Best-Run States Are Heavily Republican, Study Finds

wildchild

wildchild

Well surprise, surprise.

http://www.investors.com/politics/commentary/best-run-states-are-heavily-republican-study-finds/

The ten most financially sound states in the country are all heavily Republican, while all but one of the ten worst states are heavily Democratic. That’s according to a ranking of states in a new report from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University

The report -- “Ranking the States by Fiscal Condition” -- used official government data to measure the states’ ability to pay short-term bills and meet longer-term obligations, such as public pensions or health care costs, using five separate measures.

Cash solvency, for example, measures a state's ability to pay its immediate bills. Budget solvency measures whether states will end the year with a surplus or deficit. Long-run solvency looks at a state’s ability to meet long-term spending commitments. Service-level solvency measures a state’s ability to respond to a demand for increased spending. And trust fund solvency measures unfunded pension liabilities and state debt.

States can do well on some measures and poorly on others. Alaska, for example, ranks at the top for cash, budget and long-run solvency, but near the bottom on the other two measures. Ohio ranks fifth in cash solvency, but 48th on trust fund solvency. This year’s report includes Puerto Rico, which scored dead last on every measure.

The report also provides an overall ranking of the states. And while Mercatus makes no mention of the states’ political leanings, every state in the top 10 except for Florida is solidly red, meaning those states voted for the Republican in each of the past four presidential elections (see table). And Florida has had a Republican governor since 1999, and the state House and Senate are both controlled by Republicans.

At the other end of the spectrum, except for Kentucky, the 10 worst states are all solidly blue. And all but two of the governors since 1947 have been Democrats.

Politicians, especially the “pragmatic” ones, are always talking about how they are just interested in what works. When it comes to keeping spending, debt and long-term liabilities under control, the place to look seems obvious.

The conservative approach of lower taxes and limited government is a winner, while big-spending liberalism invariably leads to financial ruin.
 
wildchild said:
Well surprise, surprise.

Alaska, for example, ranks at the top for cash, budget and long-run solvency, but near the bottom on the other two measures. .
More...

Not a surprise at all, it's easy to have lots of cash when you are stealing it from other states

Alaska is the biggest moocher of all
https://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/18/how-alaska-became-a-federal-aid-magnet/
FedFunding-771x589.png
 
exGOPer said:
Not a surprise at all, it's easy to have lots of cash when you are stealing it from other states

Alaska is the biggest moocher of all
https://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/18/how-alaska-became-a-federal-aid-magnet/
FedFunding-771x589.png
More...

Yeah, lets' subtract out military base spending, agriculture programs, transportation.... and all the other non-welfare items --- and see what the actual spending on EBT, welfare, and other direct welfare programs in each state is. Oh, we already did that blue states are at the top of welfare spending and red states at the bottom -- any way you slice it.
 
Last edited:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/karste...cated-states-in-the-u-s-in-2017/#2eb69fb971be


FEB 3, 2017 @ 03:00 PM34,0712 FREE Issues of Forbes

The Most -- And Least -- Educated States In The U.S. In 2017

Getting to the list, one of the most educated states in WalletHub’s report is Colorado, which received an overall score of 74.24 and came in third place. Stacked up against other states in the union, Colorado ranked second in educational attainment and 26thin its quality of education and attainment gap. The state ranked no. 1 in the category of highest percentage of associates degree holders or college-experienced adults.

In second place in the ranking of most educated states is Maryland, with an overall score of 77.06. In the larger picture, the state ranked third against all other states in educational attainment and fourth in the quality of education and attainment Gap Rank. Maryland was ranked second among all states for the highest percentage of graduate or professional degree holders.

The most educated state, according to WalletHub’s ranking, is Massachusetts, with an overall score of 80.65. The state ranked first in educational attainment and sixth overall ins education quality and attainment gap. Massachusetts also has the highest percentage of bachelor’s degree holders and the highest percentage of graduate or professional degrees holders.

On the other end of the spectrum, the states that had the poorest showing in the education department are listed below:

Karsten-Edu.jpg








https://www.usatoday.com/story/mone...7-wall-st-most-least-healthy-states/77180044/

The most (and least) healthy states





THE LEAST HEALTHIEST STATES

50. Louisiana

> Pct. obese 34.9% (4th highest)
> Cardiovascular deaths per 100,000 people: 306 (5th highest)
> Primary care physicians per 100,000 people: 125 (20th highest)
> Pct. with health insurance: 84.3% (9th lowest)

Louisiana is the least healthy state in the country. Roughly 35% of adults in the state are obese, a higher obesity rate than in all but three other states. Additionally, 10.9% of babies born in the state have a low birthweight, the largest share of any state in country after Mississippi. Low birthweight has likely contributed to a high infant mortality rate in the state. With slightly more than eight out of every 1,000 infants dying before their first birthday, infant mortality is more common in Louisiana than in every state but nearby Mississippi and Alabama.

Negative health outcomes in Louisiana are likely the result of pervasive bad habits. Nearly one in four adults in the state identifies as a smoker, a larger share than in all but a handful of other states. Furthermore, roughly 30% of adults in the state do not exercise, the third highest rate of physical inactivity in the country.

49. Mississippi

> Pct. obese 35.5% (3rd highest)
> Cardiovascular deaths per 100,000 people: 345 (the highest)
> Primary care physicians per 100,000 people: 85 (2nd lowest)
> Pct. with health insurance: 84.2% (8th lowest)

Mississippi's annual median household income of $35,521 is the lowest in the country — one of a range of weak social and economic measures contributing to the especially poor health among state residents. Ultimately, poor economic conditions and poor health lead to untimely deaths. For example, the incidence of infant mortality often reflects the health of the mother, the quality of prenatal care, and the ease of access to quality health care. Infant mortality is far more common in the South than it is elsewhere. In Mississippi, the infant mortality rate of 9.3 deaths per 1,000 live births is the highest in the nation. The state also reports the nation's highest incidence of premature death, at an estimated 10,744 years lost per 100,000 people annually due to preventable deaths. Unhealthy choices drive the prevalence of premature death in Mississippi. Residents are among the most likely to smoke and some of the least likely to consume recommended servings of fruits and vegetables.


48. Arkansas

> Pct. obese 35.9% (the highest)
> Cardiovascular deaths per 100,000 people: 313 (4th highest)
> Primary care physicians per 100,000 people: 105 (12th lowest)
> Pct. with health insurance: 86.1% (16th lowest)

Nearly 30% of children in Arkansas live in poverty, the third highest percentage nationwide and up considerably from 1990, when the state's child poverty rate was 25.2%. Financial stress in families is closely tied with poor health outcomes. A high teen birth rate also often reflects weak social and economic conditions, which in turn can lead to poor health outcomes.There are specific economic costs associated with teen births, including increased health care and foster care costs. Children of teen parents also tend to have lower educational attainment and a higher likelihood of incarceration. Arkansas leads the nation in teen births, with roughly 44 births for every 1,000 female teens each year.

As in a number of other Southern states, Arkansas also has an obesity problem. The state's obesity rate of 35.9% is the highest in the country.

47. West Virginia

> Pct. obese 35.7% (2nd highest)
> Cardiovascular deaths per 100,000 people: 300 (6th highest)
> Primary care physicians per 100,000 people: 109 (18th lowest)
> Pct. with health insurance: 88.7% (22nd highest)

Nearly 20% of high school students and nearly 27% of adults in West Virginia smoke regularly, each the highest smoking rate of any state. West Virginia's obesity rate of 35.7% is also higher than the rate in every other state except for Arkansas. Both smoking and obesity are among the factors most closely tied to negative health outcomes. West Virginians are the most likely state residents to report heart disease, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and diabetes — all drivers of premature death. West Virginians are also more likely to die from drug abuse than Americans overall, with 32.4 drug deaths per 100,000 residents reported annually, the highest drug death rate in the nation. Many people in the state are aware of their poor health. Just 41.7% of adults in the state say their health is good or excellent, the lowest percentage in the nation.


http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/01/10/the-most-innovative-companies-in-the-world-2/
46. Alabama

> Pct. obese 33.5% (5th highest)
> Cardiovascular deaths per 100,000 people: 330 (2nd highest)
> Primary care physicians per 100,000 people: 104 (11th lowest)
> Pct. with health insurance: 87.1% (20th lowest)

All factors combined, Alabama is the fifth least healthy state in the nation. The Southern state's biggest challenge is its poor health outcomes. In Alabama, 8.7 out of every 1,000 infants die before reaching the age of one, the second highest infant mortality rate in the country. This may be partially due to the state's high prevalence of low birthweight. One in every 10 children born in Alabama weigh less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces, the third highest prevalence of low birthweight nationwide.

Low incomes often coincide with poor health, and Alabama is no exception. The typical household in Alabama makes just $42,278, more than $11,000 less than the $53,657 the typical American household makes.
 
Last edited:
Tony Stark said:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/karste...cated-states-in-the-u-s-in-2017/#2eb69fb971be


FEB 3, 2017 @ 03:00 PM34,0712 FREE Issues of Forbes

The Most -- And Least -- Educated States In The U.S. In 2017

Getting to the list, one of the most educated states in WalletHub’s report is Colorado, which received an overall score of 74.24 and came in third place. Stacked up against other states in the union, Colorado ranked second in educational attainment and 26thin its quality of education and attainment gap. The state ranked no. 1 in the category of highest percentage of associates degree holders or college-experienced adults.

In second place in the ranking of most educated states is Maryland, with an overall score of 77.06. In the larger picture, the state ranked third against all other states in educational attainment and fourth in the quality of education and attainment Gap Rank. Maryland was ranked second among all states for the highest percentage of graduate or professional degree holders.

The most educated state, according to WalletHub’s ranking, is Massachusetts, with an overall score of 80.65. The state ranked first in educational attainment and sixth overall ins education quality and attainment gap. Massachusetts also has the highest percentage of bachelor’s degree holders and the highest percentage of graduate or professional degrees holders.

On the other end of the spectrum, the states that had the poorest showing in the education department are listed below:

Karsten-Edu.jpg








https://www.usatoday.com/story/mone...7-wall-st-most-least-healthy-states/77180044/

The most (and least) healthy states





THE LEAST HEALTHIEST STATES

50. Louisiana

> Pct. obese 34.9% (4th highest)
> Cardiovascular deaths per 100,000 people: 306 (5th highest)
> Primary care physicians per 100,000 people: 125 (20th highest)
> Pct. with health insurance: 84.3% (9th lowest)

Louisiana is the least healthy state in the country. Roughly 35% of adults in the state are obese, a higher obesity rate than in all but three other states. Additionally, 10.9% of babies born in the state have a low birthweight, the largest share of any state in country after Mississippi. Low birthweight has likely contributed to a high infant mortality rate in the state. With slightly more than eight out of every 1,000 infants dying before their first birthday, infant mortality is more common in Louisiana than in every state but nearby Mississippi and Alabama.

Negative health outcomes in Louisiana are likely the result of pervasive bad habits. Nearly one in four adults in the state identifies as a smoker, a larger share than in all but a handful of other states. Furthermore, roughly 30% of adults in the state do not exercise, the third highest rate of physical inactivity in the country.

49. Mississippi

> Pct. obese 35.5% (3rd highest)
> Cardiovascular deaths per 100,000 people: 345 (the highest)
> Primary care physicians per 100,000 people: 85 (2nd lowest)
> Pct. with health insurance: 84.2% (8th lowest)

Mississippi's annual median household income of $35,521 is the lowest in the country — one of a range of weak social and economic measures contributing to the especially poor health among state residents. Ultimately, poor economic conditions and poor health lead to untimely deaths. For example, the incidence of infant mortality often reflects the health of the mother, the quality of prenatal care, and the ease of access to quality health care. Infant mortality is far more common in the South than it is elsewhere. In Mississippi, the infant mortality rate of 9.3 deaths per 1,000 live births is the highest in the nation. The state also reports the nation's highest incidence of premature death, at an estimated 10,744 years lost per 100,000 people annually due to preventable deaths. Unhealthy choices drive the prevalence of premature death in Mississippi. Residents are among the most likely to smoke and some of the least likely to consume recommended servings of fruits and vegetables.


48. Arkansas

> Pct. obese 35.9% (the highest)
> Cardiovascular deaths per 100,000 people: 313 (4th highest)
> Primary care physicians per 100,000 people: 105 (12th lowest)
> Pct. with health insurance: 86.1% (16th lowest)

Nearly 30% of children in Arkansas live in poverty, the third highest percentage nationwide and up considerably from 1990, when the state's child poverty rate was 25.2%. Financial stress in families is closely tied with poor health outcomes. A high teen birth rate also often reflects weak social and economic conditions, which in turn can lead to poor health outcomes.There are specific economic costs associated with teen births, including increased health care and foster care costs. Children of teen parents also tend to have lower educational attainment and a higher likelihood of incarceration. Arkansas leads the nation in teen births, with roughly 44 births for every 1,000 female teens each year.

As in a number of other Southern states, Arkansas also has an obesity problem. The state's obesity rate of 35.9% is the highest in the country.

47. West Virginia

> Pct. obese 35.7% (2nd highest)
> Cardiovascular deaths per 100,000 people: 300 (6th highest)
> Primary care physicians per 100,000 people: 109 (18th lowest)
> Pct. with health insurance: 88.7% (22nd highest)

Nearly 20% of high school students and nearly 27% of adults in West Virginia smoke regularly, each the highest smoking rate of any state. West Virginia's obesity rate of 35.7% is also higher than the rate in every other state except for Arkansas. Both smoking and obesity are among the factors most closely tied to negative health outcomes. West Virginians are the most likely state residents to report heart disease, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and diabetes — all drivers of premature death. West Virginians are also more likely to die from drug abuse than Americans overall, with 32.4 drug deaths per 100,000 residents reported annually, the highest drug death rate in the nation. Many people in the state are aware of their poor health. Just 41.7% of adults in the state say their health is good or excellent, the lowest percentage in the nation.


46. Alabama

> Pct. obese 33.5% (5th highest)
> Cardiovascular deaths per 100,000 people: 330 (2nd highest)
> Primary care physicians per 100,000 people: 104 (11th lowest)
> Pct. with health insurance: 87.1% (20th lowest)

All factors combined, Alabama is the fifth least healthy state in the nation. The Southern state's biggest challenge is its poor health outcomes. In Alabama, 8.7 out of every 1,000 infants die before reaching the age of one, the second highest infant mortality rate in the country. This may be partially due to the state's high prevalence of low birthweight. One in every 10 children born in Alabama weigh less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces, the third highest prevalence of low birthweight nationwide.

Low incomes often coincide with poor health, and Alabama is no exception. The typical household in Alabama makes just $42,278, more than $11,000 less than the $53,657 the typical American household makes.
More...


So if blue states are so much more educated, why aren't they run better? Why are 9 out of 10 of the worst roads in the country are blue states? http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Media/Slideshow/2015/08/25/10-States-Worst-Roads?page=0

If the blue states are so much smarter, why does electricity cost almost twice as much in a deep blue state as in a red state? https://www.electricchoice.com/electricity-prices-by-state/

Im in CA and our electric has been going up every month. That chart says 18.65c per kWh for March, but it's actually 19.97c now just a few months later.

The average bill in my neighborhood is around $400-$700 per month for those that don't have solar. I often wonder about how seniors on a fixed income are surviving right now.

So seriously Tony...if you blue guys are so educated, why aren't things run better?

Oh that's right...a liberal arts degree in West African dance theory counts as "educated"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top