The southern states are the poorest states in the country, but yet

[Blue_Roses]

they continue to support a president who could care less about them.


Income Stable, Poverty Up, Numbers of Americans With and Without
Health Insurance Rise, Census Bureau Reports



"Real median household income remained unchanged between 2002 and 2003 in three of the four census regions — Northeast ($46,742), Midwest ($44,732) and West ($46,820). The exception was the South, where income declined 1.5 percent. The South continued to have the lowest median household income of all four regions ($39,823). The difference between median household incomes in the Northeast and West was not statistically significant.

--snip--

States

* The poverty rate for Arkansas (18.5 percent) — although not different from the rates for New Mexico, Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia and the District of Columbia — was higher than the rates for the other 45 states when comparing three-year average poverty rates for 2001 to 2003. Conversely, New Hampshire’s rate (6.0 percent) — though not different from the rate for Minnesota — was lower than those of the other 48 states and the District of Columbia.
* Seven states — Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, South Dakota, Texas and Virginia — showed increases in their poverty rates based on two-year moving averages (2001-2002 and 2002-2003), while two states — Mississippi and North Dakota — showed decreases.

--snip--

*The South was the only region to show an increase in its uninsured rate in 2003, up from 17.5 percent in 2002 to 18.0 percent. The health insurance coverage rates of people in the South and in the West (17.6 percent) were not different in 2003. The percentages for the Northeast and Midwest were 12.9 percent and 12.0 percent, respectively.


http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/002484.html

_______________________________

And they continue to support Bush-who couldn't care less about how the south STRUGGLES. I have lived here all my life and I just don't get it. :shrug: It's no wonder we struggle to make ends meet.

:banghead:

[Celeborn Skywalker]

1. Bush has successfully exploited tribalism

and worked up the people over superficial things which don't affect their lives like gay marriage and abortion. It's a technique hundreds of dictators before him have used and it still works today.

[DBoon]

6. The Southern ruling class has a long history of this

pitting poor whites against blacks, to split them apart and exploit them separately.

[Clark2008]

2. In all fairness, our cost of living is lower, too.

This doesn't excuse it, but it needs to be taken in perspective.
The problem with national insurance carriers is that they DON'T take this into perspective and charge the same rates, nationwide, and people in the South (no unions, lower pay, etc.) can't afford those rates.

[Bridget Burke]

3. You mean he COULDN'T care less?

And what's your home state? So many of these region-bashing threads are started by those ashamed of their homes.

[Blue_Roses]

8. Arkansas and Louisiana and Texas before that

so don't even try to change this into a flame thread. I've lived here ALL MY LIFE and no one knows better than those who ACTUALLY LIVE HERE!

We want change--not everybody here supports Bush believe it or not.

this isn't a "region-bashing" thread. It's a FACT based thread and if you want to continue to ignore these statistics fine, but don't expect to win in 2008

[Ripley]

9. Dean needs to harp on these numbers

IN THE SOUTHERN STATES! I hear they loved him in Miss. recently. If anyone can explain in a plain-talking way how voting Republican is destroying their communities = it's the Doc.

[Blue_Roses]

12. I agree and Dean will be good for the south

It's going to take someone like him to shake things up here so we can open some eyes to how we are shooting ourselves in the foot by letting the republicans get away with these issues.

[Cannikin]

10. Little Rock voted Blue, for the record.

but I am ashamed of alot of the behavior in this state.

[Blue_Roses]

14. yes, but

Conway--and if you know Arkansas you know Conway--didn't. Along with the other counties in the state. I looked at a county-by-county rundown after the election of who voted what and it was terrible:banghead:

[MominTN]

4. The South

I have no idea why the south continues to support Bush and the Repubs. The only thing it can be is his talk of God because it is certainly not from his record.

[Tux]

5. I live in the south

And Bush went to a NASCAR race, bitched about gay marriage and abortion, and is from Texas. Cowboy hats are very popular now. Anyways, we appeared to be like them and told them he understands them. So they vote to have him in again and now many are wondering why they did it.

[Ripley]

7. But isn't it true that those areas with the worst poverty...

don't vote? The deep deep rural pockets of abject 3rd world poverty I see in Mississippi and Alabama are shocking. I'm pretty sure they don't turn out to vote because they're too busy trying to survive another day. They don't see how either party would do anything for them.

The rich landowners are the ones that rally the troops to vote repuke at their city churches. I blame the Christian Coalition for a lot of this...they seem to enjoy lying to the poor citizens, knowing how the repuke policies keep them down.

[Blue_Roses]

11. I live in Arkansas and the turnout for the election

was unbelievable. Endless lines to vote. Now grant it, I'm sure there were many there to vote for Bush, but I know for a fact many were voting for Kerry. I stood in line for an hour and half to vote next to 4 people voting for Kerry and we all felt the same--this election was driven by the fundies and the gay marriage issue. Otherwise it would have been a slamdunk for Kerry.

Bush had nothing to run on but this--as well as we all know--and this can't happen again.

[Teena]

13. look North - there's a red pocket up there

My inlaws live in Upper Penninsula Michigan where there seems to be a pocket of "northwoods hillbillies" who love Bush. They believed all the bull about Kerry taking away their guns if elected, they firmly believe that our oil lies under Iraq's sand, and they admire Bush's lying, "terra-izin" ways. In spite of a back-slipping economy, small business owners who are getting burned big time by Bush laws, and most of the rest of the state going for Kerry, they are proud to watch Fox News and become more and more racist by the day. My mom and husband are from there, but - thank God - they still have their liberal/progressive/caring human being brains and morals intact.

[MisterP]

15. and their "pro-business" laws are the strongest: that's why population

keeps flowing into them.

[Blue_Roses]

16. we are going to be living in a cardboard box

if things don't change here soon. Should I stay or should I go...