NEWS YOU MISSED: The Economy Sucks
The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics and Illinois Department of Employment Security are a wealth of information.
When Rod Blagojevich ran for re-election in 2006, he took credit for creating 95,000 new jobs in Illinois, and he's still taking credit.
I've always warned candidates against taking credit for the economy when things are going well, because its pretty tough to avoid blame when things are going bad. But, if Rod wants to be the one at the helm, so be it.
The latest numbers from BLS and IDES:
National unemployment rate: 5.7%
Illinois unemployment rate: 6.8%
Jobs Rod Blagojevich has created in his second term: - 28,218
Number of new people Rod Blagojevich has cost their jobs in his second term: 155,524
Manufacturing jobs Rod Blagojevich has eliminated since January, 2003: 102,300
Illinois Workers earning less than the federal minimum wage, thanks to Rod Blagojevich...
2003: 52,000
2007: 71,000
Unemployment Rates Increase Over the Year in All Metropolitan Areas In Illinois
Highest Unemployment:
Rockford: 8.6%
Danville: 8.4%
Kankakee-Bradley: 8.2%
Decatur: 7.6%
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet: 7.4%
St. Louis Metro-East: 7.2%
Counties with the highest unemployment rates (above 8%):
Hardin: 11%
Alexander: 10.2%
Pulaski: 10.9%
Perry: 10.4%
Franklin: 9.9%
Pope: 9.8%
Saline: 9.2%
Boone: 9.0%
Gallatin: 8.9%
Johnson: 8.8%
Marion: 8.7%
Mason: 8.7%
Massac: 8.7%
Union: 8.7%
Winnebago: 8.5%
Vermillion: 8.4%
Montgomery: 8.3%
LaSalle: 8.2%
Grundy: 8.2%
Kankakee: 8.2%
Clark: 8.1%
Counties by region:
Southern Illinois: 12
Central Illinois: 4
Northern Illinois: 5
Cook & Collar Counties: 0
1 comments:
Though I don't disagree about Illinois driving out jobs for the sake of politicians, there is still some skewing going on.
Federal Extension of Unemployment benefits has brought in new people to the Unemployment roles who otherwise would find employment. The incentives are not necessarily there to go to work, when you get money for nothing from unemployment.
Had an interesting conversation with a relative who is a (near Decatur) metalworker Saturday. Their factory is working 24 hours a day, 6 days a week, 2 shifts. That is 72 hours per week per employee or around $65,000 per year.
The factory cannot get enough employees to work there. Workers are dropping in to unemployment rather than take a rather strenuous $65K/year job.
JBP
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