Posted on 06/09/2012 9:58:46 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
“Most of the 10 poorest states are Republican” is a quote of CNN’s Jack Cafferty. It appeared in his “Cafferty File” blog last September 22, and was accompanied by the opinion, this is “something the GOP can’t be too comfortable with.” Indeed, in an election year, you can bet that Democrats will try to make hay with those data.
My previous column made the case that Democratic Party policies have induced the impoverishment of America’s poorest cities. Turnabout is fair play. If Republican policies have led to the economic stagnation of entire states, whereas Democrats are only responsible for ruining cities, then the Dems might have the stronger campaign talking point. Let’s examine the 10 poorest states to see if Republicans are to blame for their relative economic standing.
The poorest states, based on per capita income, are, from first to last: Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, West Virginia, Louisiana, Montana, South Carolina, Kentucky, Alabama, and North Carolina. Of these, exactly half—Arkansas, Kentucky, Montana, North Carolina, and West Virginia—have Democratic governors and three have Democratic majorities in the lower house of their legislature, so these state governments can hardly be classified as completely Republican. On the other hand, only North Carolina voted for Obama in 2008, so in that sense, these states may be leaning Republican.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
I will be joining you both in a couple of weeks.
I’ll bet those same states were among the poorest back when they used to vote Democrat too.
In short, those nine erstwhile slaveholding states have been lagging behind the northern states economically for two centuries. Just because one generation of leaning Republican has not eliminated a disparity that was entrenched for centuries, it is not an indictment of Republicans.
Exactly my line of thinking and you said it well.
What about southern cities vs. northern cities? Just my observation but the larger cities in the south seem to fare better than comparable sized northern ones. I'm thinking of D./F.W., Atlanta, Houston et al. Are these cities run by democrats?
All we have to do to see the utter failure of liberal policies concerning cities is look at Detroit.
Same here, houeto, except it’s deer, turkey, and all the fresh veggies we can raise. Who would want to live in any of those dying cities up east?
In short, those nine erstwhile slaveholding states have been lagging behind the northern states economically for two centuries. Just because one generation of leaning Republican has not eliminated a disparity that was entrenched for centuries, it is not an indictment of Republicans.
Exactly my line of thinking and you said it well.
What about southern cities vs. northern cities? Just my observation but the larger cities in the south seem to fare better than comparable sized northern ones. I'm thinking of D./F.W., Atlanta, Houston et al. Are these cities run by democrats?
All we have to do to see the utter failure of liberal policies concerning cities is look at Detroit.
Purchasing power is what money and income is all about.”
We just returned to Texas from a few days to the Mississippi gulf area. Since we always stay where we can cook most of our meals, a trip to the grocery story was at the top of the list. Groceries were a whole lot less expensive than in Texas as was the gas. I was really amazed and our vacation dollars went a whole lot farther than expected. Beaches were also a whole lot cleaner and not crowded at all. We certainly are going back.
I think you should blame Jefferson Davis (D-MS) for the problems of the South.
let’s see...
the left loves big govt and big govt contracts
the left has been in control of the purse strings since 2006
do ya think maybe, juuuust maybe, there have been more federal contracts awarded to dem states ... or more big money state level contracts awarded in dem states... knowing full well the fedgov will back any short fall the state may have financially
this is how the liberal states drain the conservative states. not entirely through direct federal contracts, but through radical over spending at the state and local levels
knowing the fedgov will demand mores taxes from those of us in less liberal states... draining us to support themselves
in florida, where state revenues come directly from sales and property taxes, an increase in federal taxes directly impacts the state revenues possible... as it reduces the amount spent at the local level.
and of course, those tax increases are used to support places like detroit, CA, NY and MA
But your points are valid. Slavery made some individuals rich but meant that the economic development of those states did not match the North--there was little manufacturing. The war devastated parts of the South, and after the war Confederate money was worthless, so the area became a debtor region and incomes were generally much lower than in the North.
I heard someone talking today about his family's experiences. They had a farm in Tennessee during the war and although their house wasn't burned, most of what they had of value was taken by Union troops including their farm animals and food supplies. He said that he is often asked how they did during the Depression and he said that during the Depression they were still recovering from Reconstruction. He is old enough to remember the Depression.
This is BS... it what you can buy with your income...some one figured Upstate New York was poorer than Mississippi...they made more money but they had nothing left after taxes..
Lets add the debt in.
California, NY, NJ, MA, MI, IL - these are all bankrupt and will have huge tax bills coming for their citizens. They have pensions that they cannot pay so they will take from workers to pay it.
Without the irresponsibility in the Dem leadership concerning muni unions and spending, there is only half of a conversation.
The article is flawed.
Do they take into account cost of living? Money goes a LOT further in those states.
>I think you should blame Jefferson Davis (D-MS) for the problems of the South.<
Ever heard the term, “Sunbelt”? Putting North Carolina, for example, in a group of “poorest states” works if you’ve never been there.
If the King of England hadn't made them buy slaves, there wouldn't have been a problem.
The planter elite brought on the war because they were afraid that the election of a "Black Republican" threatened the long-term viability of slavery. Jefferson Davis was a member of that elite but just one man and far from the worst. Slavery was well entrenched in the South before he was born, and the Revolutionary era politicians in the South who thought that slavery was evil were afraid to try to do anything about it, because it would be political suicide to try.
The planter elite were sort of like the union bosses of their day. Get what's good for themselves and to hell with everyone else.
The real question is where do democrats think all them people who are too poor to live under their high taxes and regulations?
That is right our Conservative and more free States.
Yet anther reason Yankee poor and middle class would find it advantageous to move south. Thus inflating our ratio of poor to rich and lowering our per-captia income.
Congratulations-where are you moving to? I’m just outside of Montgomery.
“I think you should blame Jefferson Davis (D-MS) for the problems of the South.”
That is probably the most ridiculous statement I’ve ever heard on this forum.
Jeff Davis was not even responsible for the Southern Independence movement, he was just elected president of the Southern Confederacy.
A case could be made that he was responsible for inability of the Southern Confederacy to hold back the Imperial hordes. But it seems highly unlikely any could do much better against such odds.
The author is right thou the devastation of the south, utter destruction of the south (economic base included) and subsequent Federal trade and monetary policy’s which favored industrial over agrarian economic activity served to impoverish the south. The trend of Federal policy was in this direction before the war(that is what led to the war) and after the war with the South striped of its political power and enslaved to the north. Protectionist and inflationary national banking policys became a mainstay.
Money became more constrated in the urban, manufacturing north and it became even harder for the now devastated agrarian southern economy to make a profit.
Thank you. The wife, kids, and I are moving to Huntsville. Tough moving from where I am, since my extended family is here, but it was a really good opportunity, and I have heard and seen nothing but positives about AL and Huntsville. Well, except for tornadoes...
>>>>Jack Acidly...<<<<
How ‘bout Jack Assheadly?
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