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There are a lot of ways to look at contribution of natural resources. Per capita the military is disproportionately made up of recruits from poorer rural state
by nugget 10y ago
There are a lot of ways to look at contribution of natural resources. Per capita the military is disproportionately made up of recruits from poorer rural states. Alaska, Texas and Louisiana contribute oil and gas. The Midwest allowed tens of millions of immigrants to move to the US, assimilate, and raise large families which then fueled the economies of larger states like California. Most importantly the diversity of viewpoints represented by 50 states introduces some modicum of competition into the political sphere allowing the United States to remain a real life laboratory of democracy wherein citizens are able to observe different approaches and vote with their feet to promote good governance.
- thinkloop 10y agoDiversity has an optimal threshold. The more thoughts and viewpoints the better, until agreements can no longer be reached. I think the general feeling right now is that we've crossed into a suboptimal zone where government has trouble acting.
- vehementi 10y agoThat's, uh, not due to diversity...
- Retric 10y agoNatural resources are fungible, importing oil is a non issue when when it costs more to subsidize Alaska then we gain in Oil. It's important to at least recognize that Republican ideas result in worse economy's. After all insanity is doing the same thing over and over thinking this time will be different.