I have been watching politics for more than 35 years. I can say with absolute confidence that today’s political climate is the most divisive I have seen. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about. The Gross Domestic Product numbers were released a couple of weeks ago and they weren’t pretty. The new GDP numbers released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis revealed economic output in the U.S. slowed to an annual rate of 1.5 percent. That’s the first estimate for the third quarter, ending at the end of September. Now, perhaps with Friday’s jobs report showing 271,000 jobs created during October, the Q3 GDP number will be revised. But as it stands, the GDP news is not positive. And the Institute for Supply Management said Monday that its index of factory activity slipped to 50.1 in October from 50.2 in September. The figures barely signal growth, which is any reading above 50. The report also showed that a measure of hiring fell sharply, from 50.5 to 47.6. That means manufacturers cut jobs last month. I am not sure how this stacks up against the positive jobs report. It seems like a contradiction, but nonetheless, the ISM reported that factory activity was at its lowest point since May 2013. Analysts are hoping we are at the bottom of this trend and perhaps we are. But again, this is not positive news. So, amid this national economic climate, I got an email from Indiana Workforce Development a couple of weeks ago tossing out some figures giving a snapshot of how Indiana’s economy was fairing during September. • Indiana is now 9,200 Private Sector jobs above March 2000 peak employment levels. • Indiana’s unemployment rate decrease of 6.3% from July 2009, the low point of employment, and 3.9% since January 2013 both rank 2nd in the U.S. • Indiana’s unemployment rate decrease of 1.3% over the past year ranks 4th in the U.S. • The Hoosier labor force has grown by 84,000 individuals since January 2013, which leads the Midwest. • Indiana’s labor force participation rate has outperformed the national average for 24 months in a row. (Indiana’s increased to 63.5% vs. 62.4%.) • Hoosier Private Sector job growth of 6,600 in September ranked 4th in the nation. • Private Sector job growth of 63,200 over the past year in Indiana ranks 9th in the U.S. • Since July 2009, Indiana has added 298,600 Private Sector jobs, which ranks 12th in the nation. (+128,900 since January 2013, or +5.2%.) • The Hoosier State has added the 2nd most Manufacturing jobs (+92,500) in the U.S. since July 2009, at a rate that ranks 3rd in the nation (+21.6%). • Indiana has grown the 3rd most Manufacturing jobs in the U.S. over the past year (+10,800). • Indiana continues to have the highest concentration of private sector Manufacturing jobs in the U.S. • The Hoosier State ranked 6th in the nation in Private Educational & Health jobs added (+3,000) in September, and has added the 9th most over the past year (+14,900). • Indiana has added 22,700 Trade, Transportation and Utilities jobs over the past year, which ranks 5th in the nation, at a rate of +3.9%, which ranks 2nd in the U.S. • Construction growth in Indiana in September ranked 7th in the nation (+1,700), at a rate of 1.4%, which ranked 8th in the U.S. • Indiana ranked second in Midwest labor force growth. • Indiana ranked 4th in nation in private sector jobs added in September. Manufacturing Growth • Indiana ranks 2nd in the nation in jobs added since July 2009 (the low point of employment in Indiana) • Indiana ranks 3rd in the nation in rate of growth since July 2009 (the low point of employment in Indiana). • Indiana ranks 3rd in jobs added over the past year. • Indiana ranked 6th in the nation in jobs added in September. • Indiana ranks 9th in the nation in jobs added over the past year. Trade, Transportation and Utilities Growth • Indiana ranks 5th in the nation in jobs added over the past year. • Indiana ranks 2nd in rate of growth over the past year. Construction Growth • Indiana ranked 7th in the nation in job growth in September. • Indiana ranked 8th in the nation in rate of growth in August. OK, so, not horrible, right? Now don’t get me wrong. I know quite well that the good folks down at Workforce Development aren’t beyond cherry picking the statistics they decided to release. But at the same time, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to come to the conclusion that Indiana is doing better economically than some of its midwest neighbors and the nation as a whole. The same day as Workforce released the statistics, I got this: INDIANAPOLIS – Drew Anderson, communications director for the Indiana Democratic Party, released the following statement responding to September’s jobs report. “Governor Pence is late to the game on addressing many of today’s problems for Hoosiers – our crumbling infrastructure being just one example – but he’s the first to tout an economy using only snapshots that don’t tell the whole story about Indiana’s economic struggles. Today’s figures once again fit the national trend established by President Obama. But for Indiana, the hardworking middle class know jobs in the state provide wages far lower than what they were in early 2000. With shrinking wages and sluggish economic growth, Indiana continues to fall behind the rest of the nation – and it’s Mike Pence to blame for allowing the state to plummet to a rank of 46th in quality of life.” What convoluted, illogical nonsense. Crumbling infrastructure? Has anybody driven U.S. 31 from just north of Indy to South Bend lately? We’re building a new I-69 from Indy to Evansville. There are road and bridge projects under way all over the state, at least two right here in our county. What national trend established by President Obama is he talking about? Tepid – and tepid is a very kind adjective – growth? If anything, Indiana’s relative success is despite Obama’s policies, not because of them. Regarding 46th in quality of life, since there is no source cited, I can only assume Anderson is refering to a 2009 survey done by Forbes magazine ranking states by “Well-Being Index,” “Life Evaluation,” “Work Quality,” “Basic Access,” “Healthy Behavior,” “Physical Health” and “Emotional Health.” We poor Indiana residents were joined in our abject misery by the likes of Kentucky, Ohio, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Michigan in that survey – all ranked in the 40s. The number one state? Utah. The more I watch politics, the more I come to the sad realization that the divisiveness is only getting worse, No matter what side of the aisle you’re on, the other side is bereft of ideas and full of idiots and losers. No one outside your party ever has any good ideas. Ever. If your adversary actually manages to accomplish something positive, you can give no credit. You must denigrate and belittle. And when – not if, when – one of your own royally screws up, you make excuses for the behavior. You rationalize. You justify. This, quite simply, is the worst possible climate for crafting public policy at any level. Nothing good can come of it. It’s hopeless.
