The Great Moderation impacted job growth across nearly all regions over a fairly short period of time.

Through much of 2008, the Texas economy continued to expand while the nation fell into recession. Growth in the energy and high-tech sectors and rising home prices were key factors in making Texas' economy one of the nation's strongest. ; In the last half of the year, however, the state's...

States are in the midst of perhaps the most challenging fiscal environment of the postwar era. Spending and revenue patterns broke away from trend in the years leading up to the recession, leaving states relatively poorly positioned to overcome the slowdown. And while they have made adjustments...