[Vision2020] Blues are Givers; Reds are Takers (Thanks, Nick)

[Tom Hansen]

The following letter was copied and pasted from today's (November 18, 2004)
Spokesman Review's Letters section

It is sincerely refreshing to read such a letter that puts everything into
its proper perspective.  A very special vote of thanks goes to Nick Gier, a
citizen that Moscow should be proud to claim as one of its residents.

 

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Blues are givers; Reds are takers

 

A recent book, "The Great Divide: Retro vs. Metro" by John Sperling, puts
the lie to comments that people live in Blue States because of government
handouts there. Here are some of Sperling's points:

 

 

The Red States have 35 percent of the population and 50 senators, while the
Blue States have 65 percent of the population and 50 senators. Subsidized
industries (agriculture, oil, gas, etc.) dominate in the Red States, and
nonsubsidized manufacturing, financial and information services dominate in
the Blue States.

 

 

The Reds pay 29 percent of federal tax, while the Blues pay 71 percent. From
1991 to 2001, the Reds received $800 billion more in goods, services and
cash from the feds than it paid in taxes, while the Blues paid the feds $1.4
trillion.

 

 

In 2004, 39 states gave Kerry 1.5 million more votes than Bush, while 11
states (the heart of the Confederacy) gave 5 million more votes to Bush.

 

 

John Edwards was correct to speak about two Americas: one that feeds at the
federal trough and one that thanklessly fills the trough.

 

Nick Gier

 

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