FL Posts Second Largest Drop in Unemployment since 2010

In 2010 Rick Scott was propelled into the Governor’s mansion primarily by the Tea Party, 912 Project and other constitutional conservative groups. Upon taking office Governor Scott said “the axis of unemployment is taxation, regulation and litigation.” Since his inauguration he has worked to reduce unemployment in the state.

According to The Examiner , “Voters in 17 states elected new Republican governors in November 2010. This new breed of fiscally-conservative, tea party-supported Republican governors took office in January 2011.” Here in rank order are how these Republican led states unemployment rates changed since 2010:

Michigan – 10.9% to 8.5% = a decline of 2.4%

Florida – 10.9% to 8.6% = a decline of 2.3%

Nevada – 13.8% to 11.6% = a decline of 2.2%

Alabama – 9.3% to 7.4% = a decline of 1.9%

Ohio – 9.0% to 7.3% = a decline of 1.7%

Tennessee – 9.5% to 7.9% = a decline of 1.6%

South Carolina – 10.6% to 9.1% = a decline of 1.5%

Oklahoma – 6.2% to 4.8% = a decline of 1.4%

Georgia – 10.1% to 8.9% = a decline of 1.2%

Wyoming – 6.3% to 5.2% = a decline of 1.1%

Iowa – 6.1% to 5.1% = a decline of 1.0%

New Mexico – 7.7% to 6.7% = a decline of 1.0%

Wisconsin – 7.7% to 6.8% = a decline of 0.9%

Kansas – 6.9% to 6.1% = a decline of 0.8%

South Dakota – 5.0% to 4.3% = a decline of 0.7%

Maine – 8.0% to 7.4% = a decline of 0.6%

Pennsylvania – 8.0% to 7.4% = a decline of 0.6%

According to The Examiner, “For a comparison, in January 2011 the U.S. national unemployment rate stood at 9.1%. It is currently 8.2%, meaning that the national unemployment rate has declined by just 0.9% since then. Based on these percentages, it can be said that the job market in states with new Republican governors is improving a full 50% faster than the job market nationally.”

The Examiner also looked at eight states that elected new Democratic governors in 2010. Just like their Republican counterparts, these new Democratic governors took office in January 2011. Here’s how these Democrat led states rank in terms of unemployment:

Connecticut – 9.3% to 7.8% = a decline of 1.5%

Oregon – 9.9% to 8.4% = a decline of 1.5%

Vermont – 6.0% to 4.6% = a decline of 1.4%

California – 12.1% to 10.8% = a decline of 1.3%

Minnesota – 6.8% to 5.6% = a decline of 1.2%

Colorado – 8.8% to 8.1% = a decline of 0.7%

Hawaii – 6.7% to 6.3% = a decline of 0.4%

New York – 8.2% to 8.6% = an increase of 0.4%

The average drop in the unemployment rate in these Republican states was 0.95%, approximately the same as the drop seen nationally. “It’s interesting to note than one of these states (New York) has actually experienced an increase in its unemployment rate since January 2011,” stays The Examiner.

All politics is local and it appears from this data that unemployment may best be dealt with at the local level as well.