Do progressive policies increase state unemployment?

April 4, 2012

Conservatives like to hold up California’s generally progressive policies next to its high unemployment rate as a claim that conservative policies are better for jobs. A look at the unemployment rate by state reveals how absurd this argument is.

Nevada has the highest unemployment rate. (That’s right. Michigan’s been eclipsed. It is now tied for the 39th lowest unemployment with Oregon.)

The lowest unemployment rates are North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Vermont, and New Hampshire. The highest rates are Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, California, Rhode Island, and Nevada. If anything, the rate reveals that oil booms and low, largely rural populations are good for the employment and crashed housing bubbles and urban centers are bad for employment.

Texas, the conservative poster child, has an unemployment rate of 7.1%, which puts it in the middle of the pack at 22. Massachusetts, with its job-killing healthcare mandate, comes out better than Texas with a 6.9% unemployment rate. Bottom line? There is no obvious correlation between political leaning and unemployment rate.

10:02am | URL: http://tmblr.co/ZmCeYyJ3uNoz

(Notes: 38)