Last Jobs Report of the Year A Mixed Bag

12/29/2020
by Eric Peterson, Director of Policy During the holiday season, Louisianans have more on their mind than the latest state economic reports. Yet as we enter the New Year, it’s important to understand where our state’s economy stands. Two reports, one from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the other from the Bureau of...

TAGS: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau Of Labor Statistics, COVID-19, Economic Analysis, Economy, Gross Domestic Product, jobs and opportunity, lawsuit abuse, legal reform, occupational licensing, regulatory reform, tax reform

Damage of Louisiana’s Shutdown Becoming Clearer

By Daniel J. Erspamer
10/09/2020
As the Louisiana legislature debates adding checks and balances to the state’s emergency powers, reports from both the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are painting a picture of just how economically damaging the state’s shutdown has been. Let’s start with the worst news. The BEA reported Louisiana’s economy shrank...

TAGS: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau Of Labor Statistics, COVID-19, Get Louisiana Working, Real GDP, Unemployment, Unemployment Rate

New Report Reveals Extent of Damage from COVID-19 and Shutdowns

07/31/2020
Current methods for collecting economic data causes a disconnect between what people are actually feeling in their lives and the numbers being released to the public. That’s why prior to this week, we knew that COVID-19 and subsequent shutdowns have made large impacts on the American economy, but we didn’t know the full scope of...

TAGS: Bureau of Economic Analysis, COVID-19, GDP, Great Depression, Gross Domestic Product, Labor, Unemployment, Unemployment Insurance, Unemployment Rate

Louisiana Economy Suffers One of Worst Declines in the Nation

07/08/2020
Due to the damage caused by COVID-19 and government shutdowns, it’s been clear that no state was going to experience any economic growth through the first half of the year. Instead, the major question has revolved around which states’ economies would be hit the hardest. Well the first quarter results are in, and the numbers...

TAGS: Bureau of Economic Analysis, COVID-19, GDP, Get Louisiana Working, jobs and opportunity, Labor

While National Economy is Improving, Much of Louisiana is Still Lagging

07/02/2020
Just in time for the Independence Day Holiday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released some good news for the American people. The national unemployment rate fell 2.2 percent, leading to a total of 11.1 percent in June. Most notably, an astounding 4.8 million Americans who were temporarily laid off are now back in the workforce....

TAGS: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Economic Analysis, Get Louisiana Working, jobs and opportunity, Unemployment Insurance, Unemployment Rate

Louisiana’s 2019 GDP Ranked Among The Worst in Nation

04/07/2020
As economic news continues to focus on the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ (BEA) recently released report further underscored Louisiana’s pre-coronavirus economic struggles. In the final quarter of 2019, the BEA report on state Gross Domestic Products (GDP) showed the Louisiana economy grew an anemic 1.1 percent, ranking 43rd in...

TAGS: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Jobs, jobs and opportunity, Labor, legal reform, occupational licensing, tax reform