Let's see how they line up:
Michigan State:
Unemployment: 12%
Job loss/gain (2009): -277,000 to date
Foreclosures: 6th in the nation
Economic Potential: Been in a recession since before it was fashionable, devoted to wrong ideas and single-industry concentration.
Union or right to work: Union
North Carolina:
Unemployment: 9.5%
Job loss/gain (2009): 38,00 predicted for all of 2009.
Foreclosures: 25th in the nation
Economic Potential: Taking a hit now, but has a great deal of potential for a comeback with a very diversified and advanced economy.
Union or right to work: Right to Work
The quick comparison shows North Carolina is ahead, and it was much farther ahead last year.
Oh, you mean the NCAA match up? Two great teams of hard-working athletes, but the Tar Heels have the edge so it should be a great game. Not a bad thing to watch to get your mind off the economy.
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3 comments:
Nice post. We've got em all licked!
Great post, except for the part where the truth of the comparison is HORRIBLE and FRUSTRATING!
--Nick
www.RightMichigan.com
Ah where to begin…Job loss/gain (2009)
Michigan has not lost 277,000 jobs to date in 2009 as your post suggests. Michigan has lost 277,000 jobs since Feb. 2008. In December 2008 the number of employed was 4,038,100 and for Feb. 2009 the number of employed was 3,953,600. Total job losses in Michigan in Jan. and Feb….84,500.
The number of employed in North Carolina has fallen by about 194,000 since last Feb. In December 2008 the number of employed (NC) was 4,207,640 and for Feb. 2009 the number of employed was 4,093,625. Total job losses in NC in Jan. and Feb…114,015.
Your post also suggests that NC is projected to gain 38,000 jobs this year (you indicate -277,000 for Michigan, but 38,000 for NC). As your own link indicates, NC was projected to lose 38,000 jobs this year. The article also indicated that unemployment in NC was expected to peak at 7.8% “late next year”...it is already 10.7%.
According to a Wall Street Journal chart (http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2009/03/27/february-unemployment-rates-by-state/), 6/10 states with the fastest growing rates of unemployment since the recession began are RTW states (with NC leading the pack)
How is it possible that North Carolina (and South Carolina…) is having such economic difficulties? Right wingers basically claim that RTW is a panacea.
You also left out some data that would be pertinent to the comparison…like data on income and poverty.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau for 2007 (http://www.poverty.us/Poverty-Data.html) - most recent available data:
Median Household Income (In 2007 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars)
Michigan $47,950
North Carolina $44,670
Median Family Income (In 2007 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars)
Michigan $59,618
North Carolina $55,028
Percent of People Below Poverty Level in the Past 12 Months
Michigan 14%
North Carolina 14.3%
Percent of Children Under 18 Years Below Poverty Level in the Past 12 Months
Michigan 19.4%
North Carolina 19.5%
Percent of People 65 Years and Over Below Poverty Level in the Past 12 Months
Michigan 8%
North Carolina 11%
One thing that is astounding about this data is that the economic woes in Michigan began 9 years ago – and Michigan still has a higher median income and lower rate of people in poverty.
While I’m at it, I have a few questions…
In 1999 Michigan cut the state income tax and business tax (SBT) rates. From the spring of 2000 through Dec. 2002, Michigan lost 209,000 jobs. Those tax cuts also correspond to the beginning of the budget gimmicks that were used (by Republicans and Democrats) for most of the decade to balance the budget. How is it that following tax cuts, massive jobs losses occurred?
From the spring of 2000 through Dec. 2002, the Governor was a Republican and both houses of the state legislature were controlled by the Republicans. Were the Republicans responsible for those job losses? Michigan lost more jobs in the last 2.5 years of the Engler Administration/Republican-controlled legislature than it did during Granholm’s first term/Republican-controlled legislature.
From Jan. 2003 through Dec. 2006, Republicans controlled both houses of the state legislature. How much responsibility should Republicans in the legislature take for the job losses from 2003-2006?
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