Why are the poorest states in this country vote republican?

I didn't think they seemed right so I had to check. Mississippi went for McCain by around 14%: http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/ms.htm I didn't think Mississippi would ever vote for a Democrat! Annie

I didn't think the Mississippi voted for Obama either.

Wow, that is so not true. The truth is that a State like Florida that tends to go Republican because it has a large retiree population or a state like Virginia which has a large Military population. The truth is that these minority groups just don't go to the polls. Whereas, the retirees and military are more likely to cast votes. You also have to look at how many people actually vote. Real voter turnout is typically very low. It has nothing to do with the setup of the districts. If you have a Democratic district and a Republican district but the people in the Democratic district don't vote and the Republican district does than it is unlikely that the Democrats will win just from a lack of interest in voting. This is still a majority wins society. Non-votes aren't counted. Frankly, districts change all the time. It isn't only Republicans who play that particular game. But the most troubling part of your statement is lumping all minority groups into one political party. That isn't true either. One group might have a majority block voting one way or another but there are always members who will vote differently.

Sorry, but you don't have a voice if you don't vote and they don't vote.

I would have to agree with you Gew, and it has hurt the poor people in the south because of it.

Or they aren't smart enough to realize that if you keep voting the same way nothing is going to change. The southern states have been poor for decades and continue to be today.

And not all people who are considered "poor" need or want the government handouts being pushed by the left. I know I don't.

Ted, if republicans cared so much for the poor people that voted for them, then why have these states been so poor for so long?

Taskr, I have seen many pet projects that went to southern states, that cost tax payers millions. It's not like tax payer money doesn't make it to them. Must be that "right to work" problem they have done there.

And I work in Camden, NJ. Every state has it's horrible areas, but you're talking about states as a whole, not just the worst parts of them. That's why I referred to Little Rock, AK as opposed to a crappy part of the state.

That is always the answer...Put folks on the dole, that will shut them up and take care of them. The real problem is that companies are moving offshore to avoid taxes and so that they can pay their stockholders a bigger piece of the pie. When BP dumped all of the oil in the Gulf, they found every possible excuse not to pay the locals and the fishermen. They did pay hotels in Orlando Fl however...Whats up with that??? They are still trying to hide the fact that the sandy bottom of the gulf is contaminated several feet deep. They are doing nothing to cure this. When you test the water, the ppm. of oil in the water is way higher than they want to admit because it is the dispersing material, not just the oil contaminating the water. All of this is hurting the southern Gulf States and will for generations. For years and generations, the Gulf states have been damaged over and over my major storms. They never get a chance to recover. They are always promised help from the Gov., but after a few months the media goes away and so does the promise of help. Look at New Orleans...It is still a mess in many places, and many of its poor residents may never get to come home. They rich will end up with their home sites. The East Coast has always been able to attract industry and money easier than places like Oklahoma and the Appalachian Mts. etc. They may be pretty, but they have always been poor and taken advantage of.

Taskr, I have a friend of mine that moved to Georgia a about ten years ago and told me about his experience down there. I have personally been to the back woods of Kentucky and seen how bad it is, and many are living off the government.

I can tell you this from my experience, California is beautiful, and I would love to live there someday. I tell everyone I know that they have to drive down route 1 just once in their lives to see how beautiful it really is.

I have driven many places, and every time you would come down a hill and see nothing but cliffs, and ocean it is beautiful. I really would love to go back again some day.

Indeed, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway. Social Distortion also made a kick @ss song about it called "Highway 101." It is worth the trip.

Well the problem is that these states have voted republican for decades, and they still top this list. If it changed when they voted a different way it might say something, but they continue to vote the same party in over and over again. You would think that someone would want to do something about this, but that would mean caring, and we all know that politicians only care about money, and themselves.