But a few things jump out to me in this piece.  Not addressing, comparing, and learning from the unemployment issue would seem to diminish the value of this effort, as well as open it to significant credibility issues from the right.  Specifically I'm addressing from above: "The US does not use unemployment numbers the same way that European countries do, nor does the US unemployment offer the kind of protective, so don't compare ourselves to them"

the ability to work at a job to sustain yourself and your family is critical to most people, I think everywhere.  One of the Buddha's 8 principles was "right work".  And in such a strong work ethic culture as America, it just wouldn't fly.  And isn't unemployment one of the top political issues in France today?  

Now getting apples to apples numbers, as best as that can be done, or making people more aware of the differences in the numbers--that is clearly of value.

But I don't think those people in Europe or America that want jobs and can't get them would tell you they are leading a satisfied life of high quality.

I thought one of the points in the earlier pieces was to introduce more metrics that might get at quality of life issues, rather than to reduce existing and accepted measures.