HOW’S THAT HOPEY-CHANGEY STUFF WORKIN’ OUT FOR YA? (CONT’D): Unemployment Rate Rises In 44 States.

UPDATE: Red vs. Blue: “It turns out that the population-weighted average unemployment rate in states with Republican governors is 7.6 percent. The number for states with Democratic governors in 8.8. In other words, blue America (defined in terms of governors) has a higher unemployment rate than red America. Make of that what you will.”

ANOTHER UPDATE: Justin Katz writes:

Hey, Prof. Reynolds.

Being in the failing state of Rhode Island and having to deal with the monthly announcements that “unemployment fell,” I had a bit of a negative reaction to your report, earlier, that only 44 states saw unemployment increases. As Rhode Island shows, falling unemployment can mean that more people are giving up than are losing their jobs. Hardly a positive development. I collected the numbers earlier today, and as it happens *employment* fell in every single state except Utah, which saw a very, very small increase.

I follow these numbers every month, because in relative terms Rhode Island presents a morbid fascination, but this month was really pretty astonishing. *Every single state* except a slight increase in Utah!

I wonder if the result would be different if the media weren’t suppressing the impression that Romney could actually win.

Oh, a lot of things would be different.