Marriage VS Government Dependency?
So at the Republican convention Rick Santorum said: "The fact is that marriage is disappearing in places where government dependency is highest. Most single mothers do heroic work and an amazing job raising their children, but if America is going to succeed, we must stop the assault on marriage and the family," he said. "Under President Obama, the dream of freedom and opportunity has become a nightmare of dependency with almost half of America receiving some government benefit."
Now I know what he means by that. He means: "them blue states are liberal and letting gays get married which isn't really marriage and because gays are allowed to marry is why the economy is failing."
Yeah, what he ACTUALLY believes is dumb, but lets take what he said at it's face value. He might actually be right... but of course pointing the finger the wrong way.
Insane you may say? Well let's look at Divorce rates versus actual state government dependency on federal taxes. For giggles I have colored each state by who they voted for in the 2008 election to highlight that the political ideology of destroyed marriages may not be as blue as you'd think.
Top/Bottom Ten Divorce States VS Rank on Federal Dependancy :
Top 10:
1) Nevada - 49
2) Maine - 13
3) Oklahoma - 15
4) Oregon - 36
5) Vermont - 26
6) Wyoming - 23
7) Arkansas - 14
8) Kentucky - 9
9) Tenessee - 19
10) Washington - 38
AVERAGE RANKING OF DEPENDANCY FOR HIGHEST DIVORCE RATE: 23.6
Bottom 10:
1) North Dakota - 6
2) New Jersey- 50
3) New York- 42
4) Massachucetts- 40
5) Hawaii- 12
6) Pennsylvainia- 28
7) Utah- 29
8) Illinois- 45
9) Virginia- 10
10) Minnesota- 46
AVERAGE RANKING OF DEPENDANCY FOR LOWEST DIVORCE RATE: 30.8
(Note: Lowest possible average outcome = 5.5, Highest possible outcome = 45.5)
So you're right Mr. Santorum, states which have higher divorce rates are more dependent on the government. Ironically most are the states that support you and your party the most. The irony is palpable. Maybe your audience should stop clapping, because they're the ones statistically destroying America if what you say is true.
Now I know what he means by that. He means: "them blue states are liberal and letting gays get married which isn't really marriage and because gays are allowed to marry is why the economy is failing."
Yeah, what he ACTUALLY believes is dumb, but lets take what he said at it's face value. He might actually be right... but of course pointing the finger the wrong way.
Insane you may say? Well let's look at Divorce rates versus actual state government dependency on federal taxes. For giggles I have colored each state by who they voted for in the 2008 election to highlight that the political ideology of destroyed marriages may not be as blue as you'd think.
Top/Bottom Ten Divorce States VS Rank on Federal Dependancy :
Top 10:
1) Nevada - 49
2) Maine - 13
3) Oklahoma - 15
4) Oregon - 36
5) Vermont - 26
6) Wyoming - 23
7) Arkansas - 14
8) Kentucky - 9
9) Tenessee - 19
10) Washington - 38
AVERAGE RANKING OF DEPENDANCY FOR HIGHEST DIVORCE RATE: 23.6
Bottom 10:
1) North Dakota - 6
2) New Jersey- 50
3) New York- 42
4) Massachucetts- 40
5) Hawaii- 12
6) Pennsylvainia- 28
7) Utah- 29
8) Illinois- 45
9) Virginia- 10
10) Minnesota- 46
AVERAGE RANKING OF DEPENDANCY FOR LOWEST DIVORCE RATE: 30.8
(Note: Lowest possible average outcome = 5.5, Highest possible outcome = 45.5)
So you're right Mr. Santorum, states which have higher divorce rates are more dependent on the government. Ironically most are the states that support you and your party the most. The irony is palpable. Maybe your audience should stop clapping, because they're the ones statistically destroying America if what you say is true.