I don’t know that I would call L.A. a third world type of place but according to the U.S. Census Mississippi has the lowest per capita income of any state and L.A.’s per capita income was a few hundred dollars below even Mississippi’s .
Since metaphors can’t be “adept” (see #2) I’d say L.A. should ask Mississippi how they do so well.
(Maybe he meant “apt” or “apropos”)
Wow! You’re posing quite a question. I don’t know the answer but my conjecture would be this: The people of Mississipi, despite long historical economic problems, are generally an independent and can-do people who take pride in self-reliance and not looking to lean on the government for solutions. This was evident when Hurricane Katrina devasted the Gulf region. We saw the city of New Orleans - a Democratic bastion forever which is lost without government nursing and support - totally unable to take the initiative. This wasn’t just because of the population density and the breaking of the levees. It was because the city and its populace were completely imbued with a welfare, dependent mentality that was unable and unwilling to take the initiative and fend for itself. Of course, there were notable exceptions. But, on the whole, New Orleans was a basket case compared to Mississippi and Gov. Haley Barbour. I think L.A. is more like New Orleans to the extent it’s got the helpless welfare mentality.