(Overpass Light Brigade)
Scott Walker is once again asking the people of Wisconsin to just trust him on those apparently more favorable jobs numbers he released early. The numbers Walker released showing that Wisconsin had gained around 23,000 jobs in 2011 rather than having lost around 34,000 are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, remember, the same as the previously released measure by which Wisconsin lost jobs and was last in the nation on jobs. The issue is that Walker released them more than a month early, before the federal government had reviewed and revised them and before the numbers were released for other states. But never mind those question marks, because a Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development spokesman told the Associated Press that the Bureau of Labor Statistics confirmed the numbers.
You really will have to trust Walker's administration on that, though:
But when WISC-TV contacted the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, it would not confirm the jobs data.
The Bureau Chief in charge of data review for the jobs census told WISC-TV he can't comment on Wisconsin's jobs figures until they are published June 28. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said it doesn't make any statements about the data while it is still in production, and it will only speak about it after it is published.
Whether the numbers Walker is touting are right or wrong when the official release finally comes, this gets to the heart of things: We can't know, because Walker is pushing them out so early. And even if the raw number of jobs Walker is touting is absolutely correct, we can't know how Wisconsin stacks up against other states. It's possible that Wisconsin could have gained around 23,000 jobs and still trail every other state according to this new measure. But we won't know that until weeks after the June 5 recall—so Walker is, in effect, asking Wisconsin voters to trust him not only that 23,000 is correct but that it will sound as positive next to 49 other states as it sounds next to the 34,000 jobs lost according to the Current Employment Survey.
If you don't trust Scott Walker on jobs, give $3 to help Tom Barrett defeat Walker on June 5.