High energy costs cut two ways in Colorado

‘It's not enough’
Tucker Hart Adams, an economist with The Adams Group who has followed the state’s ups and downs for decades, said Jackson and her fellow Coloradans are right to worry about whether the state will provide good jobs in the future. The state’s unemployment rate shot up to 5.2 percent in June, from 3.8 percent a year earlier. While that was still below the national rate of 5.7 percent, Adams said the figure tells only part of the story. She believes the state’s long-term job growth, especially in high-paying fields like technology, can’t support its growing population and high number of recent college graduates.

“It’s not enough to provide jobs, and full-time good jobs, for everybody,” she said.

Wobbekind also recently lowered his job growth forecast for the state from 1.9 percent to 1.5 percent for the year. He said early indicators are showing job losses in fields such as construction and manufacturing.

Many msnbc.com readers said getting — or keeping — a good job is a key economic concern.

Greg Thomason, who has an MBA and decades of experience in public relations and other fields, said he hasn’t been able to find a steady job since he was laid off in 2004.

Thomason, who lives in the Denver suburb of Arvada, gets by doing consulting work, but his savings have been depleted and he is uncertain about the future. He said he’s supporting Obama because he believes the Democrat will work to reverse economic policies that have driven up the national deficit and, he thinks, hurt the middle class. Still, he doesn’t expect change to come quickly.

“I don’t believe that any president is going to have that immediate an impact on the economy,” he said.

Support for offshore drilling
Over on the Western slope, in Grand Junction, Terrell is settling into a new home. While he doesn’t work in either the natural gas or tourism industries — the main drivers of the economy there — he has them to thank for the strength in local home prices and a stronger regional economy. He said that because he was able to sell his house for a good profit, he was able to pay off debts and position himself well for retirement.

Still, Terrell, an operations manager for the local newspaper, said he and his wife, who works in a grocery store, are worried about rising food prices. And they're thankful to have a fuel-efficient car, with gas prices hovering around the $4 a gallon mark.

When it comes to the election, Terrell likes Obama’s spark but said he is most concerned about backing a candidate who will reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil, in part by expanding U.S. drilling.

Ciruli, the pollster, said domestic drilling has become a key issue with Colorado voters since gas prices began surging. He believes it’s one of the few economic issues that have benefited the state’s Republicans, since McCain favors expanding offshore drilling. The Republican also has said he would encourage more nuclear power plant construction.

Obama also said recently that he would favor some offshore drilling, as part of a plan that also would encourage fuel-efficient vehicles and development of alternative energy sources. Ciruli said Obama's change of heart on offshore drilling should blunt the Republican advantage in Colorado somewhat.

Affordable fuel is key to a lifestyle Ciruli said many in Colorado don’t want to give up.

“We are a completely committed recreational state, and by and large we recreate with gas,” Ciruli said. “We load up the SUV and go to the mountains.”

Terrell also is among the Coloradans who believe the real promise for the United States — and his home state — lies in the vast reserves of oil shale nestled in the cliffs he can see from his window. He said his family used to burn the shale for fuel long ago and, as gas prices have risen, he has been hearing more talk of mining the shale and processing it to produce oil.

Adams, the economist, is skeptical that such an operation is feasible. She notes that there has been speculation about mining oil shale since at least 1917, and said there is still debate over whether the cost, logistics and resources needed would be worth the outcome.

“Certainly, there’s a huge amount of oil there, but it’s not easy to get out,” she said.

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