Smacked upside the head by an invisible hand

Couple of years ago, after a raucous fight over the right of assembly in Wisconsin (the Republicans were agin it), leftists were saying we-told-you-so about the subsequent failure of the state's economy to boom, especially as compared with neighbor Michigan, where antisyndicalism had not yet taken hold.

Well, that was then. We have since had a national election and the whole economy has begun to revive somewhat. Surely Wisconsin, having shucked off the carapace of sclerotic statism, is leading the way.

Not according to the Federal Reserve.

Wages are declining faster than anyplace else, except -- surprise -- gas-boomy Wyoming.

The librul Milwaukee Journal Sentinel opines:

 Even in a slow recovery, Wisconsin has been on the caboose. Few if any economists appear to have pinpointed the exact reasons, which has opened the issue to political posturing over economic policy from both sides.

Silly economists. I think we can figure it out without them.