Prairie State Wire

Big red states gain, big blue states drain when it comes to 2023 population growth – A Wirepoints 50-state survey

By Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner | Jan 17, 2024

The multi-year pattern of population growth among the nation’s big red states – and shrinkage among the big blue – continued in 2023.

Illinois October 2023 unemployment: Still an outlier and now creeping upward

By Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner | Nov 30, 2023

The latest labor report for October shows Illinois still has the nation’s 3rd-worst unemployment rate in the country. A 4.6 percent jobless rate means 297,000 Illinoisans are unemployed.

Illinois becomes first state in America to go backward on school choice

By Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner | Nov 13, 2023

School choice in Illinois is dead. For now. The teachers unions were on a warpath to kill Illinois’ small tax-credit scholarship program and their Democratic allies weren’t willing to cross them.

OPINION: Jump in inflation bails out Illinois politicians, punishes ordinary residents

By Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner | Oct 26, 2021

There’s a price tag attached to the unprecedented federal money lavished on states under the pretext of COVID relief, which is over $9 trillion and growing. It’s in addition to higher federal taxes that will be needed to pay for it. It’s inflation, which is finally getting the attention it deserves.