Free Republic

Time to pop the champagne bottles and celebrate the state’s economic success, right? Not so fast. Illinois’ path to a low unemployment rate has been paved by labor force dropout. Too many workers have given up on the Land of Lincoln, and their act of despair is actually driving down Illinois’ jobless rate. You see, when an unemployed Illinoisan gives up on looking for work, he is no longer counted as unemployed. As more Illinoisans give up, the unemployment rate goes down. Illinois’ low unemployment rate is nothing to celebrate. If anyone is to be cheered, it is the dozens...