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Health & Fitness

Job Losses During Walker's Tenure Don't Relate to Unemployment Figures

Unemployment percentage figures are not good indicators of job creation, as Wisconsin has had the worst job creation record of all 50 states during Walker's first 13 months in office.

How do job losses during Gov. Scott Walker's administration relate to unemployment figures?

The answer: they don't.

These are two separate numbers that are not related to each other, and not intended to be related.

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The number of jobs created or jobs lost is the tracking of the actual number of people "employed."

The unemployment figure is the tracking of the actual number of people "looking for employment."

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The key word here is "looking."

If the long-term unemployed have lost all hope of gaining a job, and they have stopped looking and are not counted in the unemployment numbers.Β 

If Wisconsin residents lose hope of finding a Job in Wisconsin, and move Illinois or Minnesota, both of which are gaining in jobs, they will not immediately show up in the unemployment number, as they are no longer in the state.

The latest figure that shows state unemployment rate of 6.9 percent is so ridiculous it is beyond believable. The Federal Reserve policy in the past has been to raise interest rates if the unemployment rate fell below 6 percent, for fear of inflation, and to discourage additional hiring.

A 6.9 percent rate would mean that Wisconsin's economy is so hot under Federal Reserve thinking, that inflation would be a bigger concern than the current "slump" or "recession."

Looking at the latest "employment" figures, during Walker's administration through December, there was a net job loss of 9,700 jobs. It does appear that the job increase in January turned that number to a net job gain of about 6,000 jobs.

With "Wisconsin open for business" under Scott Walker, through his first 13 months, Wisconsin gained 6,000 jobs, while our neighboring states all had much higher job gains β€” Michigan with 98,000 jobs, Illinois gaining 49,000 jobs and Minnesota with 56,000 jobs.

"Open for business" may make a nifty political slogan, but it is obvious that employers do not like the business plan that Walker has for Wisconsin, as they are doing their hiring in other states than ours.

In fact, of the 50 states, Wisconsin had the worst job record under Walker's in his first 13 months.

If Walker is not recalled from office in the upcoming election, and he continues with his job-losing economic program, will the last person to leave Wisconsin, please turn out the lights?

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