On Sunday the New York Times had a page of United States maps detailing the areas where people receive the highest level of government benefits. Among the counties that rely least on government payments are Teton County, Wyoming, and Pitkin County, Colorado. Teton County includes part of Yellowstone National Park; Pitkin County includes Aspen; and both have become enclaves of the rich.
Many of the counties with the highest level of government benefits are in the south. Missouri, Tennessee, West Virginia, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Alabama all have very high levels of government benefits. The map is a composite of payments for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Welfare, Unemployment Insurance, and Veterans Benefits.
Here is the really strange part. Among the 100 counties with the highest dependence on federal payments, 2/3rds voted for McCain. The county whose residents get more government payments than any other county in America is Owsley County, Kentucky. Only 23% of the Owsley County voters supported Obama in 2008.
I call upon the residents of Owsley County to reject these payments. If you hate Democrats and support Republican ideology, you need to live up to your ideals. You need to say no to federal funds. You need to quit bellying up the the trough. Exercise your independence. Man up.
By the way, eastern Pennsylvania was among the least dependent areas of the country.
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