POLITICAL IDEOLOGY: “GOP [Guardians of Privilege] States Are The Most Dependent On Government” / Benjamin Hallman

IronyIf we learned nothing else during the 2012 election, it is that some of us are makers, hard-working folk solely responsible for America’s prosperity, and others are takers, who want the federal government to pay for luxuries like food and health care.

What may come as some surprise is where these two warring tribes tend to live. The states with elected officials most likely to espouse anti-taker sentiments — i.e., Republican-dominated states — are the most dependent on federal spending, while returning the least to Washington in the way of tax dollars.

[…]

The “makingest” state, according to the analysis, is Delaware. Delawareans — this is really what they call themselves — pay $1 in taxes for every 50 cents they get back from the federal government.

[…]

The “takingest” states, in a tie, are Mississippi and New Mexico, according to the analysis. Both states take about $3 in federal spending for every $1 contributed in taxes.

h/t: The Huffington Post

VIDEO JOURNALISM: “Exporting Religious Fundamentalism, Covert Intelligence Trolls, & Remembering Bill Hicks” / Abby Martin

VIDEO JOURNALISM: “Is Obesity a Free Market Failure?” / Abby Martin

Abby Martin speaks with Dr. Roberto De Vogli, lead author of a recent report in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization that concludes that stronger government intervention is needed to slow and possibly even reverse the problem of obesity.

PLUTOCRACY AND PRIVACY: “Remember, the Fourth Amendment is Applicable to the Plutocracy, Not You!”

579335_237030999793751_993875086_nh/t: Living Blue in a Red State

NEOLIBERALISM: “The War on the Poor and Working Families” / Robert Reich