The Hypocrisy/Stupidity of Red State America

The 10 biggest socialist moochers are some of the reddest states. This is no surprise. Of course Mississippi, Alaska, Alabama, Louisiana, etc. take way, way WAY more in federal funds than they contribute. They’re poor ass states (although Alaska also takes the hypocrisy cake by having complete state control of their natural resources for which every Alaskan comrade receives an annual stipend) that are “proudly” conservative (read: proudly insane) on fiscal issues, taxation, wages and unionism. The majority of people in these states hate socialism, hate taxes, hate hand outs, hate “moochers” and believe themselves to be exemplars of responsibility and good old fashioned constitutional conservative heartland “makers.” That they’re just plain wrong and flat out delusional about their fiscal reality is, once again, not shocking.

Mississippi receives $3.07 for every dollar in federal taxes they pay. If you asked them they’d say that they pay too much in taxes already. To be fair many would also say that they don’t want the federal handouts either. The fact that those handouts are the only reason that Mississippi can balance its budget, keep its deficient schools open, continue to provide the woefully sad state of healthcare they’re so delusionally proud of is more of an exemplar of our red state disconnect between ideology and math.

They’re not who they think they are. But they are right that their ideology makes them what they are.

Every state that is under Republican economic control is showing signs of fiscal dysfunction.  Kansas Governor Sam Brownback slashed Kansas taxes, living the GOP dream, and the results have been a disaster that the Governor has dishonestly tried to blame on Obama. New Jersey also has seen its budget deficits grow and bond ratings downgraded because of a misguided governor supremely confident in his failing economic ideology and incapable of changing course despite empirical reality.

Even Saint Dutch Reagan was capable of listening to his economic advisors and reversing some of his draconian tax cuts when tax shortfalls became alarming. His 21st century acolytes are incapable of such prudent course changes. It’s no small coincidence that the reality of their idol falls so far short of their myth.

The mythology, the ideology has completely overtaken critical thinking and it’s crippling their ability to govern reasonably.