Cause And Effect? Er, Effect And Cause
So Minnesota is in a recession now, officially.
ST. PAUL (AP) ― The latest state unemployment figures have prompted the state’s economist to say that Minnesota is now in a recession.
Minnesota’s unemployment rate rose to 4.9 percent in December, up from 4.4 percent in November. The state has lost 23,000 jobs over the past six months.
It’s the worst series of jobs numbers since the 2001 national economic downturn.
State economist Tom Stinson tells the Star Tribune the numbers mean the state is in a recession, and he can’t label it anything else.
Quick pop quiz for amature economists:
Would increasing the size of government, increasing state spending thus requiring more revenue, more mandates that are costly to business (ahem: the economy), and higher energy and fuel costs ( that will simply raise the price of consumer goods and services) due to taxes … help nudge the state out of the recession?
It is very easy, but takes courage if you are in politics, and especially if you are a Republican.
Governor Pawlenty now is the time for some of that 2003-2004 courage. Government is out of control in Minnesota.
Of course we’re all waiting on bended knee for the Evil Dr. Banaiaiaiaiaiaian to enlighten us.
I’m also dying to know if anyone will call for a Legislative Commission or Congressional one, to find out who is to blame for the Minnesota recession.
