Red vs. blue state governance a great laboratory for what works best

[Jeebus]

States are laboratories of democracy, Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis wrote. Citizens of every state can monitor their experiments and judge which set of one-party states is getting better results.

In Illinois, Democrats won again, despite increasing the state income tax from 3 to 5 percent in 2011, after which the state's unemployment rate went up, while declining in neighboring states. Democrat Michael Madigan has been speaker of the Illinois House for 28 of the last 30 years.

Many Republican governors and legislatures have gone in another direction, holding down spending increases and seeking to cut taxes or hold rates even, rather than raise them.

Texas' low taxes (no income tax) and light regulation have been followed by some of the most robust job creation in the nation. Texas' population grew so rapidly in the last decade that it gained 4 U.S. House seats from the 2010 Census.

[soulflower]

Why haven't Mississippi and Louisiana enjoyed the same prosperity as Texas?

Why is poverty so high in Texas?

Why are Red states in general so much poorer than Blue states?

[Jeebus]

Why haven't Mississippi and Louisiana enjoyed the same prosperity as Texas?

Why is poverty so high in Texas?

Why are Red states in general so much poorer than Blue states?

Why is Illinois doing so poorly if raising taxes is the answer?

[ms maggie]

Why is Illinois doing so poorly if raising taxes is the answer?

Nevada has no state income tax and the nation's highest unemployment rate.

Possibly, just possibly, there are other factors at play? Whaddya think?

[Jeebus]

Nevada has no state income tax and the nation's highest unemployment rate.

And Rhode Island and California, with extremely high taxes rates, are at #2 and #3.

Possibly, just possibly, there are other factors at play? Whaddya think?

Not higher tax rates, that's for sure.

Whaddya think?

[soulflower]

There are a lot of states with low tax rates and no major labor unions yet many of those states are relatively poor compared to most of the high tax, pro-union Blue states...

[ms maggie]

And Rhode Island and California, with extremely high taxes rates, are at #2 and #3.



Not higher tax rates, that's for sure.

Whaddya think?

If you look at the top 10 states with lowest unemployment, their state tax rate is 3.9%; bottom 10, it's 4.5%. Kinda takes your breath away, don't it?

http://www.tax-rates.org/taxtables/income-tax-by-state

http://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm

And, don't forget, Texas is a net taker from the fed govt (you know, the one they want to secede from? For the love of God, GO!!), which is a big help in keeping state taxes at bay.