The Best and Worst-Run States in America
 

One of the many problems with this article is that it doesn't point out that these top five states get more money from the federal government than they pay. To wit:

North Dakota- gets $1.68 for every $1.00 it pays
Wyoming- gets $1.11 for every $1.00 it pays
Nebraska- gets $1.10 for every $1.00 it pays
Utah- gets $1.07 for every $1.00 it pays
Iowa- gets $1.10 for every $1.00 it pays

And the lowest states-

California- gets $0.78 back for every $1.00 it pays
Rhode Island- even ($1.00 for $1.00)
Illinois- $0.75 for every $1.00 it pays
Arizona- $1.19 for every $1.00 it pays
New Jersey- $0.61 for every $1.00 it pays

So all of the top five states are benefitting from free handouts from the US government to help them run themselves, while three of the bottom five have make do with considerably less money than they pay to the federal government. Basically, the top five states are trust fund kids, living off money someone else earned, yet shaking their heads about why the teeming masses can't handle their finances.

Not to mention- who wants to live in North Dakota?

Arizona, I guess, is the trust fund kid who somehow still ends up living on the streets. I don't know what Rhode Island's excuse is. ;)

Here's a fairly digestible piece about the blue state-red state disparity in federal benefits:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_recko...our_taxes.html

yeah, the revenue redistribution so many complain about.


as for cali, it has one of the largest economies in the world. if it were it's own country, it would be in the top 20. but also badly in debt, and horrible fraud in medical.

At one time, we had a saying here in Arkansas and it was "thank God for Mississippi." Mississippi and Arkansas were always the bottom dwellers on these types of studies. Guess we can say "thank God for Mississippi and 17 other states" now. Not sure exactly why we moved up the list. Probably has to do with no debt. Arkansas is a balanced budget state. Probably not that Arkansas is doing so great just that everybody else is doing so bad. We still have plenty of problems though. Lots of people in poverty, low wages, etc.

What is the best run state with an NFL franchise? Or a major airport? Or a real city? Or a proper brewery?
Those are the things that define a proper state. According to the list it is Minnesota followed by Texas and Massachusetts.
The list is bogus.

Colorado isn't so bad

I travel the world for work and would not live anywhere else.

Rhode Island is the best state EVAH!





Even if their real estate values got out of control. :o

I actually have no beef with Rhode Island, though a man I once knew broke my heart while he was living there. I don't hold that against the state, though. ;)