Contrary to what most experts had predicted, the unemployment rates in 43 states went up in December. Although the national average is still approximately 10%, a handfull of states are struggling with unemployment rates approaching 15%, not a good sign for economists who had previously believed that the economy is on the mend.
In any economic recovery employment is among the last indicator to reverse course and begin to rise, but the numbers for December are troubling for a White House and Congress that find themselves hoping against hope that a large percentage of the workers who are currently looking for jobs will find them before the November elections.