dallashistory

For me, this came originally from one of my wife's bridge partners. Maybe - perhaps I should say probably - you have heard it though. It seems an appropriate comment on the state of the country on the eve of the national Holiday.

Suppose for a moment that the country were divided along political lines into Conservative and Liberal sections. Imagine that all the population were transferred into the Conservative or Liberal section as best matched their political views. You would not have a Conservative or Liberal neighbor or co-worker, at least at the beginning, unless you and the other were of like minds. Each section would be free to pursue its own goals, set its own taxes, makes its own laws, everything.

Now imagine one thing more. On a given day anyone on the Conservative side would be free to move to the Liberal side and vice versa.

Which way would the population flow? Where would you want to live?

It was not part of the bridge table talk, but it is worth noting that something very similar to the scenario described seems to have happened.

Many years ago lots of folks moved to California, to Michigan, to New York seeking opportunity. I don't know that there was much consideration of "conservative" or "liberal," but they moved. Today California at least is losng population. Movements to Oregon and Washington state have tipped the political balances in thise states. The ex-Californians wanted lower taxes and less hassle but could not give up feeding at the government trough. The Northwestern states are no longer so desirable for many.

Now the same thing is happening in Oklahoma which seems to be gaining population at the expense of California.

But let me ask again and put it a little differently. Would you rather live in a Red state or a Blue state?

As a general proposition, I'll take a conservative state as a place to live. Some of the Liberul infested places are worth a visit, if only for the scenery (try driving up the coast of the PRK from, say, San Luis Obispo to Monterrey - beautiful). But you wouldn't really want to live there because of the neighbors. It is to be noted that Nevada and Arizona are also suffering from Kalifornicator infestations. And Austin has suffered from them, too....

Interesting thought experiment. I could live anywhere, I think. I like all kinds of folks, including liberal critters and the other kind. I actually live now (sorta like a hermit) in semi-isolation in a somewhat remote part of the mountains in the Northeastern U.S. in the western part of the very ultra-liberal state of Massachusetts. When I was younger I traveled widely and lived in both southern and central California, Washington State, Florida, Texas, Colorado, and Massachusetts; and my relatives and in-laws live or lived in the Blue Ridge region of North Carolina. My favored places to move when my wife retires in a few years are Washington State or possibly North Carolina. Texas and North Carolina have the nicest people, by far. Washington State, parts of western North Carolina, and parts of northern California have the weather and environment I prefer. Parts of British Columbia, Canada are nice as well.

I'd very much dislike living in a country divided by political beliefs. Isn't that what Korea is?
Politics has never been a criterion for choosing whom I associate or make friends with. To do so seems a bit on the extreme side of intolerance.
Besides there are a bus load of folks on my side of the political spectrum that I simply don't like and wouldn't want as neighbors.

Texas is as red as a state can be red and I wouldn't dream of living any place else.
Not a day goes by that I think, Gee I wish this were a blue state.

And there's the fact that my own son is a Republican and we get along fine.

And that stuff about ex-Californians destroying other states is pure bunk. Good God Lord a'mighty folks, they are our fellow Americans not a virus.

Sorry Ronnie - they (the refugee PRK inhabitants) are indeed injuring the societies if the neighboring states they ahve been moving into. The locals (and the news0 indicate that similar folk from Taxachusetts and Connecticut are having a similar bad impact on Vermont and New Hampshire. The folks themselvs aren't virii, but they are sort of social and political Typhoid Marys....

they (the refugee PRK inhabitants) are indeed injuring the societies if the neighboring states they ahve been moving into.

Baloney. They aren't zombies out to eat the brains of their new neighbors.
They are ordinary American folks like you and me looking for better opportunities for themselves and their families.
The dreaded MSN has made this into something that it's not for whatever reason feeding on the bizarre xenophobia many Americans have about the state.

If tbey are looking for better opportunities - how come they bring "We want all the things we had in Kali and want you to provide them?" with them when the reason they left was the People's Republik of Kali was going broke because of all those services - and the taxes to provide them, which they were also running from...

Where would I want to live?
Right where I am living.
I would not want to live in a world of sameness. I would not want to live in a world of "labels" as a criteria for acceptance.

(If i had the same conditions though as before i would love to live back in France or Italy--part time.
Part of the conditions would be paying American tax rates--at the time--NOT the EXHORBITANT French)

I've never been there, but I think I would like to live in Alaska. Generally I like living in the mountains, just outside the reach of normal civilization, in nature, with the animals and plants. Most animals and all plants, I think, are political Libertarians. For the most part, they seem to live by the maxim: Live and let Live.

I agree with Adam about Alaska. I just would not want to spend the winter. I go up there every year for a month and it is absolutely gorgeous. There are a lot of friendly Texas people living in the far north and there is even a place you can get Blue Bell in Anchorage.

In this thread there has been discussion of the high tax rate in California causing people to pack up and move. Here is a link to a piece from the WSJ on the subject.

http://www.lucianne.com/thread/?artnum=481060

See "Idaho Megamansion" thread . . . just kidding