From Neil Weinberg at Forbes:
Political Litmus Test: Bluest States Spilling The Most Red Ink
Powerful unions, big spending put Democratic states in deepest fiscal holes
The five states in the worst financial condition--Illinois, New York, Connecticut, California and New Jersey--are all among the bluest of blue states.
. . . .
The majority Republican states ranked among the financially healthiest are Utah, Nebraska, Texas, North Dakota and Montana. All told, seven of the 10 most Republican states rank in the top half in terms of fiscal fitness. The exceptions are Kansas at No. 28, Alaska (31) and Mississippi (44). It should be noted that four of these red-leaning states are categorized as "competitive" by Gallup. In total only three of the 50 states (Idaho, Utah and Wyoming) are rated "solidly Republican"; only Alabama ranks as "Republican leaning."
Utah, the fiscally fittest state, has debt of just $442 and unfunded pension obligations of $7,272 per resident. It is also America's second reddest state with a 21-percentage-point Republican advantage in party affiliation. The Beehive state boasts a triple-A credit rating from Moody's.
Democrat-controlled Illionis (and Obama's political home state) currently has almost a $13 billion budget deficit.
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