Scott Walker, hated Governor, had 2 months this year with positive job growth after 6 months of being the #1 state in job losses. That's now over.
After Wisconsin started the year with two months of promising jobs gains, the state lost an estimated 4,300 private-sector jobs in March, according to preliminary data released Thursday by the state Department of Workforce Development.
In Wisconsin, construction showed the deepest monthly job losses, which was unexpected given the unseasonably warm weather. Manufacturing, a key sector in a state that depends more on factory work than any state but Indiana, showed an increase of 2,000 jobs.
In the government sector, the state lost an estimated 200 public-sector jobs, which statistically amounts to a negligible change. The state's cities and counties shed 1,700 jobs, but the state added jobs in state government agencies and at state-run universities for the second month. Job losses in the private sector plus overall losses among government agencies led to a loss in total jobs of 4,500 in the month.
However Walker will likely ignore the job losses and concentrate on the unemployment rate which dropped to 6.8% from 6.9%. He shouldn't be crowing, it's sometimes the only positive thing he can promote.
It has been common throughout the recovery for the two main labor market indicators - private-sector employment and the unemployment rate - to move in opposite directions, as was the case once again in March. Each is derived from separate government surveys.
I'm not happy about job loss. I heard it once said that unemployment isn't a number. It's totally about people. If someone lost their job in Wisconsin, they're not 6.8% unemployed, they're 100% unemployed and that's a terrible thing.
There is no doubt that Walker and the GOP created this problem. Wisconsin was doing better than most states after the crash in 2008. Job losses coincided with Walkers budget in June, 2011 and it wasn't just a flash in the pan. It was 6 months of being #1 in job losses.
Frankly, you can't peel away at least $250 per month from every public employee in the state and expect a thriving economy. That money, taken out of our economy, means businesses don't see their goods and services purchased. Without demand, there's job losses. Something Walker forgot or didn't care about.
In other news, Republican Wisconsin State Attorney General Van Hollen, not satisfied with 100% of the secretly drawn gerrymandered districts being approved has decided to appeal the decisionof a 3 judge panel that made changes to only 2 districts.
Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen asked the U.S. Supreme Court Thursday to overturn a decision by a three-judge panel that found maps of two state Assembly districts violated Latinos' voting rights.
The panel last month found Assembly Districts 8 and 9 on Milwaukee's south side violated the federal Voting Rights Act and this month approved new maps drawn by Democrats and Latinos who sued the state over the issue.
While the 3 judge panel severly chastised the secrecy under which the maps were drawn and the complete lack of input from Democrats and the public, they did nothing to nearly all of the map. After Republicans refused to sit down with the groups that sued to change 2 of the districts which disenfranchised Hispanic voters, the judges themselves redrew those 2 districts.
Even that small change is enough to send the GOP into a hissy fit. They want it ALL.
There is, though, a small glimmer of hope in the appeal to the US Supreme Court:
The appeal by the Department of Justice gives the plaintiffs a chance to cross-appeal on a host of claims they lost. Doug Poland, an attorney for the group of Democrats, said earlier this month he would do just that in the event of an appeal by the state.
(emphasis mine)
I'm not holding my breath on this one. The US Supreme Court might just decide not to hear this and if they did, they could uphold the entire gerrymandered mess, but it would give us another bite at the apple. Frankly, I'd love to hear the GOP defend their secretly drawn map.
A bit of John Doe News:
A few days ago, I posted a news tidbit about Scott Walker disclosing legal bills for 2011 (all elected official are required to post debt on an annual basis). On the Ed Show last night, John Nichols explains why this is important:
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Remember that these are his 2011 bills. They do not include 2012. It was February, 2012 when Walker announced he hired 2 criminal defense lawyers and established a Legal Defense Fund.