Just sore losers

Dear Editor:
I read with amused interest the recent article in The Morgan Messenger regarding the desire of some people for their states to secede, presumably because the election didn’t go the way they wanted. At first I laughed and dismissed it. After all, the Democrats survived eight years under Bush, and many of us disagree with certain things our tax dollars pay for, such as wars and subsidizing oil companies. Yet we would never think of seceding from the country we’re all proud to call home!

Some of the things the would-be secessionists are protesting, like the Transportation Safety Administration and the National Defense Authorization Act, were actually enacted by President Bush. “Obamacare” would have been endorsed by their Republican candidate a few years ago, so their ire makes me wonder what their real problem is.

But wait! Consider this. Maybe allowing these secessions is the way off the fiscal cliff! Strangely, the states calling the loudest for secession also receive more federal tax dollars than they bring in, buoyed up by, yes, the Blue states, which mostly bring in more tax revenue than they spend.

For example in 2010, Mississippi and Alabama both spent twice as much federal tax money as their citizens paid in taxes. South Carolina and Louisiana were close behind. So, if we were to let these underperforming states secede, we would actually have a surplus.

Furthermore, those states that vote Republican typically lead the nation in many undesirable health traits, such as higher rates of obesity, teen pregnancy, sexually-transmitted disease, firearm assaults, excessive drinking, more traffic accidents, infant mortality and smoking.

Considering the obesity factor alone, each obese person incurs health care costs 42% higher than those citizens of normal weight. We could probably also afford a much better national health strategy if we didn’t have to support those states!

All facts aside, I can’t believe there isn’t enough common ground somewhere for us all to hang on together. We all want the same things: safe, affordable homes for our families, good schools for our kids, enough nutritious food and world peace. How we get there is a matter for civilized debate, not getting mad, taking our toys and going home.

Bibi Hahn
Berkeley Springs