US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that Wisconsin is the only State in the United States with a September to October monthly job loss that was so much worse than the rest of the country that is was statistically significant.

 

Although the State Department of Workforce Development released the October job statistics and the numbers were covered briefly in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and other State newspapers, the depths of the bad news wasn't adequately analyzed. The table below is from the report and summarizes the good news for thirteen states. These states had employment increases that were great enough to be statistically significant from the country in general. It would be reasonable to say that something may be happening in those states that is different from the country in general. Each state has its own story and each state is coming back from the Bush Recession in a different manner.

 

What is important and shocking is that there is only one of the fifty states with a month to month job decrease that is so bad that it is statistically significant. Our governor, who didn't finish college, may not understand what it means to be statistically significant, but many of Wisconsin's unemployed college grads certainly understand what it means. It means that something is happening in Wisconsin that is different from the country in general. A governor who turned away $800,000,000 in Federal funds for job and infrastructure creation via the rail connection to Madison, who significantly reduced the disposable income of 350,000 public employees (Wisconsinites who spend that money in local businesses), who underfunded the schools, technical colleges, and universities, and created an environment of angst that is the antithesis of a twenty-first century developed economy, generated a state that stands alone as a failure!  WALKER MUST BE RECALLED!

 

Table C. States with statistically significant employment changes from September 2011 to

                                October 2011, seasonally adjusted


                                                   September      October         Over-the-month

                                                        2011              2011                p change p

California ................................... 14,125,900   14,151,600      25,700

Colorado .................................... 2,245,900       2,254,700       8,800

Connecticut ............................... 1,621,100        1,627,600       6,500

Delaware ................................... 409,900              413,900       4,000

Illinois ........................................ 5,658,600        5,688,600     30,000

Massachusetts ..........................   3,228,500         3,239,300     10,800

Mississippi ................................ 1,097,900         1,102,400         4,500

North Dakota .............................. 396,400             399,000          2,600

Oklahoma .................................. 1,564,300      1,573,400          9,100

Pennsylvania .............................. 5,677,100      5,690,900        13 ,800

Tennessee .................................  2,639,000       2,647400          8,400

Virginia ...................................... 3,644,400       3,658,400       14,000

Washington ............................... 2,812,800        2,824,500        11,700

Wisconsin ................................. 2,757,200         2,747,500        -9,700 (Thanks Scotty)