Like most states of its hue. . .

Reader comment on: A Report from Massachusetts

Submitted by ben (United States), Jan 26, 2010 22:04

Massachusetts is a handy foil for conservatives who bemoan "liberal left and politically correct." It may be a one party state, but it is a state that is doing far better than most others. Although the author says that it budget is busting like other blue states, in our current environment both blue states and red states are running huge deficits. Mass. is actually doing quite a bit better than average. Also, contrary to what is written, Mass. does a lot more bailing out of red states. It is a well documented fact that red states get more money from Washington than they pay in. Red state welfare is something many conservatives conveniently overlook. Massachusetts only gets 82 cents for every dollar it sends to Washington. Despite this drain on their resources, they still have 96% of people covered by their healthcare system, some of the best educational outcomes in the country, and gay marriage to boot! Ultimately, we must decide the proper size of government (and the taxes to go with it). Massachusetts presents a pretty compelling argument that their level of taxation and government create a more secure, just and prosperous society. If only the rest of the nation would follow Mass.'s lead, we would be a whole lot better off.

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