The "chronic" unemployment rate are in States with chronically contracted economies based on the "W" standard.

There is recovery happening, but, the Red States are dragging the recovery into the failure zone. When the Red States receive unemployment extentions it has to be to add disincentives to old infrastruture that is NOT recovering and actually lost jobs permanently. The "W" economy was based in construction while depriving education and conservation. The Red States are waiting for all that to return. It's not coming back, the construction 'bubble' accompanied the "investment bank" collapse and the investment banks have left the country. Okay? These States value systems are screwed up.

U.S. Adds 162,000 Jobs in March; Rate Remains 9.7% (click here)
By JAVIER C. HERNANDEZ
Published: April 2, 2010
The American economy added 162,000 jobs in March, the Labor Department reported Friday, while the unemployment rate held steady at 9.7 percent....

Unenemployment Monthly Rates for States (click here)
Rankings
Seasonally Adjusted
Feb. 2010p

Of the top 11, there are three that are Blue States during the Obama election of 2008 and Number 10 is a tie with New Hampshire (blue) and Utah (red) are a tie. More traditionally, New Hampshire is a Red State with what's his name, Gregg as a Senator. So, given that reality, the "W" States are the ones with the greatest trouble in the recovery.

These states have little 'social' infrastructure. They don't provide their populations with monies to support the 'lag' in employment. They always have a lackluster economy. So, while the economic infrastructure is supported by Blue State policies and constitutions, the Red States will be the poorest performers of all. It is WHY the recovery has been exceptionally long at the rate of 9+%.

If I may?

These are the States that only recently had their legislatures meet. Their legislators are all 'OLD WORLD" legislators and believe in reducing the fiscal infrastructure rather than expanding it. Arizona is an interesting example of the 'drag' a State can create on the Federal Treasury and government. They have one of the lowest income tax rates in the country and their Governor is crying for National Guard help with their border issues.

These States shoot themselves in the foot and the House and Senate need to treat them differently. These states have to have incentive to 'change' the way they structure their infrastructure and handle their government presence in the economy. A good example of where North Carolina and South Carolina can improve their economic performance is to shift monies from Construction to Conservation and put all the people within those States to work doing what they love most.

Same is true in Arizona. Arizona is shutting down their State Park Systems with Spring and Summer coming when it should be hiring people to work in areas of their parks to increase their treasury income.

The Red States chronically work against their best interests because they have 'philosophies' that work against them.

In North Carolina, they have put to work some lunatic educational authorities that have removed 'The Civil War' from the High School History cirriculum due to the fact The South lost the war. The NC Educational lunatics now start their High School History education with Reconstruction and the victimization of the people of the South.

They are idiots that are acively seeking to change the course of history to 'fit' the way their electorate wants it to be rather than the way it actually occurred.

These States definately need PHILOSOPHICAL rehab and soon. It is why Democrats are either Blue or not elected.