Posted on by Californiacontrarian

Blue State Governors

I just viewed a most interesting graph by WalletHub that compared the fifty states and the District of Columbia on multiple individual parameters related to Covid. These individual state parameters included death rate, a restriction/freedom index, an unemployment rate, presence or absence of a state level mask mandate, and a Republican/Democrat Governor.

The graph initially divided all fifty states and the District of Columbia into four basic quartiles based on death rate per 100,000 (y-axis) and a restrictive/freedom index (x-axis) with more freedom on one side and more restrictions on the opposite side.

Let’s focus first on the restriction/freedom index which included thirteen key metrics, including such things as travel restrictions, large gathering restrictions, school restarts, restaurant and bar reopening, strictness of “shelter in place” mandates, etc. These parameters were weighted, scored, and added together. The sum of these added parameters then allows the states and D.C. to be ranked from the least restrictive to the most restrictive. (The five least restrictive states in order: Iowa, Florida, Wyoming, South Dakota, Texas)

The death rates between the red-governor states and the blue-governor states are approximately the same, however in terms of the restriction/freedom index, there is no comparison as the red-governor states score dramatically better (much less restrictive) than the blue-governor states – in other words the much more dramatic restrictions of freedoms in the mostly blue-governor states did not translate into a lower death rate.

Was there anything else that was apparent in those states which scored much lower on the restriction/freedom index (more restrictive). Yes, in fact, the most dramatic correlation was that the unemployment rate was impressively higher in those states that imposed more restrictions on freedoms. Not surprising these states were overwhelmingly blue-governor states.

In other words the restriction of freedoms in mainly blue-governor states did not alter the death rate, but did cause dramatically higher unemployment rates.

For the sake of completeness the states with Democratic(blue) governors captured 21 out of the 24 top spots on the more restrictive scoreboard, signifying more lockdowns, etc. and more unemployment, but no decrease in overall death rates.

So who benefitted? Not those who lived in blue states!

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