Florida Gov. Rick Scott didn't have much to boast about this month with the state's unemployment rate holding steady at 10.6 percent. Meantime, his Republican colleague from the Cheddar State, Scott Walker, is boasting of 9,500 new jobs -- accounting for half of the jobs created in the entire nation.
Still, Florida's job picture is not utterly bleak. Last month, Scott boasted that the state led the nation in job creation with 28,000 new jobs added in May. (Note: there is nuance in the numbers, and for that we turn to Politifact). That was more than half of the new jobs created in the nation in May.
Who's the real loser here? Probably President Obama. The job-growth numbers are paltry nationwide. And the places adding jobs at a noteworthy pace are controlled by Republicans: Scott, Walker and Rick Perry (in Texas).
Here's Florida's jobs report:
From the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation this morning:
This represents 982,000 jobless out of a labor force of 9,234,000. The state’s unemployment rate is unchanged from May 2011 but is 0.8 percentage point lower than the June 2010 rate of 11.4 percent. The U.S. unemployment rate is 9.2 percent in June.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted total nonagricultural employment in June 2011 is 7,247,000, an increase of 4,300 jobs (+0.1 percent) from May 2011. Florida has gained 85,500 jobs from January through June 2011.
“While Florida’s continued pattern of job growth is good news, we still have much work to do to restore our state’s economy to pre-recession levels, and that effort remains our highest priority,” said Agency for Workforce Innovation Director Cynthia R. Lorenzo. “Under Governor Scott’s leadership and through Florida’s nationally recognized workforce services, we are committed to ensuring our employers and potential employers have the support they need to succeed and create the jobs that will continue Florida’s forward momentum.”
so how's that jobs thing working for ya rickie?
Posted by: lmmd | July 22, 2011 at 12:53 PM
"so how's that jobs thing working for ya rickie?"
Maybe if you read more than the first paragraph, you would have seen this: "Florida has gained 85,500 jobs from January through June 2011."
I'd say it's working out pretty well.
Posted by: Heya | July 22, 2011 at 05:09 PM
Tea party are rejected by society, so they attack everyone.
Posted by: Mike | July 22, 2011 at 05:52 PM
4500 of those jobs are 'seasonal' work in tourism- minimum wage with no benefits. Walker is a failure at 'creating' jobs, a success at giving tax breaks to corporate interests.
Posted by: Susan | July 22, 2011 at 10:58 PM
Walker is just a bigger liar.
Posted by: Mike | July 23, 2011 at 08:40 AM
Companies moving into a state don't result in poor jobs. Ask Beloit, WI people. If Obama can count census people as "really employed", we can include those in one of our larger industries = tourism.
Posted by: JOHN GOODRICH | July 23, 2011 at 11:00 AM