The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) last week published a working paper that is the most thorough review we’ve seen so far relating state government COVID policy to actual results. In addition to mortality, it considered effects on the economy and education in its rankings.
Illinois is just about smack average on mortality. It ranks 24th among the states on COVID deaths per capita, adjusted for age and healthcare differences among states.
But it paid a high cost to achieve that mediocrity, ranking from 43rd to 47th on various economic indicators and 43rd on keeping schools open.
That earned it a combined ranking of 46th and an ‘F’ grade. Only California, New Mexico, New York, the District of Columbia and New Jersey scored worse. States with the top scores that earned an ‘A’ were Utah, Nebraska, Vermont, Montana, South Dakota, Florida, New Hampshire, Maine and Arkansas, in that order.
Another way to think about the study is to consider it as a look at whether strict COVID policies that damaged state economies and kept students out of school achieved any benefit in lower mortality. They didn’t, the study implies.
The summary chart showing the component rankings for each state is below. The authors are University of Chicago economist Casey Mulligan and Stephen Moore and Phil Kerpen of the Committee to Unleash Prosperity.
-Mark Glennon
Audio and summary 
If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
I’ve followed the numbers on Covid on this website for almost two years now and I thank Mark Glennon and the rest of the staff at Wirepoints for their diligence in all the updates. It seems to me that we have now reached a point where we should give up all mandates re: Covid and treat Covid as we do the flu. I am aware that Covid is not a variety of flu, but both are respiratory illnesses that have variations in severity and contagiousness. Based on what I’ve read, I would rather have Omicron than the 1918 Spanish flu. That said, we can deal… Read more »
Agree generally but there is NO circumstance that justifies forced masks or vaccines. NONE. As you soon as you say it’s ok — the floodgates are open and there is no principle underpinning your view.
Agreed. And don’t thank me. Our staff does the work updating this every day.
Excellent information. This needs to be shared far and wide!
For the ‘Karens’ (white women and white beta males) in suburbia, none of this Covid data and analysis matters – for them it’s all emotion, and they want their talisman, the mask, back. Pritzker and Democrats understand this. Look for Pritzker to reinstate a mask mandate to appease the Karens.
I agree. I believe that unfortunately, in Illinois, we have not seen the end of masking. Pritzker will do it at least once again. And yes, I believe that many regard masks as a talisman and a sign of what a good person they are— virtue signaling at its best.
Some of the lockdown motivation is expressed in a new column in The Nation, Shrinking the Economy to Save the World.” They wanted to chop down the economy for reasons other than COVID. They lament that COVID is ending and see global warming as the next pretext for forced economic shrinkage. These people are insane. From The Nation article: ‘”The early months of 2020, then, may be something of a blueprint for how a government can reform in response to an emergency. Lawmakers intentionally torpedoed the US economy in the name of public health, but the 30 percent plunge in… Read more »
The Nation is engaging in revisionist history here. Sure, a handful looked at this from that angle, but the vast majority of lawmakers shut down because Europe did, and then kept the measures in place far longer than need because they wanted to hurt Trump’s reelection changes and change the voting laws, and a loud but vocal minority of public health experts demanded it.
You are spot on. The global psychopaths are on a mission to control the world’s population and they are hatching every last plan possible to make it happen. I don’t think 99.99% of the country has any idea how far-reaching or serious this really is. Covid has been a massive wake-up call to understanding what these people are really up to. This is all decades in the making and may about to get much much worse (if we let it). Continue to expect the unexpected.
Of course Illinois earned an “F” rating. No surprise as it once again joins its fellow failures, common across many fronts like corruption and fiscal mismanagement – New York, New Jersey, DC and California – and all Democrat controlled.
Take a closer look at the “A” list. Only one large, populous state in that group – Florida. Imagine if Jabba the Putz had followed DeSantis’ lead . . .
Well he sent his family to their Palm Beach estate to freely frolic unmasked and ride at their south Florida equestrian farm so we know where his true beliefs lie, the question is what was his motivation and what does he gain locking down Illinois? Just because he could? If so that’s the tyranny the second amendment was written to end.
How can we get an F when every Democrat voter I know has said that JB Pritzker is ‘keeping us safe’ and that he did a good job!
Our F grade and map of surrounding states (and red vs blue) should be an easy TV advertisement for flyer for the Republicans in every race in the state this fall.
If they don’t, it’s a massive missed opportunity. Pritzker is a failure of epic proportions (double entendre!!!).
We are running out candidates in Champaign County on a public Safety platform. The state of Illinois has this mantra of demoralize and defund the police which has helped to bring such a suffocation of our police departments and a massive rise in crime since the whole Floyd events in Spring of 2020. If we do not swing the pendulum back the other way in Illinois we will see massive losses of financial capitol and human toll will continue with out-migration and loss of life. We don’t need to run on the filthy Covid tactics we can easily run on… Read more »
Disagree completely. You are WAY off with that comment. Covid backlash is not “filthy Covid tactics”. The Dems literally shut down businesses, forced vaccinations, actively discriminated against and threatened those who didn’t, and forced masks on our kids all day for 18 months. Those complicit with all that are the scum of the earth and deserve everything coming in every upcoming election this year. Being wronged during Covid is not something someone forgets or washes away over time. I’m PO’d and many are PO’d. Public safety — the police kind — is so far down the priority list. Can’t ignore… Read more »
I think he means that the Democrat’s covid measures were filthy…..
No. Re-read their comment. We is “republicans” or whomever opposing JB
“If we do not swing the pendulum back the other way in Illinois we will see massive losses of financial capitol and human toll will continue with out-migration and loss of life. We don’t need to run on the filthy Covid tactics we can easily run on public safety here.”
Campaign question for Pritzker: what was Pritzker Family financial stake in Covid-related investments? Likely not to be disclosed: significant financial gains for Supermob Family (kudos to Gus Russo’s book) re: JB’s inept at minimum, but probably just self-serving towards family interests, Covid policies enacted here in Illinois at his behest.
HE HE HE
18 Billionaire’s in Illinois I’ve been told.
How many are P’s?
1/3 I’m told.
Rich getting richer and destroying a state and now the nation where they are allowed.
Go DeSantis!
Pritzker has yet to disclose how much he and his family benefited from Covid, specifically with testing. How come?
Did over zealous control freaks like King Pritzker really accomplish anything in the way they managed Covid? Apparently not. The sad thing is, he will stand at the podium and insist he was right and would do the same thing again, with righteous indignation. There are many things not to like about the billionaire buffoon, but arrogance and incompetence are the top two, and a brutal combination.
Some people like Pritzker are self-deluded and will never admit they’re wrong thinking and doing. He should be ashamed.
He’s got 40%+ of the population believing he saved lived with his policies, and they want mask mandates back.
Just remember the old phase, “You can’t fix stupidity.”