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Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,754 posts, read 58,128,451 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Granny Fats
I think some places you might want to check out are in the PNW (left coast).. ID is red . ....
For the 'true blue type'... PNW We_tside (west of Cascade Mtns) is your haven (if you can't afford CA)
OR is the most blue friendly, and very loyal to 'blue-group-think'. Think like THEM or don't bother speaking. (Just try to bring a counter point on the OR forum and you will be toast . Potentially banished from C-D, as has been the way of MANY great contributors.).. OR = 9% income tax, but no sales tax. Pretty shakey funding and political process.
WA has more diversity of thought, economy, politics (tho 3 blue counties always carry the electoral vote, and 36 counties get no 'electoral' representation). WA = no income tax but 8% sales tax. pretty solid economy.
Both states are questing to be just like CA in legislation / regulations. As the burden of blue increases gov spending; WA and OR are not a viable Long term solution (more than 30 yrs). I was chased from CO 30 yrs ago anyway, so will also have to leave WA. But need to leave USA to find Healthcare anyway. I will keep my place near Austin, TX as a USA 'refuge' since the world is not too stable... TX is not going anywhere
I only mentioned Austin, as someone else pointed it out in an earlier post as being the "most" progressive city in Texas. But I do respectfully disagree that the wealthiest enclaves within large cities vote Red. (unless you are speaking of the top 1% that are business owners)
It is a strange phenomenon, but it appears for the most part, each side (non large corporate business owners) votes against it's own best interest, and that is a fact...
I'm not sure what a "large city" is. My metro area has > million in population and my fairly affluent zip code within that metro area is redder than a Valentine's Day bouquet of roses. And we pretty much vote in accordance with our economic interests.
Note that the biggest divides in most parts of the world today - except in the most strident places politically - aren't ideological or racial or ethnic - they're socio-economic. Rich people live with rich people. Upper middle class people live with upper middle class people. Poor people live with poor people. And what's left of the middle class tries to live with other middle class people. It's been a trend for quite a while - and it's only to get more pronounced IMO. Robyn
That better state is Minnesota - hands down. Scott Walker and the morons who support him have ruined the state. If I were younger, I'd be seeking my fortune in MN, not WI...
I have a bit of a dog in this fight because I own state munis in both states. Both have good credit ratings. Minnesota is a notch above Wisconsin - Moody's AA1 versus Wisconsin's AA2 - both stable as of today. OTOH - Wisconsin is much better off in terms of a measure that can predict where things will be down the road. A combined total of 6% of GDP in debt and unfunded pension liabilities - as opposed to 10% in Minnesota.
Note that I don't take political flavors into account when investing - and would honestly be hard pressed to tell you the party of the majority of state governors in the US today. But - the 10 best states on this list are (from the top down):
Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, North Carolina, Nevada, Idaho, Kansas, North Dakota, Florida and Arizona.
And the 10 worst are (from the bottom up):
Connecticut, Illinois, Hawaii, Alaska, Massachusetts, West Virginia, New Jersey, Kentucky, Louisiana and Rhode Island.
Somewhat of a mixed bag IMO in terms of red/blue/purple states off the top of my head - I think (am not sure).
Also - if I were younger and wanted to make my fortune - I wouldn't go to either state. Both would want too much of my income in state income taxes - and they're both stupid cold in the winter to boot . Robyn
...You need to be honest with yourself. We tend to become more political as we age, and this divide in what we consider important as an acceptable way of life has widened over recent years...
As I've aged - I've become almost non-political. I look at issues that affect me - and how various decisions about those issues might affect me.
I couldn't care less about abortion - gay marriage - extension of unemployment benefits - or the food stamp program - etc. for the most part. And I suspect if I asked any senior at any income level here whether he or she would give up 10 cents in his/her senior entitlement programs to extend unemployment benefits - food stamps - whatever - he or she would say no. Talk is cheap - especially when any actions regarding that talk don't affect the person who's doing the talking. About the only exception to this - at least for me - is supporting education. And - in most states today - things like Medicaid for seniors in nursing homes is crowding out education spending. I would be in favor of stopping that trend.
Also - like what's the big deal if someone tells you to have a Blessed Day? Or prays for you/family when someone is sick. I'm not a particularly religious person myself - but don't find the behavior offensive in the least. Robyn
Just take a deep breath at intervals ; you'll get used to it. You took the time and effort to read all that and all you can give is a grammar lesson ?...
I didn't take the time to read it. And perhaps others didn't as well. Life's too short. Robyn
I think best blue state highly depends o your financial circumstances. Even within any state best varies and usually is more expensive. Reminds me what a fried from NYC said. if your rich its a good place to live but like most large cities hell if your poor.
When it comes to NYC (at least Manhattan) - you're talking about the ultra-rich - the top .01-.1% - not the merely rich (the top 1%):
- like what's the big deal if someone tells you to have a Blessed Day? Or prays for you/family when someone is sick. I'm not a particularly religious person myself - but don't find the behavior offensive in the least. Robyn
You've obviously never lived in a place where dominance by a single religious group really does affect your daily life. I have lived in places where religious intolerance means that everyone (females in particular) are constantly questioned about what church they attend. If the answer isn't correct, one will be told that one is damned. One will be constantly hounded to attend the approved church. Those who don't are ostracized in the community. One has to listen constantly to people expressing the point of view that everyone who their church disapproves of are evil, damned, and going to hell. That the President is evil and wants to lead us all to Hell. That all Democrats want all women to have abortions. That of course Israel can do what it wants because it is God's chosen place and all Muslims are damned.
As a resident of a very large city you haven't been exposed to this, but many of us who have lived in religiously dominated smaller cities and towns have been. It is relentless, and it wore me out.
I chose to retire to MN MOSTLY because there are few [unnamed religion which you can probably guess] here and even though I live in a small rural community I don't have to constantly listen to the above. Now that I'm retired I just don't WANNA be aggravated by idiots. As Robyn said, like people generally prefer to live among like.
Sorry Mod, I know this isn't a religious or political forum, but it does go to the fact that, as the OP of this thread expressed, some people REALLY prefer a Blue state for retirement. Or Red, if that's their thing. Like Likes Like.
Financially, I found that housing costs and property taxes and insurance in the area of MN I chose are actually slightly cheaper than those same costs in the area of Iowa I like. I shop for groceries in Iowa, which has no tax on most food, and for clothing in MN, which doesn't tax the same. I did look at SD for retirement, but the town I liked best for COLA and environment was just too politically Red - for me.
I know that income tax is determined at the state level, but property taxes vary by community, and sometimes vary widely within a state. Even sales taxes vary by community as some places add on tax for local issues. I'd say that it's probably smarter to look at regions of states for political/social/religious/economic conditions rather than a state as a whole. That's why the main City-Data site is so useful.
You've obviously never lived in a place where dominance by a single religious group really does affect your daily life. I have lived in places where religious intolerance means that everyone (females in particular) are constantly questioned about what church they attend. If the answer isn't correct, one will be told that one is damned. One will be constantly hounded to attend the approved church. Those who don't are ostracized in the community. One has to listen constantly to people expressing the point of view that everyone who their church disapproves of are evil, damned, and going to hell. That the President is evil and wants to lead us all to Hell. That all Democrats want all women to have abortions. That of course Israel can do what it wants because it is God's chosen place and all Muslims are damned.
As a resident of a very large city you haven't been exposed to this, but many of us who have lived in religiously dominated smaller cities and towns have been. It is relentless, and it wore me out.
I chose to retire to MN MOSTLY because there are few [unnamed religion which you can probably guess] here and even though I live in a small rural community I don't have to constantly listen to the above. Now that I'm retired I just don't WANNA be aggravated by idiots. As Robyn said, like people generally prefer to live among like.
Sorry Mod, I know this isn't a religious or political forum, but it does go to the fact that, as the OP of this thread expressed, some people REALLY prefer a Blue state for retirement. Or Red, if that's their thing. Like Likes Like.
Financially, I found that housing costs and property taxes and insurance in the area of MN I chose are actually slightly cheaper than those same costs in the area of Iowa I like. I shop for groceries in Iowa, which has no tax on most food, and for clothing in MN, which doesn't tax the same. I did look at SD for retirement, but the town I liked best for COLA and environment was just too politically Red - for me.
I know that income tax is determined at the state level, but property taxes vary by community, and sometimes vary widely within a state. Even sales taxes vary by community as some places add on tax for local issues. I'd say that it's probably smarter to look at regions of states for political/social/religious/economic conditions rather than a state as a whole. That's why the main City-Data site is so useful.
I don't think you bothered to look up where I live - or anything about me. I live in NE Florida - am Jewish - and think your statement about Israel smacks of anti-Semitism to me. Perhaps when MN becomes too "Jewish" for you - you can move elsewhere. Robyn
Not my intention or meaning at all Robyn, and I'm genuinely surprised that you read that into it. There are a large number of Jewish people in MN. There are also a growing number of Muslims. Diversity of religion is one of the marks of a Blue state.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,936 posts, read 37,007,908 times
Reputation: 40635
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ariadne22
That better state is Minnesota - hands down. Scott Walker and the morons who support him have ruined the state. If I were younger, I'd be seeking my fortune in MN, not WI.
Walker recently is bragging about a phony $800 million surplus. Some surplus, seeing as how the state is projected to have a $700 million decline in revenues in the next two years. Geo. Bush II, redux. Borrow money we don't have and give it to the taxpayer.
And, how, exactly is he 'returning' this borrowed money to the taxpayer??
By putting $400 million towards property tax relief for everyone - individual and business - av. homeowner tax bill goes down or doesn't increase $100 (yes, that should really be a BIG help); $100 million income tax relief (Av. $40k yr worker sees $58/yr - hip hip hooray); $100 to a rainy day fund, $35 million to job training - when employers are continually complaining workers don't have necessary skills.
When, instead, he should be putting:
$400 million - rainy day fund - because of the predicted $700 million revenue shortfall
$200 million - property tax relief homeowners only
$200 million - job training seeing as how WI is 47th in the country in job creation
But, what do you expect of a guy who doesn't value education. He's an idiot - and so are the people who support him.
Minnesota is the far better state.
I prefer WI, but you're exactly right that Walker is ruining the state.
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. Robyn
