(no subject)

[unluckystunt.livejournal.com]

Comments

[kenwestervelt.livejournal.com]

A perfect reason why a third party needs to step up and win hearts and minds: coalitions keep Congress in the political center, where it belongs.

[tubaboy81.livejournal.com]

Amen!

Also, both current parties suck, but that's stating the obvious.

[rubyspirit.livejournal.com]

Good one.

[clownshoes.livejournal.com]

Very clever.

[ccnuggie.livejournal.com]

Sounds good to me, that way democrats can pay for their own social welfare programs...lol good luck with that one.

[brutalentropy.livejournal.com]

LOLZ yeah cause red states provide so much more money than blue states in federal tax revenue.

Oh wait.

[ccnuggie.livejournal.com]

Only because businesses that you over tax are in those areas...but if there was really a border there, businesses would move to the red areas to lessen their taxes and boost profits through the roof, and you blue staters would be paying for your own welfare.

Hell, you can barely find any insurance companies in MA because of the huge costs of doing business here.

[brutalentropy.livejournal.com]

That makes perfect sense. Except not at all. If that were true, companies would already be moving to red states in droves. This whole thing is ridiculous, doesn't anyone remember what happened the last time we tried to seperate the states in this country?

You can't possibly think this is actually a good idea...

[ccnuggie.livejournal.com]

Good idea? Yeah, in the same way that having no war is a good idea. At least that's my personal view, as I can't stand Liberals. But of course I live in a very blue state and have to deal with leftists online all day so I'd be very happy to just get away from them all.

Possible? lol of course not.

[aeonsbeyond.livejournal.com]

Americans are alarmed about the moral condition of their society today. Many in the liberal half of America worry that the political right has been taken over by amoral forces that pretend to be righteous while indulging a lust for power and wealth. Many conservative Americans fear that America's moral integrity is being eroded by an "anything goes" culture that's fostered by contemporary liberalism.

Both these worries are well-founded. Each side of America's political and cultural divide is challenged to overcome its moral blindspot.

http://nonesoblind.org/

[desidono.livejournal.com]

Question - what good is having insurance companies if people can't afford to use their services? Choice is great, but if it's priced out of what most people can afford (business and consumer alike) then it's not much of a choice at all.

[thomasblair.livejournal.com]

Because insurance companies exist, it is evident that people can, and do afford their services.

[prudentlike.livejournal.com]

If I remember correctly, "red states" such Mississippi recieve the most money for welfare programs.

[nacreousflaneur.livejournal.com]

I remember reading that somewhere as well, that "red" states in the deep south are the biggest beneficiaries of state-run welfare programs, while "blue" states contribute more money than they suck out. If true, the obvious irony of that fact, vis a vis Republican/libertarian party philosophy is striking. Does anyone have any evidence to either support or refute this?


Nevertheless, I think ccnuggie's idea might not be a bad one. It would certainly settle this whole conservative vs. liberal debate once and for all. I say we split California into two states, and let each half promote their agenda as far as they wish. Southern California--which I rename "Ayn Randsville"--can have no minimum wage, no rent controls, and tax credits for small businesses; Northern California--now known as "Trotskyville"--can have fully subsidized housing, schooling, completely open borders, and full welfare benefits for the unemployed.

Then we come back in thirty years to see which is doing better.

[zombiesmustdie.livejournal.com]

http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2004/09/red_states_feed.html

[kitsuneluke.livejournal.com]

The tax stuff is here (http://www.nemw.org/reports.htm#fedspending).

That's not quite fair. We need two more states, to cover our social conservative and liberal bases. We can use Nevada for that, since it's right there. Ayn Randsville covers the conservative/liberal side, Trotskyville can be liberal/conservative since communism doesn't allow for too much standing out. But then Northern Nevada would be "Reaganville", which has no minimum wage, no rent controls, and no rap music; Southern Nevada will be "Hippypipedreamsville", and will have no cars and basically be a commune where kittens dance and play.

Then you'd have to define how you're going to measure "better". Is it the standard of living, or is it the economy, or is it the number of kittens playing on any given street? And you'd have to start them out on more or less equal footing for the experiment to be valid. But hell, if someone could pull that off, it'd be interesting.

[nacreousflaneur.livejournal.com]

My guess is that both societies would become science fiction dystopias.

Randsville would probably evolve into a Bladerunner-like plutocracy where giant megacorporations run everything and the upper middle class live safe, happy, wealthy corporate lives, while an abused and exploited underclass toils between the cracks.

Trotskyville would eventually collapse under the weight of corruption and its own stagnant economy, giving rise to a bloody social revolution, from the ranks of which would emerge a charismatic tyrant, just like the French Revolution spawned Robespierre and Napoleon, and the Russian Revolution spawned Josef Stalin.

[fleaplus.livejournal.com]

Randsville would probably evolve into a Bladerunner-like plutocracy where giant megacorporations run everything and the upper middle class live safe, happy, wealthy corporate lives, while an abused and exploited underclass toils between the cracks.

Wouldn't the underclass just move to Trotskyville?

[kitsuneluke.livejournal.com]

Well, yeah. That's why we need opposition parties. Science fiction dystopias are neat, but living in one might suck a little.

[unluckystunt.livejournal.com]

lol, blue states would actually save money that way.

[zombiesmustdie.livejournal.com]

we can indeed pay for our own social welfare programs, the question is, who will pay for the red stater's?

http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2004/09/red_states_feed.html

[thomasblair.livejournal.com]

Great idea! (http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2004/09/red_states_feed.html) Do you notice the striking resemblance between the cartoon above and the map in the link?

Dumbass.

[ccnuggie.livejournal.com]

Way to think one dimensionally...dumbass.

[katndhat33.livejournal.com]

He tends to do that doesn't he?

[thomasblair.livejournal.com]

I don't expect much from him anymore.

[thomasblair.livejournal.com]

Oh, Christ!

How do you function with your limited intelligence? I bet you have someone dress you every morning.

As far as the topic is concerned, what is one-dimensional about pointing out that (current) red states are tax-consumers and blue states are tax-suppliers? Do you know what one-dimensionality even means? At the very least, you've misapplied the word.

[ccnuggie.livejournal.com]

Get a life, loser.

You're thinking one dimensionally in that you're only pointing out one dimension of what the comic would mean.

You have one section of the country with all liberal policies and one with all republican policies, and see how far you get. If you need me to hold your hand longer to let you figure out exactly what that entails, tough shit, I have to get to work.

[thomasblair.livejournal.com]

You're changing the rules of the game.

You (originally) offered the assertion that "democrats can pay for their own social welfare programs" and I quickly pointed out that blue states are actually "tax losers".

As for your hypothetical, we currently have a situation very much like that, though not identical. We have a number of states that are pursuing socialism (or socialism-lite). We have states (like NH) that are trying to model themselves as close to the Constitution as they can (federal laws and restrictions prohibit this). And then we have the rest of the country (mostly Red) that generally follows Republican policy lead.

And what have we got for it? Blue states where the majority of people in America live and where the majority of taxes come from.

Businesses and the wealthy currently have the option to go to parts of the country that suit their personal political views. Most do locate themselves to places where their wealth is confiscated the least. TN has no income tax, and so we have attracted a number of companies relocating headquarters here and moving manufacturing operations here.

But economics isn't the only thing people consider when they choose a living locale. Many look at what taxpayer-subsidized (pugh!) services are available. Many look at what cultural options are available. Little rural towns don't have art museums and symphony orchestras.

We currently do have parts of the country with all liberal policies, and parts with all conservative parties, and the outcome is (and will be) as is it today.

[dodgermask.livejournal.com]

thought wisconsin went blue in '06 I live there, I think i remember that stuff...someone tell me I'm not just wishing.

[somethingbleu.livejournal.com]

I dont know about '06 since the midterms hasen't happened yet, but in 2004 your state went blue, like mine.

[wyzwun.livejournal.com]

It also has two blue congressmen and a blue governor, unfortunately.

[madmethod.livejournal.com]

It's not a wish, it's true! Though the red bleeds through if you venture too far north.

[studmuff.livejournal.com]

Come on, don't cut out Minnesota just yet! We'll get red soon.

[nacreousflaneur.livejournal.com]

I just wish your football team could win a playoff game.

OH BURN

[studmuff.livejournal.com]

Clearly, you are talking about the last three years. Other than that, they are 24-18 in playoff games. In the three years prior to the last three, not only did they win at least one playoff game each time, they had three AFC West titles.

I suppose you're into the "What have you done for me lately?" mode.

Unless, of course, you're talking about the Minnesota Vikings. Which, if you looked at my icon, would be a big mistake.

[nacreousflaneur.livejournal.com]

Yes, I was talking about the Vikings.

[thomasblair.livejournal.com]

Haha! I read his reply thinking, "What Vikings team is he thinking of?!"

[bluetooth16.livejournal.com]

The Canadian border is just as insecure as the one with Mexico. Besides, if Republicans want to keep their seats, they should return to all of their campaign promises.

[kitsuneluke.livejournal.com]

Wrong comic, dude.

[kilroyale.livejournal.com]

Kilroy was here!