Ever since declaring Wisconsin “Open for Business” (both during his campaign and after his inauguration), Republican Governor Scott Walker has boasted time and time again about the positive effects the “jobs initiatives” – and I use that term loosely – proposed by Walker and Republicans in the legislature were having on job creation in Wisconsin.
However, as noted over at DailyKos, May 2011 wasn’t a good month for job creation in Wisconsin, as Walker’s “job creation” initiatives created a grand total of 900 jobs in Wisconsin.
Yet Walker has been oddly silent about the most recent jobs report. The state by state report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the number of jobs in Wisconsin went from 2,763,400 in April 2011 to 2,764,300 in May 2011 (seasonally adjusted). For those of you without calculators or sharp minds handy, that’s a difference of 900. That’s 900 whole jobs created in May thanks to Scott Walker’s initiatives!
As far as unemployment in Wisconsin, that actually hasn’t changed at all since January 2011. It remains firmly at 7.4%. In fact, the number of initial claimants for unemployment (people filing for the first time) went up dramatically over the past month in Wisconsin, from 2,559 in April 2011 to 7,956 in May 2011.
Clearly Republican efforts to bust public employees unions, weaken the state’s regulations, and give hefty handouts to corporations and the richest Wisconsinites have been a boon to Wisconsin’s economy and to job creation!
Zach, where’s your concern over the lack of jobs Obama promised us?
Never mind, I know, absent.
You have a funny definition of a “lack of jobs,” considering we’ve seen 15 consecutive months of job growth nationally.
Let me repeat that just for you….we’ve had 15 consecutive months of job GROWTH.
Hahahahahahahahaha. What about your boy Obama? What the hell are you smoking? He’s had an extra 2 years and you’re talking about Walker. You wish. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha You have to stop combing the internet all day for your liberal talking points and just get out there, use your head and see what really work.
As I wrote in response to Fred, we’ve had 15 consecutive months of national job growth.
Next time bring something more than that weak sauce.
I wouldn’t give him credit for the 900 either. Here in Michigan, Governor Rick Snyder used to run a regional, quasi-non-governmental organization that was supposed to create jobs (called SPARK). He signed off an a report lauding the thousands of jobs created or retained. Later, an independent analysis found that the actual number was in the hundreds. Meanwhile, he and his buddies (fellow unemployable executives) paid themselves six-figure salaries. More info: http://www.a2politico.com/?p=4229
Can you tell me, is anyone able to keep a running tally on this? 900 jobs gained in May but 500 – 1000 (depending on what numbers you use) teacher jobs lost in Milwaukee alone in June, that kind of thing.
Is the information even out there to work with in a nonpartisan way?
And I would very much like to know if anyone will be able to keep a running account of tax break dollars given vs. jobs created by those companies receiving the tax breaks.
Sue, you need to check your facts and who you place the blame on those 500 or so teachers’ jobs that were lost in Milwaukee “alone” and yes..Milwaukee is alone on this because they took it upon themselves to refuse to make any of the concessions. Governor Walker said he was going to have to make cuts to state aid to education, but also provided them a way to save money. Like the Hartford School District. $410,000 was cut from their state aid, but through Governor Walker’s plan, they saved $800,000. So, I know some people don’t like to do math, or use common sense in general, but that ends up being a benefit of $390,000.
Also, Governor Walker claimed 250,000 jobs by the year 2015. What year is it now? Things take time to take effect, but “weakening restrictions” which is liberal talk for giving people more freedom encourages businesses to come to Wisconsin.
Contrast this to Illinois, who now decided to regulate and restrict “amteur full contact martial arts” which includes Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This almost made the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation cancel it’s Chicago Summer Open. This tournament would draw top talent from all over the country to Chicago. Which means business for Chicago restaraunts, hotels, gas stations, and toll roads, and with federal taxes on every dollar that you spend, that pumps more money into the economy…welcome to economics 101….
Oh, and way to use the Bureau of Labor Statistics to defend your “no jobs are being created” argument, because clearly, they show that 27,000 more people are working now (or were in May) than were working in December. But you are right. No jobs are being created, and this economy is falling apart.