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Yesterday I had some fun with the latest SFWA controversy. Today via Jay Lake I see this article: Welfare State: Washington's Republican counties depend on Western Washington's money. How can they survive the state budget cuts they demand?
The gist of the article is that the deeply-Republican counties of Washington state are heavily-subsidized by the tax dollars flowing from the Democratic cities. This is not unique to Washington state - most rural counties in most states are subsidized by cities. Nor is it unique that these very counties decry "government spending" and "socialism."
How are these two thoughts linked? Rational thinking, or the lack thereof. In SFWA's case, the petitioners claim a First Amendment right to hijack an association's trade journal for purposes not amenable to the majority of members. In Washington state, rural Republicans demand budget cuts that somehow won't hurt them. It's magical thinking, not rational thinking.
The gist of the article is that the deeply-Republican counties of Washington state are heavily-subsidized by the tax dollars flowing from the Democratic cities. This is not unique to Washington state - most rural counties in most states are subsidized by cities. Nor is it unique that these very counties decry "government spending" and "socialism."
How are these two thoughts linked? Rational thinking, or the lack thereof. In SFWA's case, the petitioners claim a First Amendment right to hijack an association's trade journal for purposes not amenable to the majority of members. In Washington state, rural Republicans demand budget cuts that somehow won't hurt them. It's magical thinking, not rational thinking.