According to a press release from North Dakota Job Service today (see below), the state’s unemployment rate in October remained at a rock-bottom low of 2.8 percent. That’s unchanged from last month and, in fact, is unchanged from October. But how can that be? After all, the plunge in oil prices and its impact on…
North Dakota Personal Incomes Decline, Unemployment Benefits Double
Some ugly economic news for North Dakota and other oil states from the Bureau of Economic Analysis today. First, in the area of personal incomes, North Dakota was one of five states where incomes declined in the second quarter of 2015. “In three of those states, North Dakota (-0.3 percent), West Virginia (-0.4 percent), and…
David Flynn: North Dakota Continues Stellar Labor Market Growth
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released data on employment and unemployment from the Current Employment Statistics survey. North Dakota was number one in the country with a 4.4% increase in total nonfarm employment from year ago levels. That is 12 consecutive months where the year-over-year percent change was at or above 3%, and something…
North Dakota Has Lowest Unemployment Rate In The Nation For 65th Consecutive Month
In May the national unemployment rate was 6.3 percent. In North Dakota, the unemployment rate was 2.6 percent, the lowest in the nation for the 65th consecutive month. That’s almost five and a half years of having the lowest unemployment in the nation. This is from the press release sent out by North Dakota Job…
From The Left: Four Things Republicans Won’t Tell You About The Unemployment Numbers
Last week, the Labor Department reported that the unemployment rate has sank to 6.3%, its lowest level since September 2008. Now let’s all be clear, 6.3% unemployment is still way too high. However, rather than get to work on promoting policy that will help to lower that number, Republican’s resorted to their well-established talking point…
That New Unemployment Number Isn't As Good As You Think
Anyone who remembers the George W. Bush years, when the media and Democrats considered an unemployment rate of 6 percent to be the sign of a putrid economy, has to get a chuckle out of the celebratory the attitude toward today’s announcement that the national unemployment rate is now down to 6.3 percent. But that…
Minimum Wage Hike Hasn't Worked Out Well For British Youth
Europe might hold a lesson for the United States as President Obama and Democrats continue to push for a minimum wage hike. Via Uneconomical, a UK economics blog, it seems as though the Brits are having problems with a weak job market for young workers, despite relatively strong growth among other demographics, and some are…
President Obama: Paying People To Be Unemployed "Actually Creates Jobs"
Up is down. Right is left. White is black. Hot is cold. Pres Obama says extending unemployment insurance "actually helps the economy, actually creates new jobs.” — Mark Knoller (@markknoller) January 7, 2014 Keep in mind that Democrats also claimed Obamacare would create “millions of jobs,” which I think we can all see now is…
Fracking Moratorium Goes Down In Flames In…California?
This is a couple of weeks old, but I missed it. It seems that even in oh-so-green California, home to militant environmentalists and a liberal super-majority in state government, the economic benefits of fracking are clear to a majority: Democratic leaders brought their fracking moratorium bill to the Assembly floor last week, and their rank…
Poll: Most Americans Blame Welfare For Persistent Poverty
You have to wonder, if this poll is accurate, where were these people in November when the number of people on food stamps and other social programs were a major part of the campaign? Two decades after President Bill Clinton promised to “end welfare as we know it,” Americans blame government handouts for persistent poverty…