Government policies have little to do with the health of state economies. Private investment decisions have far more to do with the size of the unemployment rolls than tax policy, education spending and other government initiatives.

Voters, however, tend to see economic health as a government responsibility. That's why South Carolina's depressed - and depressing - jobs situation could hurt Gov. Mark Sanford and other state incumbents in 2006.

The S.C. unemployment average for August - the most recent month available - was 6.2 percent, sixth worst in the nation, with residents in most S.C. counties participating in the misery. Only a handful of counties, Horry among them, have rosier jobs pictures. Employment experts expect S.C. employment to decline even more as the cold months approach.

What we have here is a political wild card that elected officials are powerless to fix. Who could blame them for quavering at the prospect that overemotional voters next year will punish them for job losses they didn't cause?