I agree that that is a sentiment (being from one of those states originally), but then you have to start talking about how very reliant those same areas are on

I agree that that is a sentiment (being from one of those states originally), but then you have to start talking about how very reliant those same areas are on government programs (in other cases those same people would call hand-outs): 1. Rural telecommunication is highly subsidized. People living in cities almost entirely fund the expensive infrastructure needed to connect those living outside them. 2. Rural electric is mostly done through semi-governmental agencies (co-ops) that are largely built using government-subsidized loans (small hand-out) and grants (larger hand-outs). Urban electricity is more (but still not completely) private. 3. Farmers (the basis of most rural economies) are generally protected by government-subsidized and run crop insurance programs, and have a number of programs that pay them to fallow their land at times (direct payments not to plant things to manipulate the market). There are also numerous subsidy programs to make direct payments to shore up effective commodity prices. 4. Social Security is just a baseline everywhere. Despite the system that is designed to fool you into thinking you pay for your later payments through wage taxes, most people who make it to retirement get out much more than they ever put in (even adjusted for interest and inflation). So I would submit that those same people who talk about not being dependent are in face highly dependent.