Brain Fertilizer

States hit hardest with unemployment:
1. Massachusetts
2. Illinois
3. Ohio
4. Indiana
5. South Carolina
6. New York
7. Michegan
8. Oregon
9. Colorado
10. Kentucky

Five States Hit Hardest By Recession
1. Michegan
2. Florida
3. Hawaii
4. Illinois
5. Mississippi

Now take a look at the politicial orientation of the states. (based on predictions for the 2004 Presidential election...it's just for reference, because between voting for President, the affiliations of the Senators/Reps, and the affiliations of state positions, judging a state as Republican vs Democrat can be complicated)

Then take a gander at tax burdens.
Five Highest Tax Burdens:
1. New York
2. Maine
3. Ohio
4. Hawaii
5. Rhode Island
(note: if DC were included, they would be tied for first with New York)
Five Lowest?
1. Alaska
2. New Hampshire
3. Delaware
4. Tennessee
5. Texas
(A slightly different ordering, based on a slightly different criteria, can be found here

Now check out one liberal solution. Surprise! He wants more federal aid.

Draw your own conclusions.

To me, it seems clear that Democrat states, by enacting Democrat policies, increase misery for everyone. Spending always expands to meet revenue in good times, which incurs responsibility for continuing the programs during economic recessions, thus increasing debt or necessitating tax hikes. The taxes are rarely lowered much when the economy improves, because spending expands to meet the increased revenue, creating a vicious cycle that leaves the citizens of the state in bad shape. The middle-class faces high taxes, the lower class gets programs cut after they have become dependent, and the Democrat governers always cut fire, police, and education first as a blackmail attempt to get people to approve higher taxes.

The perfect example of Democrat policy disasters is Oregon.
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