Red States v. Blue States

There is a lot to think about in this article from the NYTimes this weekend, comparing Red States v. Blue States, in terms of cost-of-living, different sources of economic growth, etc. Most startling may be the rise in inequality in the blue states, a clear consequence of the financialization of the economy, as New York and Connecticut top the list now in terms of income inequality. The money quote:

Of course, while Massachusetts and Mississippi represent the extremes of America’s politico-economic divide, there are many red states like Utah, Arizona and Texas that are growing their tech and knowledge economies, and a number of historically blue states like Pennsylvania that have benefited from the fracking boom. But in our increasingly competitive global economy, long-term prosperity turns on knowledge, education and innovation. The idea that the red states can enjoy the benefits provided by the blue states without helping to pay for them (and while poaching their industries with the promise of low taxes and regulations) is as irresponsible and destructive of our national future as it is hypocritical.