The Left Behind - part the second

Every now and again, I get the feeling that Krugman reads me as much as I read him. He gets paid to do so. Alas, I don't get paid on either end of the process. Nevertheless, today brings a timely example discussing the left behind phenomenon. Not surprisingly, he reaches much the same conclusion, and offers up some useful quotes from others.

On the economic side, some parts of America, mainly big coastal cities, have been getting much richer, but other parts have been left behind. On the political side, the thriving regions by and large voted for Hillary Clinton, while the lagging regions voted for Donald Trump.

See, he even says "left behind". I should have copyrighted that. Likely would have been sued by that nutball Christian cult, though.

The most interesting part of the text is taken from recent academic writings (I know; that makes it Fake News to the rednecks) on regional economics.

He references a 2012 book "The New Geography of Jobs" which I haven't known,

As a result, these regions are experiencing a virtuous circle of growth: Their knowledge-intensive industries prosper, drawing in even more educated workers, which reinforces their advantage.

And at the same time, regions that started with a poorly educated work force are in a downward spiral, both because they're stuck with the wrong industries and because they're experiencing what amounts to a brain drain.

Crooked Hillary got roasted, of course, when she stated the obvious: her voters represent 65% of US GDP. Now you know the details.

The most astounding finding: from the socialism of FDR and subsequent Democratic administrations which saw the poor Red states move upwards, we've had them fall very much back near where they were (in a relative measure) prior to FDR thanks to their voters' insistence on installing right wingnut governments at the local, state, and Federal level. At some point you just have to say, "well, you want to live in shit, so be it".

Once again, with feeling: since Reagan (that's 38 years and counting) the Right has controlled
House: 20
Senate: 22 (Cheney effect)
White House: 20 (if Orange Julius Caesar finishes, which is not quaranteed)
Supremes: 38

To put it more succinctly:
Reagan had: 2 out of 3 for 6 years
Poppy Bush had: 1 out 3 for 4 years
Clinton had: 2 out of 3 for 2 years
Dubya had: 3 out of 3 for 6 years (Cheney gave control)
Obambi had: 2 out of 3 for 2 years
Orange Julius Caesar has: 3 out of 3 for 2 years, so far

In that period, only Dubya and Orange Julius Caesar have had Congress for more than a single session. And the Right has had the Supremes for the whole time. Those left behind have done it to themselves. Whenever they've made some progress, it was the Democrats that gave it to them. Low informatin ingrates, all.