Fitzwalkerstan: The Economic Degradation Continues

The figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, shown above, paint a bleak picture of job loss in Walker's Wisconsin. While the Recall obviously has garnered national attention, the economic reality of Walker's policies of rewarding the oligarchs while imposing harsh austerity on workers and the middle class has caught national attention as well. The San Francisco Chronicle made the following observation:

"Scott Walker, the Republican governor facing a recall vote in Wisconsin, traveled over the Illinois line to argue that the tax increase backed by his Democratic counterpart Pat Quinn is killing jobs even as the Midwest rebounds from recession. "Is it any wonder because of choices that were made right here in the state's capital?" Walker, 44, said in an April 17 speech in Springfield. "When you raise taxes on businesses, that wealth and opportunity and those jobs more often than not go somewhere else." A broader snapshot tells a different tale. Illinois ranked third while Wisconsin placed 42nd in the most recent Bloomberg Economic Evaluation of States index, which includes personal income, tax revenue and employment. Illinois gained 32,000 jobs in the 12 months ending in February, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found. Wisconsin, where Walker promised to create 250,000 jobs with the help of business-tax breaks, lost 16,900."

In the meantime the state lost 4,500 jobs in the month of March of which 4300 were in the private sector. Blogging Blue gives a good synopsis of the facts. It is amazing that the Republicans tout Walker's policies as some sort of model in the face of ongoing failure. However acknowledging, let alone dealing with, reality has never been their strong suit.