Red Staters Should Want Blue Staters to Move In
Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s taking this whole culture war thing a little too literally. She’s recently mused about a national divorce, to protect red states from the dangers of “woke” policies practiced in blue states. Another idea she’s offered is a ban on blue staters from being allowed to vote for five years after moving to a red state. Ridiculous, unworkable, unconstitutional stuff, for sure. But also familiar territory.
Greene is merely updating the long-held myth that conservatives would be better off on their own—without the heavy hand of the federal government and without blue-staters bringing in new ideas that challenge their customs and culture.
Life in a bubble may sound good, but it’s a mirage in a country with a rapidly changing economy and demographics that favor cities.
The reality is red staters should want blue staters to move to their states. They’ll help improve the economy and they’ll attract information workers with college degrees and greater earning potential.
“In general, blue-state people are better educated. better equipped for the information age, and better at generating more jobs that raise the tax base and raise the boat for everyone,” says Don Kettl, author of The Divided States of America and former dean in the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland. “But they inevitably increase the tension around red states’ cultural policies. What is the price they’re willing to pay for a faster growing economy? How much tension are they willing to put up with for the kind of jobs that blue state people would bring?”
https://www.thedailybeast.com/red-staters-should-want-blue-staters-to-move-in?ref=wrap
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