Fun fact, that belt from OK to WV represents 8 of the bottom 10 states with the lowest education.
We need to make education a nationwide priority. Our democracy can’t afford to have such disparity. And it’s not just disparity in education, it’s a lot of things. People in these areas had largely been ignored or forgotten about. Trump looked at those people and saw an opportunity. Democrats didn’t look at those people at all.
Can’t find the original article any longer (have a PDF if anyone wants it), but David Wong’s “How Half of America Lost Its Fucking Mind” is the best explanation for Trump I have ever seen, bar none. Here’s a copy:
People can scream whatever simplistic single-word answer they want: Racists! Stupid! But that essay really fucking nails it and I think it’s important.
His real name is Jason K. Pargin and he’s a pretty fantastic author and podcaster. Yet another of the Cracked diaspora that is still doing great work.
You’re right. That essay is excellent. Appreciate the link.
That changed my view as nothing I’ve ever read on any subject. Of course I’ll soon take a beating as if I’m apologizing for Trump’s in trying to understand them.
We did do that, which is why the Dept of Education that the current administration is destroying exists. Regressives keep tearing everything down and we have to build up again.
We need a cultural shift to value education, oppose violenve, and actually care about fellow humans we haven’t personally met before the country will have lasting positive change.
We need a cultural shift to value education, oppose violenve, and actually care about fellow humans we haven’t personally met before the country will have lasting positive change.
What if that cultural shift never happens in the deep red states? What then?
… Then there won’t be a lasting positive change?
That’s how if statements work
What I mean is without lasting positive change, what? If large swaths of the country are a lost cause that’ll just keep dragging the rest of the country down, what’s to be done?
We’d still be better off than ALL the country being ignorant.
I mean, it’s pretty obvious what happens, right? We die as a country, civilization, and ultimately a species if we can’t find a balance
I agree.
Anecdote time! I grew up in Oklahoma, and when we were learning about addition and subtraction, I asked what would happen if I subtracted a bigger number from a smaller number. Instead of being reasonable and telling me I’d learn about that later, my teacher told me that was a stupid question because you obviously can’t have less than zero, and the class laughed at me.
A huge part of Oklahoma history was that it’s foundation was literally going back on the promise of Indian Land after the Trail of Tears, and they’d celebrate it’s anniversary by getting the school kids to dress up and LARP stealing territory by taking a sack lunch to the playground and staking your claim.
I couldn’t get out of that state fast enough.
Grew up in Tulsa, left at 30. It’s very different from the rest of the state yet still votes red for state and federal offices. Then they go and elect their first black mayor, a democrat. Weird town. Very progressive in some ways but it’s odd to have a large metro area so red. OKC seems to do much of the same, but that’s the toilet at the end of the turnpike. :)
Not surprising…what are the other two?
Bit of toss up between New Mexico, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas depending on the data source.
That’s why they are R
People always think Texas is super red, but we’re really something like 54% of voters in presidential elections. The districts are so fucking gerrymandered it keeps everything outside of the bigger cities looking red.
Florida as well. I’m tired of getting beat up on social media when the news out of Tennessee is so much fucking worse. It’s like people don’t actually read the news and get all their opinions from social media. What a poisonous way to learn about the world.
You can say this about nearly every red state.
Yep. You have to drill down to the county level so see truly wild disparities. Fuck me, even Mississippi has blue counties.
It’s worth remembering that the northern cluster includes 3 of bottom 5 states by population - this represents even fewer people than ”12 states" implies.
I think WY has about 37 people.
That’s like 35 billionaires, a driver and a maid.
Stay strong, Montana.
We’re working on prop I-194 this election, which would ban corporate money in politics in a unique way (you should read about it and encourage your state to adopt a similar proposal). Based on everything I’ve seen around here I expect it to pass. That won’t stop the Supreme Court from overturning the will of the voters but at least it will piss a lot of people off when that happens.
I looked it up. Oh god yes. I’d vote for that in a heartbeat.
Thank you for commenting, because not being anywhere near there this is the first I’ve personally heard about Montana’s good efforts in this direction, and national media doesn’t really talk about these state efforts much.
Can we just give them their own backwards country called dumbfuckastan?
And which states are taker states?
Lowest education rates?
Least life expectancy?
Highest cost of medical care?
Highest crime rates pet capita?
I can go on, but I’m sure they’re also oh sooooo business and tax friendly too, right?
The Retarded States.
In which year?
This is a made up map. The link at the bottom leads to a site where you can color in a map. Without an actual source to back any of this up it’s literally nothing.
I just compared to the percentages on Wikipedia and they all check out. It may be a made up map but it seems to be an accurate one.
Great, now let’s see per capita where those states rank when it comes to welfare consumption - surprise surprise, it’s always projection with that crowd.
I can see my house from here.
So burn those down?
Fuckin idaho.
I live here and am convinced that its the most idiotic state in the entire country.
I fucking hate it here…
What a stupid system where land is more important than people.
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