California Democrats now control every statewide elective office and have veto proof majorities in both chambers of the state legislators. They passed a $6 billion tax hike last November and the state’s carbon cap and trade and renewable electricity mandates are now being implemented. No state that has embraced the progressive policy vision more than California.

There is just one problem: California now leads the nation in unemployment.

Yesterday, the Department of Labor released it’s first Regional and State Employment and Unemployment report of the new year. It found that California now has the highest unemployment rate in the nation at 9.8 percent. In December of last year, both Nevada and Rhode Island had higher unemployment rates. Nevada’s unemployment rate fell to 9.7 percent and Rhode Island is now tied with California at 9.8 percent.

While the number of Californians with jobs did grow in January, California’s labor force grew faster. All told, an additional 2,838 Californians joined the ranks of the unemployed.