Competition: Guess the State!

By Sandy Prisant

I live in a state that is far from timid in its approach to this Depression, the fate of it's citizens, or its future. Within the past year, here are some of the things my neighbors up and down the state have done.  From these clues, can you...

"Guess the State!

 

• As our new Governor, we elected the unindicted chief executive in the largest Medicare fraud in US history.

•  We entirely neutered the Democratic party, throwing them out of every single statewide office.

• We elected overwhelming GOP majorities to both houses of our legislature, leaving no checks and balances.

• Still hewing to 19th century policies that limited most state legislators to very short sessions--on the premise that any politician can only be trusted for so many days a year--our legislature is only allowed to meet for 60 days/annum.

• But that did not hinder our representatives and unindicted governor from a breathtaking set of legislation in the term just completed, to help our citizens through this Depression.  Among the most notable new state laws:
• Reduce unemployment benefits to under 6 months, even though we have one of the worst unemployment rates in the country-- a third higher than the national average. 
• Total new job creation programs proposed or passed by lawmakers all running on a job -creation platform: Zero.
• Specifically use the benefits taken from the unemployed to deliver significant tax cuts to 30,000 corporations. 
• Proposed elimination of the State Development Agency. 
• Cut funding to education across the board in a state that tests near the bottom.
• Cut 5,000 jobs in the public sector

• Dismantle Medicaid, ignoring the Federal mandate requiring 90% of funds go to patient services, choosing instead to share $1.1 billion in
  patient funds as profits with managed care companies. (According to the New York Times.)
• Total new jobs created by lawmakers all running on a job-creation platform: Zero.
• Reversed thirty (30) years of state environmental legislation
• Defied the state constitution by making the state Supreme Court a servant of the legislature--permanently ending checks and balances.
• Passed all three priorities of the National Rifle Association.
• Assaulted democracy through new restrictions to actually reduce voting days and hours in all elections.

 

What is this enlightened state, beholden only to corporations, party pros and gun owners?  Send your answer to Wordsmith Wars. And pray for the 95% of my state's citizens whom are not rich.