Thanks Uncle Teddy...

The below article was published in the Dayton Daily News on September 19th.

Ohio's jobless rate highest since 1992

By William Hershey

Staff Writer

Friday, September 19, 2008

COLUMBUS — Ohio's unemployment rate increased to 7.4 percent in August, the highest state jobless rate since October of 1992, according to data released on Friday, Sept. 19, by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
The August unemployment rate was up slightly from 7.2 percent in July and more than a point higher than the 5.7 percent rate in August of 2007.
The U.S. jobless rate for August was 6.1 percent, up from 5.7 percent in July.
"Ohio's labor market continued to mirror the national trend by showing signs of decline in August," Helen Jones-Kelley, ODJFS directors, said in a press release. "Larger decreases in the goods-producing sectors resulted from continued losses in manufacturing and durable goods."
Overall, Ohio's nonfarm wage and salary employed dropped by 3,700 over the month, from 5,410,500 in July to 5,406,800 in August.
The number of unemployed workers in the state in August was 445,000, up from 432,000 in July.
During the past 12 months, the number of unemployed has increased by 106,000, from 339,000.
The unemployment news comes against the backdrop of a gloomy national economy, declining state tax returns and a continuing state budget crisis that saw Gov. Ted Strickland announce $540 million in budget adjustments last week, including $198 million in spending cuts.

I wanted to bring this article to your attention because Gov. Ted Strickland made promise after promise in speech after speech in 2006 to "turn around Ohio" while campaigning. And now here we are being guided by the Strickland administration and the Jobless rate is the highest its been since 1992. Ironically the last time the rate was this high was under another Democrat Governor, Dick Celeste...quite possibly the original "Slick Willy". This article points out that month after month Ohio continues to lose jobs. It has gone up a full percentage point in one years time. And Ohio is ahead of the National average, in a category we do not want to be leading.

While local governments are working to bring jobs to Ohio Gov. Strickland continues to make it harder by imposing new restrictions and limitations on businesses wishing to locate in Ohio (ie Honda Plant choosing Indiana over Ohio). The only jobs Strickland seems to be concerned about creating are full time positions in Columbus and placing Republican leadership in them so they can't run for re-election of their respected districts. A brilliant and solely political move on his behalf as he works to take GOP leadership out and have them replaced by tax and spend liberals in the House. (Strickland has made it a personal priority to take back the House in Ohio)

So..."Thanks, but no Thanks" Uncle Teddy. Your leadership has left more people in Ohio without a job when you clearly promised to help people find and keep jobs.