I’ve lived in Alabama. It’s hardly a backwater. It’s a beautiful state, particularly if you are into outdoor recreation. It’s not perfect, it’s got problems. So does every state. I was not insulted by his comment. Neither did I take his examples of California and New York to mean that they were “Emerald Cities” as you described. They are not, as they have their own sets of problems.
What they are is power hubs. New York houses money institutions. California, tech. Frankly, we would be better off if those power hubs were more diversified throughout the country. Just ask San Antonio, or any other of the formerly declining rust belt cities how catering to the tech sector and remote workers has revitalized their communities. I would not have described them as backwaters before either, but I can certainly see they are more robust now.
More diversified economy and economic leverage means less poverty and more prosperity. That’s true of places like Alabama and Mississippi, sure, but it’s also true of places like Detroit and Michigan. I’m flummoxed as to why anyone would be offended by that.
It’s also not like places like Alabama and Mississippi have nothing to give to California or New York either. For one, absorbing some of their high population would go a long way toward mitigating overcrowding problems. Food. Pet food. Forestry products. Textile products. Alabama is an important center for building cars and manufacturing chemicals. Huntsville is a major hub of aeronautics. Mississippi is a major producer of pulpwood and is expanding into advanced manufacturing.
California could use some water these days. They’re not the only ones. As it turns out, there’s an overabundance in more eastern floodplain areas. A massive project to move water west would create jobs, get the economy moving again and help the whole nation.
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Still, both Alabama and Mississippi could use some investment. They both consistently rank low or dead last in such markers as education, health, poverty, and life expectancy. All issues tied into poverty. I’m guessing this is why they were singled out. And the extreme wealth of California and New York were why they were referenced. Still it’s not everything as it’s the other extreme. As stated earlier, they have their own problems. Crime, homelessness, climate change, infrastructure, housing, regulating tech so it doesn’t hurt economy (gig work), budget gaps, and fiscal stability.
In fact, helping other states helps them, so it’s not an issue of supposed superiority as you took it. It’s altruistic but not selfless. Further, none of the 4 states mentioned are in the top ten ranked states. Those are Washington, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Utah, Vermont, Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, Nebraska, and Colorado.
Lastly, let’s not kid ourselves. Any missionaries sent would be travelling to CA and NY. Not from them. 😉
