Paul Tosto at MinnEcon, from Minnesota Public Radio, has an excellent post about today’s staggering news of Hibbing’s 18.7 percent unemployment rate, now the highest among Minnesota cities. Virginia, Minn., another Iron Range town, is close behind at 17 percent. These numbers have shot up over the past few months with the massive downturn in the local mining economy.
It cannot be understated how dramatic the tide has turned in the Iron Range economy over the past year and how completely and continually unprepared we seem to be every time the golden cow of mining hits the skids. Sorry for the mixed metaphor.
Anyway, this confirms what many have suspected. The Iron Range economy, along with Minnesota as a whole, is sinking down close to the low levels seen during the early 1980s. There is a way out, of course. Let’s just hope that lessons have been learned on this latest roller coaster ride.
I was hoping that my unemployed young adult kids could pick up some work this summer, perhaps cleaning cabins. This is the first summer that there were no ads in the papers begging for help at resorts.
And as well it ought to be much much higher. It is only then that the bulk of the Iron Range’s voters will perhaps come to terms with the fact that their loyal subservience, not to principles steeped in logic and reason but instead, to the liberal Democratic party has been the key to their economic woes.
Count the ways:
Wage increase mandates, increased taxes, increased environmental regulations, et al.
“And as well it ought to be much much higher.”
Listen, I know it’s tempting to turn every blog post into a partisan back and forth, but first and foremost this is a blog I keep — for free — as part of my efforts to modernize the Iron Range. To say that unemployment ought to be much higher because of how people vote here is going to prompt me to say, “Go to hell.” That’s not very nice. Neither was your sentiment.
Our problems are economic, not political. I should say that our political problems are systemic and not related to partisanship. If the Iron Range voted 70 percent GOP instead of DFL we’d have the same problems. Look at the U.P. They’ve been tilting red for decades … they have lower taconite taxes, etc. … and what good is that doing them?
Our problem is population loss and dependence on natural resource industries. That will require creative thinking that could come from members of any political party. Indeed, it will require the efforts of all.
How’s that HOPE* and CHANGE** workin out for ya?
*misery
**index
“Wage increase mandates, increased taxes, increased environmental regulations, et al.”
Soapbox, just wait ’till their energy tax kicks in. Oy, that’s gonna leave a mark. Ouch!
Sigh…
Yeah… I hate things like fair wages, government services likes schools and police departments and environmental protection so that I don’t gag on the air I breathe.
Just when I thought I was turning red, you convince me to stay blue soapboxgod. That’s impressive in a completely sarcastic way.
Hi Aaron:
When this happened in the 1980s, I was in elementary school. I remember being bummed as so many of my friends moved away because their dads had lost their jobs.
I think our area’s focus should be on doing everything we are able to make it possible for our early 20-somethings to make it through this rough time here.
Maybe it’s just because of my age, but I think many of us who are in our 30s – early 40s are here just about forever now – we grew up here, we’ve seen the ups and downs of living here, we’ve stuck it out this long, we’re committed to the area, we’re proud of where we’re from, and we’re still going to be here when this passes. Many of us are reprioritizing and learning to live on less during this time, but we’ll still be here.
I try to keep some of this in mind when I hear some of these scary statistics.
Amy
MM said…
“Sigh… Yeah… I hate…” blah blah blah blah blah blah…
Hello, MM, is there anybody in there?
Your blathering rant was sad, but almost comical.
So you say you want free jobs and free healthcare and free…
The unraveling of what our founders created is no laughing matter.
“A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take everything you have.” – Thomas Jefferson
“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” – Thomas Jefferson