Most embarrassing state? Akansas
However, Oklahoma does have its own problems. You see, they are a Republican state with finances centered on supply side, trickle down economics. That means taxes were lowered. This was accompanied by a severe decrease in revenue (No s..t, Sherlock).
The state is now in such trouble that the state police have been given a directive to not drive more than 100 miles per day, unless in pursuit.
Republican, New Mexico, not to be outdone, has run out of funds to pay jury members. They are trying to figure where to borrow money to allow the courts to continue after April.
But the best is Kansas. Republican, of course. They now run schools on a 4 day per week basis because not enough money is trickling down to pay for full operation of the schools. On the other hand, given the voting record of their citizens, maybe the schools weren't doing too good of a job anyway. So it may not make any difference in the end.
But back to Arkansas. How much $$$ did it cost in law suits to execute the four that are already gone? How much to try to execute the other four that were already supposed to be dead?
DB needs to apologize to Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain
While as noted in this instance it is Arkansas not Oklahoma that is having all those executions this week, Oklahoma is a big proponent of capital punishment and voters there recently passed by a wide margin a ballot initiative to explicitly add to the state constitution that capital punishment can not be declared cruel and unusual punishment.
drummerboy said:
Usually when you talk about the dregs of the U.S., Texas comes up.
Texas may be the most conspicuous of the red states but it is neither the reddest nor as close to the bottom of the heap as the OP implies.
I know, I'm biased, but check the stats.
sac said:
drummerboy said:
Usually when you talk about the dregs of the U.S., Texas comes up.
Texas may be the most conspicuous of the red states but it is neither the reddest nor as close to the bottom of the heap as the OP implies.
I know, I'm biased, but check the stats.
It does have its peculiar outlook, as this Texan wrote in the NY Times the other day -
Republicans have controlled all three branches of government in my home state for more than a decade. Many policies now being championed by President Trump and Congressional leaders seem old hat to Texans: defunding public education, going after immigrants, shredding the safety net. But rather than resting their boots on the table, political leaders in Texas have moved farther to the right.
Our 140-day every-other-year Texas legislative session began in January. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — who controls the Senate and is arguably more powerful than Gov. Greg Abbott — is leading the far-right charge. Under his sway, the Senate has already passed bills that starve government, crack down on undocumented immigrants and discriminate against transgender people. Despite opposition from law enforcement, business and nonprofit groups like mine, the bills sailed through the Senate and await consideration in the House.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/0...
The author does end with a little optimism, however.
Look, the drugs were approaching expiration date. Why waste them?
Frankly (and seriously), if yer gonna have executions, why bother with all the chemistry? The old firing squad is quick and easy, and probably more satisfying for execution fans.
Blindfold? Check. Cigarette? Check. One guy in the line with a live bullet? Check. Bang. Repeat.
Just know that there is a fairly large liberal minority in Texas ... mostly in the cities, which almost all went Democratic in the last election. I haven't checked, but my impression is that the liberal minorities in many of the other red states are much smaller. And the hispanic population as well as the youth population is growing very fast there, so things may change over the next decade or so. Time will tell.
Jeez, we know what works. Government spending, especially in schools and public works. High spending states have educated, productive people and good economies. It's not like we haven't figured out what happens when you pour water on something. (It gets wet.) We also have the data back from the government spending lab. Mayor DeBlasio (NYC) has enacted Pre-K for everyone and now he is pushing for "Three-K." It would be a first, and I'm betting it will pay off the same way other education spending does.
kthnry said:
I think you mean Arkansas.
That's what he kind of mistake that Trump would make, and in that vein he should just blame it on a note that some lackey just handed him.
it's easy to get confused. Oklahoma has Jim Inhofe, the most embarrassing U.S. Senator.
Gilgul said:
DB needs to apologize to Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain
And the wavin' wheat can sure smell sweet when the wind comes right behind the rain.
drummerboy said:
Usually when you talk about the dregs of the U.S., Texas comes up. Maybe Mississipi and Alabama.
Meanwhile, the world laughs at us. All the time.
Texas wouldn't normally beat out Mississippi in the race for the dumbest. But they got a ringer.. Texas is where Dubya lives.
N.Y. just got a jump on the list with Trump. We moved up the list with Christie.
Well, in all fairness, the execution drug WAS about to expire. Can't waste a good execution drug. I hate when I have to throw mine away! Smh.
And I spelled Arkansas wrong in the thread title. sheesh. I give up. I will leave it as is. You only get one chance to make that correction.
concerning Trump, you gotta read the piece on Roy Cohn in Esquire. From 1978, I think. Fascinating. In some regard, Trump is Joe McCarthy/Roy Cohn's final joke on us.
They're laughing.
drummerboy said:
concerning Trump, you gotta read the piece on Roy Cohn in Esquire. From 1978, I think. Fascinating. In some regard, Trump is Joe McCarthy/Roy Cohn's final joke on us.
They're laughing.
http://www.esquire.com/news-po...
But I'm not. I have some laughing at memes and photos and the stoopid remarks emanating from our President and his lackeys. IT IS NOT FUNNY ANYMORE
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Usually when you talk about the dregs of the U.S., Texas comes up. Maybe Mississipi and Alabama. South Carolina is always good for a tragedy of amorality or two. (I'm talking about the actions of their governments, not of the people. Though governments are a reflection of the people.)
But I think
OklahomaArkansas, with it's sudden need to execute a bunch of people before the end of the month, has taken the cake for the dumbest action since Jim Crow by any state.Anyway, apparently they managed to kill 2 people Monday night.
Yay Arkansas! Ya dun good!
Meanwhile, the world laughs at us. All the time.