South Carolina’s unemployment rate has taken another sharp turn to the north – climbing from 10.5 percent to 10.9 percent during the month of July. It’s the third straight month that South Carolina’s unemployment rate has climbed. Meanwhile the state’s underemployment rate – a broader, more accurate measure of joblessness – currently stands at 18.3 percent.
The Palmetto state’s upward trend contrasts with the national unemployment rate, which edged down from 9.2 percent to 9.1 percent last month.
The numbers are obviously hugely disappointing for S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley – who rushed to take ownership of modest decreases in the state’s jobless rate shortly after she took office in January.
Four months ago, Haley held a press conference taking credit for the fact that the state’s unemployment rate had dipped below 10 percent. In fact, she specifically prevented her cabinet agency from releasing the information at the appointed time so that she could fold the announcement into her media event.
“We are at 9.9 percent,” Haley said at the time. “That is an absolute reason to celebrate and I will tell you that doesn’t happen by accident. I am on the phone every single day with companies – and I will tell you companies want to come.”
Three months ago, when the rate dropped to 9.8 percent, Haley touted the news as “another reason to celebrate what’s happening in South Carolina.”
As the rate has started creeping back up, though, Haley has been making herself scarce … she was in Aspen, Colorado attending a meeting of the Republican Governor’s Association when last month’s numbers came out, and this month she’s giving a speech in Dallas, Texas.
During these national appearances, Haley frequently touts her administration’s job creation efforts – although she was recently busted using fraudulent employment data to toot her own horn.
As is its custom, Haley’s office refused to respond to our request for comment regarding the new unemployment numbers. However, her employment czar once again did his best to put a positive spin on the data.
“We feel confident as the number of new job announcements come to fruition; our state unemployment rate will again begin to trend down,” Haley’s Department of Employment and Workforce director John Finan said.
Let’s hope so …
South Carolina’s unemployment rate crossed the 10 percent threshold back in February of 2009 – and stayed there for 25 consecutive months. After a brief dip below that psychological barrier earlier this year, this widely-watched economic indicator climbed above ten percent again three months ago.
The Palmetto state’s dismal economic performance comes after state government received $4 billion in so-called “stimulus” funds over the last three years. It also comes on the heels of a pair of record-setting state budgets (here and here).
Clearly growing government hasn’t grown our state’s economy …
JULY 2011 SC UNEMPLOYMENT REPORT (.pdf)
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By Huhhh??? August 19, 2011 at 10:39 am
We know you don’t care about “fair”, but how many state employees and teachers, other school staff have been part of those figures each month? In other words, jobs that had been saved as long as they were with the meager stimulus the filibustering GOP Congress would allow. Laid off government workers need to remember that…the GOP wants their vote but doesn’t care if they have a job to feed their children or keep a roof over their heads.
And, where is Nikki as southern governors meet in NC this weekend for a conference on job training and getting their people back to work? Giving a speech in Texas…is it a fund raiser or is she getting paid? Is Ray Chandler flying her out or her friend from Florida? But, hey, it’s all about Nikki, never the people of this state.
http://www.thesunnews.com/2011/08/19/2340644/governors-from-across-the-south.html
By Gillon August 19, 2011 at 10:46 am
Unemployment in SC increases from 10.5 per cent to 10.9 . I wonder if Governor Haley will hold another press conference to tell us that “that doesn’t happen by accident.”
I would much prefer a simple declaration along the lines of what President Calvin Coolidge stated:
“When more and more people lose their jobs, unemployment increases.”
By Jeree August 19, 2011 at 10:57 am
What’s the shop she runs with her parents? Don’t think they created jobs outside the family. Now as govner’ – same.
By Haleys Farts August 19, 2011 at 11:15 am
I am excited! I love the unemployed. They are so gulliable!
By cayceite August 19, 2011 at 11:27 am
SADLY ….
The normal Republican method of reducing unemployment of “Take this minimum wage job and shut up.” has not worked for our Governor?
Republican have been destroying the manufacturing base in SC since 1998 by encouraging industrials to go to the Godless Chinese mainland so Wall Street can bump up stock values.
The SC Republican Party has failed the Voters and Families of SC.
By norman August 19, 2011 at 11:49 am
The unemployed numbers are bogus at best. We are probably closer to 20%. They fail to count the ones who have dropped off the and the ones who have quit looking. Many counties are devastated with factory’s that closed and no prospects for any future employment. No one party has destroyed the manufacturing base capitalism is embraced by both party’s look at who gives what to every political office holder.
By Paycheck Economics August 19, 2011 at 11:59 am
Read the numbers in the report.
http://fitsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/July_2011.pdf
All net jobs losses were in just two business sectors that lost 13,800 jobs. 200 jobs were lost in the the Financial Activities industry. The vast majority of job losses, 13,600, were shed by the political subdivision of Government in our state. It looks like Government shrank in SC from June 2011 to July 2011.
By Math is treason August 19, 2011 at 12:33 pm
You can’t reduce unemployment and contract the government (shore up the deficit) at the same time. The question is, what is more important to the country’s long term future? Stimulous spending (and stimulous tax cuts) aren’t mana from heaven. There is a price to pay. Ironically, it might be more efficient just to make direct payments to the systemically unemployed rather than the interventionalist policies that both sides have supported here to fore. Consider me not too excited about the upcoming jobs plan.
By Math is treason August 19, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Oops meant to say “contract the economy” in opening sentence.
By dog August 21, 2011 at 11:48 am
Contracting government should be reflected in reduced taxes, not “rearranged expenditures”.