Over the next few weeks, Trump would shirk responsibility for the crisis, at one point saying literally, “No, I don’t take responsibility at all,” when he was asked about a lack of access to testing. He would tell governors to figure out their own ways of procuring supplies, and he would offer no guidance on policy.Gessen, Masha. Surviving Autocracy (p. xv). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
The idea that the states were on their own in a crisis was born in Trump 45 with the Covid-19 pandemic. There are many other examples of the federal government abdicating responsibility and assistance to states such as with the withdrawal of FEMA funds and assistance with weather damage.
The fact is that Blue states manage much better for their citizens than Red states even though Blue states contribute much more in federal taxes than they receive back. Would Blue states be better off if they kept more of their federal tax money to provide services to their state citizens?
There are many indicators that are measured that demonstrate the observation that the quality of life is better in Blue states and has a higher quality of life than Red states. For example New York, my state has the lowest DWI mortality rate in the nation as well as suicide rate and the fifth lowest in gun mortalities. New York was also ranked the best in mental health by the recent Mental Health American rankings. States that have the worst rankings on these indicators are Red states with Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama usually at the bottom of the list. The lowest ranking for mental health interestingly was Alabama, Arizona, and Nevada.
The state you live in will be increasingly important for quality of life as autocracy further infects the federal government. Can you name other quality indicators that are useful in determining the quality of life in the various states? What quality indicator are you most proud of in your state and what quality indicator in your state is most in need of improvement?
To move beyond the quality of life in states in the US to quality of life in other countries, the US often ranks in the lowest 2/3s of developed countries. For example, the US has the most expensive and one of the lowest performing health care systems in first world countries. Why? In the US the healthcare system is about profit rather than people. The US values which have led to the development of its health care system are immoral and lead to very poor results only to get worse if Republican policies at the Federal level come into play with Medicaid cuts.
Again, health care systems vary greatly between states with Massachusetts, Hawaii, and New Hampshire having the best and Mississippi, Alabama, and West Virginia having the worst. New York is #6. Where does your state rank and why?
If Trump and the autocrats implementing Project 2025 get their way, which state would a person be better off living in?
