The Richest and Poorest States in America

It's no secret that Republicans get poor people by appealing to their xenophobia and religious convictions. Financially speaking, the GOP elite views this demographic as servants, but when it comes campaign time they trot out all the pigheaded favorites like,"poor minorities want all your money", and "gay marriage will lead to Armageddon."

Remember those Klan rallies that Palin hosted in Florida. Perfect example.

Brian you make the case for why the south dumped the liberal gay embarrassing Democrats and went Republican. Just remember who pays the taxes. 5% of America pay 70% of the taxes and we cansafely say the democrtas are not in that 5% nor are any of Obama's supporters. He who pays the tax rules and if not? Prepare yourself for a Civil War.

Remember....the NRA is on our side.

The NRA is on the side of gun stores and gun manufacturers. Its all about the money. LOL

Ranger65

A Civil War?

Ha! I'd bet you'd like to go double-or-nothing on slavery.

Can you scrub a toilet?

lol lol.

Ranger65

Your comment makes every Republican American who legally & safely owns a hand gun look like a bigoted, red neck moron. You are not going to win any people to your side, whatever the heck that side is, by posting comments like this.

Who said I wanted any of you liberal fruitloops on my side?

I believe the country is headed not for a civil war but for a political revolution. Republicans vs Democrats. I am not being contraversial....I am stating a fact. Most of us are tired of you spending our tax dollars on murder and terrorist sympathizing. I am not interested in funding the gay agenda under the guise of modern art which now consists of a guy bent over a bench with a butt plug and a gag and they call this freedom of expression. I would like to freely express the one foot I have left up your axx.

Ranger,

I think you have proved the adage that you cannot have a battle of the wits with an unarmed man.

@ Ranger65

I believe the country is headed not for a civil war but for a political revolution. Republicans vs Democrats.

This is a classic example of how, generally speaking, staunch conservatives think. It is always an "us versus them" mentality. What staunch conservatives don't realize is that, it is that very same mentality that gets us no where fast. Life isn't always absolutely the "good" way or "bad" way. Don't get me wrong, the extreme left idealogy isn't any better. But what is truely astounding is that a conservative such as yourself (and a disabled vet), would apparently advocate a revolution in order to change what is, in your eyes, wrong with this country. I'm guessing you also think of yourself as a part of the "real" America. You maybe a patriot for serving our country (I thank you for that, BTW), but your politics alone doesn't make you a patriot; neither does anyone elses.

I am not being contraversial....I am stating a fact.

No actually you are stating an opinion, not a fact.

Just remember who pays the taxes. 5% of America pay 70% of the taxes...

So, assuming your numbers are correct, which I doubt they are; this must mean that the other 95% of Americans should really be the ones with a tax cut since they are the ones who spend the majority of money on goods and services. Goods and services which in turn help keep other people employed. Gee thanks for illustrating a reason why supply-side economics (aka tax cuts to the rich) don't work.

we cansafely say the democrtas are not in that 5% nor are any of Obama's supporters.

Again, you assume a lot, but factually you are incorrect. Believe it or not there are actual wealthy voters out there who supported Obama, for example Warren Buffett and many rich people in Hollywood. I also personally know of a wealthy, reliably republican voter, who voted for Obama. In reality your statement shows more about what you think as opposed to what you really know. Truth is you can't pigeon hole people for being on one side or the other in all cases. Now before you go shooting off your mouth (and your guns), take a minute to realize that both you and I both want what is best for this country, we just don't agree on the proper way to do it. Thankfully though, it isn't a revolution that is going to solve it either. Both sides NEED to compromise, EQUALLY. No matter what, I really hope you aren't advocating a revolution with politics at the center of the fight. Simply because neither side will win without the help of the other.

Obama actually won the majority of voters with incomes of over $100k. Some of that is affected by the differences in the cost of living. After all, he won New York, California, and Mass., some of the more expensive places to live.

But they also provide a much higher level of services. I lived in Mississippi for 20 years. The cost of living is low, but so is the standard of living, the level of education, and the level of schooling (I see education and schooling as different.). I was born in, raised in, and live near Tennessee. It is in better shape than Mississippi, but not much.

wow you sound very bitter...maybe successful people hang out with other successful people because they don't want to put up with the bitterness and jealousy they hear from people like you...instead of being happy that someone made it renard you want to put them down and make them feel guilty for some reason...why would you put someone down for achieving the american dream?..I doubt that is how most democrats feel but if it is I would see why they would want to "forget about the past"

not all republicans are rich people ..many are plain ole middle class working stiffs...where do you get the idea that repubs are all rich? an old party stereotype that is not true....should we then say that all democrats are the welfare class...are you on welfare renard??

I am Republican and do not fit the so called mold at all. I am from Mass my husband is a Union pipefitter and by the age of 21 I had 3 children. Although I could have taken advantage of the programs dems like to offer to buy votes I decided a long time ago and one of the reasons that I am Republican to take responsibilty for myself and not place that on others that are trying to make their ends meet as well. I am Republican because I believe in less taxes and less gov and I do not believe in quotas and affirmitive action. Their are certain areas that I do not follow the party such as minimum wage, unions, etc but in policy for the most part I am Republican although personally I would benefit more in my life from being a dem but the country is not just about me. However I think the rep. in congress that are representing us need to practice better fiscal responsibility and do we really think that our senators/ reps deserve to be making close to 180,000$ a year. I think we would see more honesty from them if they made less money because the money would not be the incentive to have the position. Most of them are being bought out with capaign donations and will change policy for cash.

Jessica,

Being patriotic does not mean fending for yourself. Some of these people on these programs have literally no other option, so don't berate people if they chose the path that comes with help.

Keyword being "some", I am not for no welfare type programs but cutting back and way down on them would benefit everyone including the middle class. My point was that many people make the choice to have children but with that choice comes responsibility for a family. There are many able people that are on welfare type programs because it is easier than working and it makes more sense to work 20 hours a week and recieve benefits than to work 40 hours a week and no benefits. If you truly need the help than receive it to better yourself but you still should be working as hard as possible to make ends meet. My husband and I worked around the clock to afford our family that we made the choice to have, he worked 6 days a week going to school full time and I cleaned houses with my children 1 day a week, worked sundays and the other nights that he was not at school.

I agree that not all people on welfare deserve it, but that doesn't mean every person is in your situation, and you should thus judge every person based on your experiences.

You can't assume people have the same skills as you, the same abilities (physical and mental), and that these families chose to have their babies (maybe some were raped/molested), or that all of the boyfriends stick around to be husbands.

jessicaf --I totally comment you on your personal responsibility and not necessarily taking the easy way out for the short term....you looked to your future and the future of your children..too many today expect others to take on their irresponsible behavior..have kids and no money, no job...oh well....I'll need some welfare for say the next 40 yrs..not say the next 5 yrs..the way it was intended to get people thru the rough times...it has become a expectation of your country OWING you a living simply because you exist..and is snowballing into a monstrosity that your grandchildren will be obligated to pay for thru the nose..how is that compassion or responsible?.....this porkulus bill will mean economic slavery for many generations..I'm not willing to sell my grandkids future for a quick fix today...

California.

I don't see any of the Blue states that are all going broke..

Not only is California broke it is the BIGGEST contributor to the federal purse.

California gets back something around $0.75 for every dollar that it sends to Washington the most of any state.

I would like to see a chart on which states gets the most federal dollars I bet that they are the red states as they are using our money to keep their own state income and sale taxes low.

maggiemay wrote: "I don't see any of the Blue states that are all going broke."

That may be due to the fact that Blue State populations have more intelligence, more education and more common sense than Red States whose voters vote against their own economic interests again and again because Republicans pander to stuff like faith-based initiatives.

Don't believe me?

In 2007, more than 250 faithful Georgians joined Governor Perdue outside the Capitol to ask for divine intervention to end the historic drought. "We come here very reverently and respectfully to pray up a storm," Perdue told those in attendance. About a dozen TV cameras representing local and national stations and more than a dozen print reporters and photographers captured the ceremony. At one point a TV helicopter threatened to drown out much of the sound (I couldn't resist that one).

The Rev. Gil Watson, pastor of Northside United Methodist Church, urged those in attendance to "pray believing we should have all brought umbrellas."

"We have not been good stewards of our land. We have not been good stewards of our water," he said. "Lord, have mercy on your people, have mercy on us and grant us rain. Oh God, let rain fall on this land of Georgia."

At least there was that recognition that human beings may have some responsibility for the environment. Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn now and again.

California

Run by a Republican actor.

but full of left wing nut jobs, and Illegals which puts a burden on the system. Then of course you have Illinois which has the highest taxes,and murders in the country. Ran by Democrats. Lets not get to high and mighty. There are crazies on both sides. Maybe everyone should take a step more to the center.

Run by a Republican actor.

Regardless of their ridiculous voting habits (I guess Schwarzenegger was a better choice than Gary Coleman, but not by much), it's still a blue state.

Republicans in the assembly and state senate don't like Arnie and he them.

The problem is that there's a 2/3 vote required to raise taxes. Taxes must be raised, you cannot cut your way out of this problem. Repubs won't budge.

States Receiving Most in Federal Spending Per Dollar of Federal Taxes Paid:

1. D.C. ($6.17)
2. North Dakota ($2.03)
3. New Mexico ($1.89)
4. Mississippi ($1.84)
5. Alaska ($1.82)
6. West Virginia ($1.74)
7. Montana ($1.64)
8. Alabama ($1.61)
9. South Dakota ($1.59)
10. Arkansas ($1.53)

In contrast, of the 16 states that are "losers" -- receiving less in federal spending than they pay in federal taxes -- 69% are Blue States that voted for Al Gore in 2000. Indeed, 11 of the 14 (79%) of the states receiving the least federal spending per dollar of federal taxes paid are Blue States. Here are the Top 10 states that supply feed for the federal trough (with Blue States highlighted in bold):

States Receiving Least in Federal Spending Per Dollar of Federal Taxes Paid:

1. New Jersey ($0.62)
2. Connecticut ($0.64)
3. New Hampshire ($0.68)
4. Nevada ($0.73)
5. Illinois ($0.77)
6. Minnesota ($0.77)
7. Colorado ($0.79)
8. Massachusetts ($0.79)
9. California ($0.81)
10. New York ($0.81)

Two states -- Florida and Oregon (coincidentally, the two closest states in the 2000 Presidential election) -- received $1.00 in federal spending for each $1.00 in federal taxes paid.

You should look at the State of New Jersey it is about as broke a state as you can get. Just ask Gov Jon Corzine (D) former Goldman Sachs CEO

How is property tax in Montana?

Your state ges back 1.64 for every dollar in taxes, makes it easy?

I live in MA, a donor state. We get 0.82 back.

I live in NC. I don't know where we are in the list, but thank you Brian for "spreading the wealth". I am sure the red states appreciate it.

I live in Florida but I am leaving for Colorado in my 37 ft Winnebago Vectra. I will stay a year up around Pikes Peak. God's country, if he doesn't live there he highly recommends it. then i may haed up towrd Cheyenne, Wyoming and on to Glacier national Park in Montana. When Obama's four years are over I may come back down from the Mountains, in the mean time I will draw my Army Pension and my disability along with my social security while there is something left and i will leave it to the younger generation to screw everything up. I have spent my 43 years fighting for this country and paying taxes and now I am retired, permanently disabled and disgusted with the turn of political events the last couple of months. Change I am afraid only encompasses the name on the door and the shingle hanging outfront. Everything else is business as usual except the man behind the desk is a coward who hasn't got the stomache for war.

have a great trip!

please!!!!!!!!!!!

For reference, its real easy when its the red states that always seem to get the most money...

One of these days, the rest of us are going to get tired of subsidising the rest of the country. Lets see what happens then.

sounds like socialism to me. hmmmm..............

MT's property taxes are on the high side, mainly because of so many acres of land that is not taxable because it's either owned by fed, state, local or tribal government....the rest of the property owners make up the difference. Sadly, it is a 'red' state....an example I like to cite is my neighbor (anti-choice) told me not to vote for O because he wanted to kill babies, I informed him that the other candidate was a warmonger and wanted to kill soldiers....his answer? war deaths are just 'little deaths' WTF--dead is dead right?

and BTW, ranger, better do some studying on how to live in Montana before you come here, your camper ain't gonna do it when it's 30 below......most people who live here have lots of common sense, or they wouldn't survive...http://www.miaminewsrecord.com/articles/2009/01/30/news/doc498356c055962292039460.txt

What year was this census taken? 2007 has Montana at over $43K

Here is a list for cost of living per state and average house price

http://www.top50states.com/cost-of-living-by-state.html

Slemay - you need to copy anything like that into a TEXT editor (notepad, not a word processor) and clean it up there before trying to copy it into a comment - that just comes across as so much gibberish

No one mentions California or NY, which have been run by Republicans for decades, and now bankrupt as a result.

Its nice you are giving us Michagan though, makes those elections sooooo much easier :D

Michigan also has one of the highest unemployment rates and an average cost of living.

Gamerk2;

You must not live in California. Arnie has been governor about 4 years now, prior to that Gray Davis-D about 5 years, Wilson-R, about 8 years, Brown-D I think 8 years and he's running again. The thing you have to remember about Cali is that the state legislature has been democratically controlled for decades.

Edward, how right you are on many accounts!

sounds to me like the blue states have been carrying the red states. maybe it is time yall paid them back.

You can always spot a hillbilly:

"the War for Southern Independence", "yankee anti-south bigots", "Confederate States of America", "so-called Reconstruction Period"

sounds to me like the blue states have been carrying the red states. maybe it is time yall paid them back.

That would be a nice change of pace.

the fact that the taxpayers from the poorest States that are conservative and capitalists will have to bail the Blue States out at some point in history, aka New York and California.

Blue States need to be bailed out because of the amount of money that the blue states give to the red states with ALL their pork projects that are government funded.

You forget: NY and California have been run by Republicans (NY only went democratic last year...after 40 years of being run by Republicans). Please don't give me that "NY is a blue state" BS, as up until last year, it wasn't true.

ask tyler on that. I'm courious myself.

Not anymore. 20 years ago, the Nassau County Republican party almost outvoted Orange country when Regan ran. Democrats now control the county (and as a result, now have the majority in the NY state senate for the first time in 40 years).

Once the nations strongest Republican party, now ireelevent and unable to select a party leader...Surburbs no longer lean Republican, they lean independent.

Then it would be more accurate to say ex-urbs are republican perhaps.

Ex-urbs are those outlinying areas outside of the suburbs.

Let me explain more personally. I used to live in a suburb of an urban county. The core of the urban center has and is slowly rotting away. I couldn't find work in the core or in the suburb. But I did find a job out by the beltway. So I moved. I'm now in a suburban county that has been slowly infected by people slowly fleeing the city.

Does that demographic shift explain what you mentioned? The old suburbs changing into urban areas and the real suburbs moving out even farther with their conservative lean?

yikes....we have way tooooooooooo much government and not enough indians to foot the bills.

It's not that I disargee but you changed the subject.

You could probally make a entire new article based on the pros and cons or organized civil service.

you forgot to mention that you pay no state taxes on your salary, so why don't you shut up or go home.

Peggy: CoH. Be nice.

Peggy - we don't want her back, how do you think we got into the mess we're in.

You can't deny that the "red" states live off of the "blue" states, though.

Perhaps those red areas should stop taking liberal money and stand on their own...but I guess some like their handouts too much.

Was my math wrong?

Yes. You forgot that we had income that got spent as well; and that Bush caused future spending (i.e. left troops in Iraq, etc.) that can't just be stopped.

Of course, worse is that you failed in any way to demonstrate that what you said had any meaning; Bush left us deep in a hole and of course it will cost more to get out; you could say that "Obama's spending" is actually to pay the bills bush left and didn't pay.

you could say that "Obama's spending" is actually to pay the bills bush left and didn't pay.

So your saying that the way to get out of debt is to go further into it? You don't justify pissing away a trillion dollars with: Bush and the rethugs pissed away all that money...so can we.

That's nothing more than looter mentality.

CC - the deal is that we have to get consumer spending going again and the only way to do that is to give people confidence that their jobs will be here tomorrow; The best way we have done that in the past is to invest in the schools, roads, etc. that we have been ignoring for many years and once those contracts for bid are announced, bids accepted, construction companies start hiring, "Roach Coach" trucks are built and purchased by people serving that market; stores see the demand for clothes, shoes, etc. start spiking so they hire more sales people, buy more goods; etc. (it's called the multiplier effect - for every dollar spent, six dollars worth of economic activity is generated)

You are suggesting, perhaps, that there is another way to do this?

Everyone is in debt right now and using this to prove that it was the Republicans fault is not effective. Now, you could George Bush was an idiot and that Republican business owners who outsourced were responsible but you can't just say based on such data that Republicans are worse then democrats financially.

Yes try John Edwards and his family. Not to mention Nafta which was Hated down south.

That is overwhelmingly true with most poor people. It is much, much cheaper to feed a family on candy bars and chips than it is to feed them a well balanced meal., unless you want the working poor to live on beans and eggs....in every state... a 2 liter of soda on sale is 99 cents. A gallon of milk is $3.50.

everyone's insurance has increase for many reasons, not just obesity...