2019: The Difference in Being Poor in Red States versus Blue States.

The Difference in Being Poor in Red States versus Blue States.

Part I - Welfare and Federalism.

This chapter discusses how Republicans at the federal and state level are adding behavior modification requirements to a wide array of public benefits programs, thus driving a divide between red and blue states. Behavior modification requirements include tying public assistance to work requirements, family caps (limits on benefits based on family size), and drug tests. Congress first approved behavior modification requirements on a large-scale as part of welfare reform in 1996.

These requirements are attempts to control the behavior of the poor, based on an assumption that poor people are morally deficient.

To implement these changes, Republicans are using federalism tools such as waivers, or statutorily permitted deviations from federal program norms on a state-by-state basis. The Trump administration has already approved work requirements for Medicaid and signaled that it will permit a range of behavior modification requirements in housing and nutrition assistance programs.

As a result, state variations in terms of poverty rates and poverty relief will deepen.

In short, a person’s experience at the bottom of the economic ladder differs widely depending on where they live, and red state versus blue state policy differences are driving part of that geographic divergence.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/holes-in-the-safety-net/difference-in-being-poor-in-red-states-versus-blue-states/FD63AB1051F7A904E5E0CA874B632FE9

2024: Top 10 Poorest States in the U.S.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the national poverty rate was 12.7% in 2023, up from 12.4% in 2022. These states and territory have the highest percentages of poverty in the country: Puerto Rico, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New York and Tennessee.

As a Quaker organization, FCNL seeks to eliminate poverty at home and abroad through economic policies that expand opportunities for all people.

https://www.fcnl.org/updates/2024-09/top-10-poorest-states-us

The American Bible Belt.

Republicans have a lock on poor, less educated rural areas.

Texas Megachurch Pastor: ‘You’re Not A Christian If You Vote For A Democrat’

Religion-based con artists prey on the faithful...

The GOP has a firm electoral lock on poor, rural places. There is considerable evidence that decades of ineffective state policies have helped immiserate rural places in many states. But, again, the political divides are newer than the policy failings. So, which party is responsible for those poor policies will vary state by state. Indiana is the median state in terms of rural affluence.

We are a nation of city dwellers, with 8 out of 10 Americans living in metropolitan counties. The six most affluent metro areas have per capita incomes more than double the rural county average. As with rural places, there are big regional divides in urban affluence.

https://randallpacker.com/american-bible-belt/

https://www.indystar.com/story/opinion/columnists/2024/06/24/republican-towns-are-missing-americas-booming-economy/74173361007/

VOTE FOR THE DEMOCRATS AND GOD WILL SEND YOU TO HELL...!

Tennessee church thrives by leaning into hardline politics as attendance falls nationwide.

"Tectonic shift in power": How MAGA pastors boost Trump's campaign.

Evil Mermaids, Demons, and Donald: This Pro-Trump Conference Got Real Weird. Both Pastors for Trump and Re-Awaken America took over Trump’s Miami property this past weekend. It was strange — and terrifying.

The most and least educated states across the US – new study.

Education is a fundamental pillar of society and serves as a springboard to personal and professional success. Yet, the landscape of educational attainment varies significantly across the United States, from the bustling metropolises of the Northeast to the rural expanses of the Midwest and the cultural mosaic of the South.

A higher educational attainment can be seen in the Northeast and parts of the Midwestern United States, with states such as Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maryland ranking within the top five.

Conversely, the Southern United States showed a lower level of education attainment. In the ten lowest-ranking states, seven were from the Southern region of the country, including West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Texas.

TRUMP LOVES THE POORLY EDUCATED.

Regions with large urban centers like New York and California displayed a higher level of educational attainment.

Surprisingly, Alaska, the country's most sparsely populated state, ranked better than states with larger populations, with an index score of 43.1.

https://www.datapandas.org/ranking/least-educated-states

https://www.fenews.co.uk/education/which-states-are-most-educated-new-data-study-revealed/#:~:text=New%20Mexico%20is%20the%20least,a%20bachelor's%20degree%20or%20higher.

Why Humanity Must Overcome Religion | Carl Sagan.

A History of Private Schools and Race in the American South.

Eugenicists behind the U.S.’s forced sterilizations during the last century also wanted a border wall.

IF EVERYTHING THAT'S OLD IS NEW AGAIN - WHAT'S NEXT ON THE MAGA AGENDA?

Oklahoma amends request for Bibles that initially appeared to match only version backed by Trump.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma has amended its request for 55,000 Bibles to be placed in public schools that initially matched a version of the holy book endorsed by former President Donald Trump. The request was amended Monday and no longer requires the Bibles to include U.S. historical documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution — requirements that match the “God Bless the USA Bible” that Trump endorsed this year and that are several times more expensive than similar Bibles that don’t include the U.S. documents. The new request says the historical documents may be included together or separately and extends the deadline for offers to supply the items by one week, from Oct. 14 to Oct. 21. The request is part of State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ efforts to require Bibles in public school classrooms, which has been met with resistance by some of Oklahoma’s largest school districts.

Parents, faith leaders & teachers file lawsuit over Bible mandate.

IS THERE A SMITING IN PROGRESS?