Obamanomics Failing Illinois

by Dave Jolly

A couple months ago, I wrote about the economic policies of Wisconsin’s Republican Governor Scott Walker are working to reduce the state deficit and increase the overall economic and job growth in his state. Scott, limited union bargaining powers, cut state spending and reduced taxes, all of which have led to a positive turnaround from the failed economics of former Democratic Governor Jim Doyle.

You would think that other states would learn and follow the successful policies of Gov. Walker, but no, the Democrats insist that their way is better. Take Wisconsin’s neighbor to the south, Illinois for example. Illinois is the political home to Barack Obama and is a prime example of just how unsuccessful Obamanomics really is.

Democrats in Illinois believe the way to fix the state’s economy is to tax the people even more. Initially, the tax hike was only going to be a temporary fix to help the state avoid bankruptcy. That’s like telling a creditor the check is in the mail when you haven’t written it nor have the money to write it. This happened back when Barack Obama was an Illinois state senator. In fact, with Obama’s help they increased taxes on personal income by 66% over what it has been. Sound familiar?

That temporary tax has now been made permanent. Gee, no big surprise there is there!

So how have the increased taxes helped Illinois’s economy?

Illinois has gone from having the 9^th best unemployment rate to be tied with Nevada for the second worse unemployment rate in the nation. The state has 376,000 fewer non-farming jobs now than they did when their beloved Barack Obama took office in January 2008.

Illinois is also spending $14,000 per student in public school. For just one classroom of 25-30 students, they are spending $350,000-$420,000 a year. In comparison, some private college preparatory schools graduate college ready students for a lesser cost per student.

Another contributing factor to Illinois’s financial woes is the fact that they have nearly 7,000 local government units, each with their own union contract and there has been no limiting their bargaining powers like what happened in Wisconsin. The more unions the more expense a state has.

There has been little to no effort to reduce spending in the state either as Gov. Walker did in Wisconsin. While Wisconsin sees their economy and jobs growing and prospering, Illinois sees their economy and jobs going down the same pathway to disaster as that of the federal government. But would you expect any different between Obama’s home political state and how he runs the federal government?

I just wonder when the American people will wake up and realize the difference between the economic policies of someone like Gov. Scott Walker and those of Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and President Barack Obama?

Original article can be viewed here

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