The 2000 and 2004 presidential elections thrust Ohio into the national spotlight, and political scientists studied the Buckeye state to try to understand voter behavior.  Perhaps it is time for economists to do the same.  Ohio has been hit hard by the Great Recession, but its economic struggles date to well before the subprime crisis.  Efforts to chart a new course there may provide an interesting and relevant case study.  The Brookings Institution and The Greater Ohio Policy Center have released a report, Restoring Prosperity: Transforming Ohio’s Communities for the Next Economy.  Their "fix" for Ohio has three main components.  First, the state should, the report argues, recognize its assets as an historically innovative state that has advantages in human capital and infrastructure potential.  Then Ohio's leaders must reform state governance.  And finally, they must, according to the report, "engage the federal government" and compete for federal aid in building the state economy.  Here's an outline of step 1 from the report:

Read the full report here.