An encouraging December helped pull the Land of Lincoln out of last place in the Midwest for 2014 jobs growth.

There are now 1.06 million more Americans working than when the recession began. In comparison, there are 232,000 fewer Illinoisans working over the same time period, the second-largest employment gap in the U.S.

The stunning data underscore an important point as power shifts to Governor-elect Bruce Rauner: Illinois cannot raise taxes on a population that is shrinking due to massive numbers of people leaving.

Had Illinois managed the recession and recovery on par with the rest of the U.S., there would be an additional 300,000 Illinoisans working today, and an additional 220,000 payroll jobs.