Once again, let's look at the truth about Blue and Red states... The concept that 'red' states are the 'moochers' is absurd. Let's eliminate military base spending, farm subsidies, and other non-welfare federal spending from the accounting. The red states do not really want the military bases that were forced on them. These bases take up large tracts of land that are useful for other economic purposes and require local money spent on policing & other services because they tend to be high crime / low income areas. Let's put a large military base in NYC or Boston - and bulldoze all the existing homes. The displaced residents can survive on the 80%+ of large farm subsidies that are sent to the owners of corporate farms who reside in blue states (but is seen as red state money for some reason). Let's focus on federal welfare spending--defined here as childhood nutrition programs, food stamp programs, WIC benefits TANF benefits, and other similar benefits. This article from USA Today "New Yorkers lead pack in government benefits" compiled data showing which states had the highest per capita expenditures for every type of government-provided benefit and blue states top the list and red states made up most of the bottom 10. Top 10 - Most dependent on government aid 1 New York 2 West Virginia 3 Rhode Island 4 Maine 5 Pennsylvania 6 Massachusetts 7 Vermont 8 Kentucky 9 Michigan 10 Connecticut Bottom 10 - Least dependent on government aid 41 South Dakota 42 Nebraska 43 Wyoming 44 Idaho 45 Georgia 46 Texas 47 Nevada 48 Virginia 49 Colorado 50 Utah
gwb-, you're losing it man. get a grip! First you tell us: "The red states do not really want the military bases that were forced on them." Do we now conclude red states hate military bases but blue states love them? Huh!!! Our perhaps is it that all States hate injection of Federal dollars into there economies! Huh!!! Or perhaps the reality is all states, red and blue, welcome military bases and you've lost your mind! Then after saying: "Let's focus on federal welfare spending--defined here as childhood nutrition programs, food stamp programs, WIC benefits TANF benefits, and other similar benefits." You jump immediately to a list of states with the "...highest per capita expenditures for every type of government-provided benefit." So do you want us to compare every type of Federal benefit with childhood nutrition programs? Or what???
Maybe you just need to follow the current situation with the federal proposal to remove military units from Fort Bragg including an airborne group. The opinion at the state & local level varies. Interestingly enough the Democrats oppose the move because they view that federal dollars remaining in Fayetteville is good, while the Republicans support the military reduction because they believe it will free up land for economic development. I say we just place all these military bases near New York and Boston, and see how they like having FayetteNam up there.
This talking point was expected and has been debunked before. This is what Red states mooching on, not just military bases 1 New Mexico Indian reservations, military bases, federal research labs, farm subsidies, retirement programs 2. Mississippi Farm subsidies, military spending, nutrition and anti-poverty aid, retirement programs. 3. Alaska Per capita No 1 recipient of federal benefits; infrastructure projects, DOT and pork projects. 4. Louisiana Disaster relief, farm subsidies, anti-poverty and nutrition aid, military spending. 5. W. Virginia Farm subsidies, anti-poverty and nutrition aid. 6. N. Dakota Farm subsidies, energy subsidies, retirement and anti-poverty programs, Indian reservations. 7. Alabama Retirement programs, anti-poverty and nutrition aid, federal space/military spending, farm subsidies. 8. S. Dakota Retirement programs, nutrition aid, farm subsidies, military spending, Indian reservations. 9. Virginia Civil service pensions, military spending, veterans benefits, retirement, anti-poverty aid. 10. Kentucky Retirement programs, nutritional and anti-poverty aid, farm subsidies. http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_reck..._guess_who_benefits_more_from_your_taxes.html
Your list is simply absurd. You do recognize that over 80% of Farm Subsidies go to large agri-corporations located in Blue states despite somehow being associated with farms located in red states. you can get a check in New York for not farming land you own in Kansas. The concept that Indian reservations, military bases, and federal research labs are the same as BENEFITS being handed out to people for not working is ludicrous Under this concept every federal dollar spent in a state should be considered "mooching" or welfare. Money spend on the salary of a federal employee who is doing work is not "mooching"; money spend provided to someone on welfare for not working is "mooching". Time to learn the difference. There is no equivalence between the two.