Unemployment Rate Drops in 39 States in June
This morning, the Department of Labor announced that unemployment declined month-on-month in 39 states and the District of Columbia. Year-on-year, unemployment increased in approximately half of states. In the states as well as nationwide, unemployment rates generally declined because the labor force contracted — not because the states produced new jobs. All in all, only 21 states had more jobs in June than in May, while 27 states had fewer.
The District of Columbia and 16 states had unemployment higher than 10 percent; 32 states have unemployment rates higher than 8 percent. Maine — whose two Republican Senators, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, are expected to cross the aisle to support the extension of unemployment benefits later today — has an unemployment rate of 8 percent. That means the state qualifies, just barely, for the federal extension providing jobless workers with up to 99 weeks of benefits. Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) is the only member of the Democratic caucus not in support of the unemployment benefits extension; Nebraska’s unemployment rate is the nation’s third-lowest, at 4.9 percent. Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota are the only states with unemployment rates under 5 percent. In 2007, before the recession hit, the national unemployment rate ranged between 4.4 and 5 percent.
Related
Rep. Paul Ryan to deliver SOTU response
Chairman of the House Budget Committee Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will deliver the Republican response to the State of the Union Tuesday, according to Mike Allen
Rep. Parker Griffith (R-Ala.)
One of the most conservative Democrats in the House -- a freshman who said he couldn’t support Nancy Pelosi again -- is going to switch over to the GOP. Josh
Rep. Paulsen allies with medical device industry to relax FDA oversight
Source: Flickr; Republicanconference (www.flickr.com/photos/republicanconference) On the heels of the Minnesota Independent story last week about U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen’s cozy financial relationship with the medical device industry, the New York Times reported Tuesday that some health professionals are alarmed by Paulsen’s push to relax Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversight
Rep. Patrick McHenry: Please, Conservatives, Fill Out Your Census Forms!
The conservative congressman from North Carolina, a constant critic of the census -- one of the people who sounded the alarm about politicization when the
Rep. Paulsen touts balanced budget constitutional amendment
In a post for the conservative blog True North , U.S. Rep
Rep. Perlmutter criticizes House measure that would eliminate 800K federal jobs
Congressman Ed Perlmutter today issued a scathing statement criticizing the House of Representatives for passing a spending bill that could put nearly a million federal employees out of work. The Colorado delegation voted strictly on party lines, with all four Republicans voting in favor of the bill and the three Democrats voting in opposition. Perlmutter’s statement: “My number one priority is to get people back to work because that’s the best thing we can do to pay our debt and move forward toward economic stability
Rep. Peace, ACLU seek investigation of soldier’s allegations of racial discrimination in Afghanistan
Both Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM) and the American Civil Liberties Union agree: There needs to be an investigation into Spc.
Rep. Paulsen, Karl Rove the latest to get ‘glittered’
Rep. Erik Paulsen and former Bush staffer Karl Rove were both showered with glitter at the Midwest Leadership Conference Friday
Rep. Pete Hoekstra Surging in Michigan Gubernatorial Bid
The ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee -- you couldn’t flip on a TV without seeing him in the aftermath of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s botched
School of Hock
A growing number of college grads are defaulting on their student loans as the economy worsens.
