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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.
The Wisconsin of my birthplace has changed dramatically. I don't even recognize it these days.
I'm sad it's losing its progressive legacy.
A recent January article in the New York Times described the situation in the twin cities of Duluth MN - Superior WI. The 2 cities used to be similar, except for team loyalty to the Vikings vs. the Packers. But lately they have very opposite governments. The article was profiling a young family there who are schoolteachers. They teach in one state but live in the other state. One state pays its teachers much more, and gives them far more benefits than the other state. That's all I remember about it.
A recent January article in the New York Times described the situation in the twin cities of Duluth MN - Superior WI. The 2 cities used to be similar, except for team loyalty to the Vikings vs. the Packers. But lately they have very opposite governments. The article was profiling a young family there who are schoolteachers. They teach in one state but live in the other state. One state pays its teachers much more, and gives them far more benefits than the other state. That's all I remember about it.
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.
Last edited by Ariadne22; 02-02-2014 at 10:10 PM..
Sidenote: not sure why you singled out Austin in Texas. Although Texas is known for being a red state, Obama and Dems carried all the major metro areas - Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, El Paso - in both elections.
The economic class influence here is not as clearcut as you indicate. Poorer rural folks vote almost totally Red, true, but so do the wealthiest enclaves within the large cities. The poorer urban areas almost always go Blue. Suburbs are all over the place - some the deepest Red or Blue, others my favorite Purple.
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.
However, there are more than two sides. In fact there are more than three or four sides. Take out the Libertarians, and the so called Centrists can be split either way, Right or Left. Depending on what is happening in the country at the time and who is running. There has been so much Drift to the Right that some of the Right are now the new Centrists, and the old Centrists are now the Leftest.
I used to consider myself more of a Centrist, as I could see both sides had legitimate arguments, so I never considered that there would be a place I couldn't fit in.
But I can't say that anymore.
Last edited by modhatter; 02-02-2014 at 10:20 PM..
One of the things to watch is future liabilities because things can change quickly in any such state.Look at the financial state of the state because as Nelsen(D) of Nebraska said Medicaid increases if not exemption in 2017 would bankrupt his state.
With the exception of Austin, Texas is a very Red state. It is the US oil capital of the world and the leading economic driver of the state which makes it very Red. Even dispute this, please note even Dallas and Houston went Blue last election.
I don't wish to put words in this lady's mouth but to interpret a bit : To clarify ; I don't think it's a blue state/ red state situation this lady is looking for but more of a mind set. More liberal minded folks tend to perceive conservatives to be close minded religious Christian extremists. The United States has been dominated by this type of thinking for the last 15 or more years, essentially (politically). She, as well as many others, is looking for a place in which this is Not the case. .......So, when you say you want to live in a blue state you may simply be wishing for what every political philosopher from Socrates on wished for: The perfect place or maybe more accurately ; the perfect balance and that takes more than just people who vote like you. Anyway : I'd like to hear other's suggestions of where this place might be and why they think so ; I'll meet you there. Enjoy the middle class while you still can.
I very much enjoyed your thoughts and the many interesting points and thoughts expressed.
I think some places you might want to check out are in the PNW. I am aiming for the Olympia area myself. I feel some of the places within the Willamette Valley are also nice, but I wanted to be closer to the ocean. Try researching the southern Washington area and see if anything looks like a good fit for you. And good luck to you and all who are searching for that special place.
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