South Carolina registered the nation’s second-highest unemployment rate again in February, an 11% mark that’s up nearly a point from the previous month and includes four counties with rates of 20% or higher.
Unbelievable.
Only Michigan – at 12% – has a higher unemployment rate, while the national rate stands at 8.1%.
The way the Palmetto State calculates its unemployment percentage has been a subject of much debate, although most of the back-and-forth lately has been over the management of our unemployment benefits.
Since the beginning of the year, South Carolina has been borrowing hundreds of millions of dollars from the feds to pay out these benefits – a figure that could reach $1 billion or more by the end of the year.
Our State Treasurer’s plan for dealing with that deficit?
Yeah, they’ve been telling people they “hope the feds don’t ask for it all at once.”
Great strategery, guys …
By GnuBerry March 28, 2009 at 10:30 am
I can’t believe our Treasurer let unemployment get so high.
By fitsnews March 28, 2009 at 11:44 am
GnuBerry-
He didn’t. We’re not saying he did. We’re merely criticizing the idiocy of his plan to deal w/ the billion we’re going to owe the feds at the end of the year.
Nice attempted misdirection …
Who is to blame for the 11%?
A lot of people … but we’d start with Bobby Harrell, Glenn McConnell, Dan Cooper and Hugh Leatherman, all of whom like to brag about having all the power in this state – WAIT – unless we’re talking about the unemployment rate, of course.
They claim power when it involves wasting your money and blocking pro-growth tax policy, then they turn around and blame the governor (who has no power) when the fruits of those failures become painfully evident.
A solid “second” goes to Jim Rex and Inez Tenenbaum, who have fought with every fiber of their beings to preserve a hopelessly failed education system that is falling further behind the rest of the country as we speak … like it has been for decades.
Has the governor been a job creating dynamo? No. But he’s done OK when you consider the real power in this state is working AGAINST job creation.
-FITS
By franksboy March 28, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Too bad the number doesn’t include Barker and Buddies up there in Clemson, SC.
By Pat Hendrix March 28, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Mark Sanford and his buds are the future of the Republican Party. The Whig Party, the Hubert Hoovers, of the 21st century.
Seriously guys, look at the gaggle of morons and crooks like Chris Dodd running the Democratic Party. You can’t offer an effective opposition? The country doesn’t function in the absence of two parties. Clinton and Newt, two a-holes of epic dimesions, managed to get the country moving in the right direction. Put out some real ideas, not this boiler-plated Club for Growth bullshit, and we might get something accomplished.
By Tim March 28, 2009 at 2:41 pm
What happened to all those “soil conditions” the Ungov used to talk about. Face it, Sic, your guy’s entire economic development strategy was to cut a corporate tax rate no one else believes is too high; his entire education strategy is pay white people who send their children to private schools, and his entire governing philosophy is to blame other people for his own failure to lead anybody anywhere.
A case in point is that whole “…The way the Palmetto State calculates its unemployment percentage has been a subject of much debate…” subterfuge. South Carolina calculates its rate the same way every other state in the country does, as a matter of federal regulation. Ungov. Sanford and Joe “Drug Test” Taylor simply don’t like the numbers and need something to blame besides their own ineptitude.
By lou March 28, 2009 at 7:40 pm
ya’ll think those people mentioned actually have power?
HAHAHAHAAA
By Old Bike Dude March 28, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Will, Give sanfraud the same boot he gave you. The gov’s only concern is his own ass. Markie mark needs a dose of reality. What say you go pick him up and the two of you drive down to Estill or Allendale or Fairfax or anywhere that lacks country club whiteys and features 20+% unemployment among blacks. Find a good loud smoky black club and go on in and give a speech. Let me know how that works out for ya.
By Come on March 29, 2009 at 8:27 pm
Will, I think it’s hilarious that you turn our second highest in the nation into a story to bash our Treasurer. Any idiot knows that the primary job of the governor and his commerce secretary is job creation and bringing new business into our state. Sanford’s tenure has been pitiful on that front beccause all he cares about is promoting himself, not South Carolina. Good riddance!