I just finished reading a quite good Washington Post article on all of the things influencing the declining labor force participation rate. The rate has been declining since 2000. It is tempting to blame decreased participation on the Obama administration, however they get to share the blame with other factors.
Early retirement of Baby Boomers is one factor, discouraged workers is another. Pushing labor force participation in the other direction is older workers feeling they need to continue working because their 401ks and homes have lost value. The article is balanced and thorough. If the subject interests you, give it a look.
