AS long as people like us sit & run down one party & the other
There will be no progress. Government is bought & paid for by big money Things will only changed when the average persons on the street can agree on the problem & point to the real problem.

I am a conservative by nature but liberal in my views on how to make life better for the most of us. I am not looking for the government for any special favors.

What seems to be at the core of most of our disagreements is what one party or the other does for special interests.

All I ask for is a cut back & an end to all special favors for special interests. Some that you may like & some you would be for.

It is ironic that states that vote solid GOP are the same ones that suck up the Government ,largess in disproportionate,amounts.

A typical example is Owsley County,Kentucky. The population is 98 percent white and 81 percent GOP. They have the lowest household ,income in the country. Nearly half of these folks live below the poverty line. Yet their Congressman ,voted against raising the minimum wage to 10.00.

What is the matter with these people? They,like the morons in 213 of the 254 counties whose food stamp use doubled since the Bush/Cheney,economic debacle ,voted for Romney and the GOP in 2012.

Bizarre to say the least.

I read your article, and the major thrust of it was not WHICH states got more welfare, but simply argued about the designation of each welfare state-trying to convince someone that the welfare state of West Virginia was really blue, and that New Hamshire was red. Sorry Charlie, the definition was the presidental election, the one with the highest turnout, the one least likely to involve local issues and the one most likely to reflect the 'world view' and big picture thinking of the voters. I would think that in most big picture ways-education, healthcare, environment, role of government, etc. New Hampshire is Blue and West Virginia is red.