Wisconsin Unemployment Statistics Not All That Rosy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Shannon Stone, Campaign Manager, (920) 737-3546

Continuing the same rhetoric as that used by the federal government when it comes to employment figures, Governor Doyle and the Department of Workforce Data Secretary Roberta Gassman are both pleased with Wisconsin’s newest employment data released Thursday, June 17. “But with a little scrutiny,” said 5^th Assembly Candidate Craig Fletcher, “one can see that an attempt is being made to paint a happy face on what in reality is not very good news for Wisconsin workers and businesses.”

Indeed, there was an increase in jobs overall, attributable to government jobs mainly due to both the hiring of census workers — quite temporary and not clarified or enumerated in the state’s report — and because of Wisconsin’s seasonal job market which always sees an increase in the month of May. In reality, 7,900 private sector jobs were lost in May. State government added 3,100 in total, but only 2,900 when adjusted for the seasonal upswing. Local and county governments added an adjusted 1,000 jobs and an unadjusted 1,200 jobs.

Gov. Jim Doyle predictably — because the situation unfolded under his watch — lauded the state’s report: “The tremendous drop in the May unemployment rate and the state’s addition of tens of thousands of jobs reflects our hard work to help communities across the state recover from the national economic crisis.” He was echoed by Gassman who saw the report as a positive sign of recovery for Wisconsin.

However, real economists as well as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel which ran an article entitled “Employment Data Raises New Doubts About State’s Recovery,” could not only see through the statistical interpretation, they also know Wisconsin continues to suffer from the loss of real jobs in many industries due to the high cost of regulation in the state, taxes, general services, and the nation-wide economic crisis.

“A loss of 7,900 private sector jobs is no laughing or joyous matter, and growing bigger government by adding to the bureaucracy isn’t either. Here we have an actual drop in private sector jobs that is painted over in the most glowing terms,” said Fletcher. The private sector is the barometer of how the economy is really doing.

Government cannot “create” jobs. Government also cannot create wealth. What it can do and, with more frequency these days, does do when it siphons money out of the economy via taxes, stimulus grants, etc., is shift jobs from the private sector to the public one, a dangerous and short-lived practice.

“What government should do is provide a favorable business climate by reducing taxes, regulations, and mandates, and keep its long overreaching arm out of the free market system,” said Fletcher. The businessmen and entrepreneurs of the state are talented and technologically savvy, with enough business acumen to see Wisconsin through any economic crisis if only the government stopped adding to the crisis by a policy of borrowing and spending, and growing government.