans in New York City, Trump's perfect endorsement record, and collapsing youth employment. The show opened with sharp criticism of Ferrari's $640,000 electric Luce model, featuring a devastating rebuke from former chairman Luca Montezemolo who said even Chinese manufacturers won't bother copying it. The conversation then shifted to New York socialist politician Zoran Mamdani's announced plan to forcibly transfer private real estate from landlords to nonprofits and tenants, which the panel characterized as communist-style asset seizure. Trump's political influence dominated the middle segment, with analysis of his unprecedented 118-0 endorsement record including Ken Paxton's 27-point landslide victory over establishment incumbent John Cornyn despite being outspent 9 to 1. Economic indicators took center stage as the panel examined teen summer employment hitting all-time lows and JOLTS hiring data showing rates collapsed to 2008 financial crisis levels. Alberta's Brexit-style separation movement from Canada received scrutiny, with discussion of tax equalization payments fueling Western Canadian resentment. The episode concluded with the remarkable story of Antonio Gracias turning a $1 million loan to Elon Musk into over $100 billion through early Tesla and SpaceX investments, alongside Kevin O'Leary's commentary on work-life balance and Ben Cohen's regret over selling Ben & Jerry's. Throughout, the hosts emphasized the importance of calculated risk-taking, talent identification, and maintaining strong work ethic during economic uncertainty.

Key takeaways

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