Illinois may suck, but sorry Scotty, Wisconsin ain't close to "on fire"

While Wisconsin youth prisons are having uprisings and flaws in the Fox-con are being covered up from the public, our Fair Governor decided to deal with something really important recently.

Gov. Scott Walker, along with fellow Republican governors Eric Greitens of Missouri and Eric Holcomb of Indiana, have cut a television ad for Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s re-election campaign.

In the ad, the three governors thank Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, a Democrat, for passing a state budget that includes a dramatic tax increase. Rauner vetoed the spending bill but the state legislature overrode that veto.

The three governors say the troubles in Illinois have created new jobs in Wisconsin, Indiana and Missouri. The ad debuted Tuesday, October 24th.

“Our economy’s on fire…so we owe you,” Walker says. “Cheeseheads love you, Madigan.”

Really Scotty? Sure, we’re definitely doing better than Illinois over the last 3 months- but that’s not because we’re “on fire.” Our job growth has been lame, especially in the private sector, and the real reason we look better is because Illinois has gone down.

Total job change, June 2017 – Sept 2017
All jobs
Wis. +7,300
Ill -12,800

Private Sector
Wis +2,900
Ill -14,700

But that gap is almost entirely due to September’s jobs report, where Illinois lost 10,800 jobs (11,000 private sector) and Wisconsin gained 8,600 (5,900 private sector). It’s a typically sleazy Walker move to cherry-pick and try to BS an out-of-state audience.

Throw out that one-month survey (which could be a seasonally-adjusted fluke), and go back to the 4 months prior to that, and the story is the exact opposite.

Total job change, April 2017- Aug 2017
All jobs
Ill +14,700
Wis. -10,400

Private Sector
Ill +15,500
Wis -4,300

Bottom line is that we both have been sucking, as shown by yesterday's release of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s coincident index of economic activity.



But see that light green state of Minnesota to our west? That’s a place that’s doing pretty well, especially when compared to Scott Walker’s Wisconsin.

Job growth, April 2017-Sept 2017
All jobs
Minn +9,600
Wis. -1,800

Private Sector
Minn +6,600
Wis +2,400

It’s even more the case when you look at the past year.

Job growth, Sept 2016-Sept 2017
All jobs
Minn +52,200
Wis. +34,600

Private Sector
Minn +47,200
Wis +28,800

Hmm, maybe the Minnesota and Wisconsin Dems should team up on ads thanking Scott Walker for driving Wisconsin’s talent off to Minnesota, and helping Minnesota to thrive? And especially play those ads in the Duluth, Minneapolis, and La Crosse markets, where Wisconsin voters can see them.

Once again, Gov Dropout only tries to land a short-term cheap shot to impress low-info rubes, and leaves himself wide open for a haymaker from the big picture. And he wonders why his approval is underwater these days.