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Among the four traditional regions (Northeast, South, Midwest and West), which one do you think would be the most prosperous if it were its own nation, completely sovereign from the rest of the U.S. and world?
I would say that the Northeast would be the most prosperous on its own, even though it's the smallest region. I mean, there's tons of agricultural farm land to supply food (despite what people may think), plenty of established utility services, a wealth of financial and banking institutions, and has the best public school systems compared to the rest of America. Healthcare is top notch and the country's best doctors are in New England and NYC. It also has the most progressive politics. All northeastern states are blue states. No other region in the country can say the same. The Northeast is also a gateway to and from the rest of the world, particularly NYC. The only major thing it lacks in is auto industry, so I guess they would have to trade with the Midwest lol.
Which U.S. region do you think would be most prosperous as a sovereign nation on its own?
I'd rank the Northeast last. They are geographically poor, and the expensive and unsustainable "blue state" model will chase producers to other places rather than help retain them. Progressive policies are anti-prosperity and anti-freedom. If you are in a left leaning area, it is better to be around pro-freedom liberals than anti-freedom progressives, especially if you are a small business who can't afford to bribe government.
The Western United States is natural resource rich and contains the best geography, climates, and farmlands in America. If the west could avoid the unsustainable and destructive govt. that currently dominates California, it would be the most prosperous.
All 4 would be successful countries if they wish to be that IMO. All 4 have large urban metropolises with plenty of land for agriculture and natural resources.
Northeast:
New York
Boston
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Buffalo
Rochester
Albany
Midwest:
Chicago
Detroit
Minneapolis
St. Louis
Cleveland
Cincinnati
Kansas City
Omaha
Indianapolis
Columbus
Milwaukee
West:
Los Angeles
San Francisco
San Jose
San Diego
Oakland
Sacramento
Portland
Seattle
Phoenix
Tucson
Albuquerque
Denver
Salt Lake City
Las Vegas
Fresno
Bakersfield
South:
Atlanta
Dallas
DC
Houston
Miami
Nashville
Tampa
Orlando
Charlotte
San Antonio
Austin
Baltimore
Richmond
Virginia Beach
Louisville
Oklahoma City
Tulsa
El Paso
Jacksonville
Fort Worth
New Orleans
Raleigh
Birmingham
Winston-Salem
Memphis
Unfortunately the politics in the West (especially NW) are looking more like the Northeast lately.
Maybe in Oregon. Not Washington or Idaho. In Washington, we are income tax free. The income tax measure that the progressives put on the ballot failed in a landslide. Lucky for us, Washington is mainly filled with pro-business liberals as opposed to anti-freedom progressives. Free and uncorrupted liberal (true liberal, not statist or progressive) and libertarian areas are the future growth hotspots. In this day and age with the internet, huge, expensive clusters like Wall Street are no longer necessary.
the South. it's already got a large (and growing) population, a diversifying economy, access to ports (Savannah, Charleston for example), fertile land, good climate, and TX already has its own electricity grid.
i agree that the South would make good trading partners with the Midwest though.
I'd rank the Northeast last. They are geographically poor, and the expensive and unsustainable "blue state" model will chase producers to other places rather than help retain them. Progressive policies are anti-prosperity and anti-freedom. If you are in a left leaning area, it is better to be around pro-freedom liberals than anti-freedom progressives, especially if you are a small business who can't afford to bribe government.
The Western United States is natural resource rich and contains the best geography, climates, and farmlands in America. If the west could avoid the unsustainable and destructive govt. that currently dominates California, it would be the most prosperous.
The northeast (and California) pays a hugely disproportionate amount of federal taxes in regards to how much it gets back in federal spending. It also gets roped in to massively spend-y projects (such as the Iraq War) which it did not ask for; meanwhile, possibly cost-saving measures such as a national public health care model that would achieve large economies of scale and easily allow shared databasing of patients and knowledge are continually fought against.
The northeast also has fairly plentiful agricultural land and an ample supply of freshwater.
Honestly, I think people are only saying the Northeast will be prosperous because NYC is a prosperous city. Without NYC (and possibly Boston and Philadelphia), the Northeast would be nothing. It is extremely cold in the winter and if we were to depend only crops from our area, we'd be doomed. Almost every fruit and vegetable is imported from another state. There are so many industries lacking in NYC as well (not including Long Island), especially the public education system. It's got to be one of the worst (with the exception of the specialized high schools) - I went to school in NYC and there are definitely so many cuts and because the students are not motivated, teachers aren't as well.
I personally think the West would do very well if it were its own nation. You have basically almost everything there - warm weather, cold in the north, fun (in California and Vegas), clean and beautiful beaches and so much more.
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