The Lockdown Effect: Colorado Economy Goes From One of the Best to One of the Worst

Colorado has traditionally boasted a high-performing economy when compared to other states. Now it seems like those days may be in the past: Our top-ten economy (in the second quarter) dropped into the bottom ten during the third quarter.

This is likely a delay due to the differences in Colorado’s economy versus other states: Colorado’s economy is more driven by business services, information, and government than similarly-populated states. As workers were forced home by mandated lockdowns, more Coloradoans remained employed during the initial phase than in some other states. Eventually, other states reopened (or never closed), and the lagging effect of our losses in service, hospitality, recreation, and retail sectors caught up with us.

States like South Dakota, Iowa, Arkansas, and Florida have had much more measured approaches to mitigation, and have largely left decisions about health and contact in the hands of their citizens, while Colorado has largely emulated states like California in its approach, favoring heavy-handed mandates and citizen-blaming modeling scenarios.

The effect of the virus in Colorado has been largely the same as states that didn’t torch their economies.

This must not be forgotten: This damage was caused by our governor, his failed policies, and the triumph of mass panic and fear over rational commitment to liberty.