ILL-inois: From the Land of Lincoln to the Land of the Link Card

Lincoln on Lincoln Ave, Chicago

Illinois has gone from the Land of Lincoln to the Land of the Link Card. That card is the 21st century version of food stamps in Illinois. And enrollment in food stamps is nearly double the number of jobs created in America's fifth-most populous state since 2008.

From the patriots at the Illinois Policy Institute:

Illinois' sluggish jobs recovery is coming at a tremendous cost. For every post-recession job created in Illinois, nearly two people have enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps.

In the recession era, the number of Illinoisans dependent on food stamps has risen by 745,000. Without adequate job creation in the state, Illinois families have had no choice but to depend upon food stamps to put bread on the table.

The Prairie State has had the worst recovery from the Great Recession of any state in the U.S. There are nearly 300,000 fewer Illinoisans working today than in January 2008, and 170,000 fewer payroll jobs.

The mismanagement of the state by Rod Blagojevich and his two-time running mate, Pat Quinn, has devastated Illinois. Quinn's massive "temporary" income tax hike is a millstone on upon Illinois.