TA seems to think that Red states thrive...and Blue states are in chaos.
Fact check:
This is a false equivalence.
Authoritarian states fail not because “government exists,” but because:
Economic research:
- They suppress markets
- They suppress information
- They suppress innovation
- They suppress mobility
- They suppress accountability
Correct principle: It’s not “government vs. no government.”It’s effective institutions vs. extractive institutions (Acemoglu & Robinson, Why Nations Fail).
- North Korea’s GDP per capita is ~$1,300 (World Bank estimates).
- South Korea’s is ~$33,000.The divergence is due to institutions, not “amount of government.”
Fact check:
Partially true, but oversimplified.
Population trends (Census Bureau):
But:
- California, New York, Illinois → net outflow
- Texas, Florida → net inflow
Drivers identified by economists:
- Many “red” states (Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia) are losing population.
- Many “blue” states (Washington, Colorado, Massachusetts) are gaining population.
Conclusion: Migration is multifactor, not a simple “red good, blue bad.”
- Housing costs
- Climate
- Job opportunities
- Remote work
- Tax structure (a factor, but not the only one)
Fact check:
Historically accurate in part, but incomplete.
Monarchies did create extractive systems — feudalism, aristocratic land monopolies, mercantilist monopolies.
But:
Conclusion: Wealth disparity correlates with institutional design, not monarchy alone.
- Some monarchies (UK, Netherlands) transitioned into constitutional systems and became wealthy.
- Some non-monarchies (Somalia, Haiti) remained poor due to weak institutions.
Fact check:
Partially true, but simplistic.
Mainstream scholarship cites:
Oppression contributed, but economic structure was the primary failure.
- Central planning inefficiency
- Low productivity
- Arms race spending
- Political stagnation
- Lack of innovation incentives
Fact check:
Incorrect.
China shifted to state capitalism, not fascism.Key features:
Political scientists classify China as:
- Market reforms (Deng Xiaoping)
- Private enterprise allowed
- State-owned enterprises remain dominant
- One-party authoritarian rule continues
Not fascist.
- “Authoritarian capitalist”
- “State capitalist”
- “Leninist market economy”
Fact check:
Historically false.
The U.S. economic rise (1865–1945) included:
The “no regulation frontier paradise” is a mythologized version of U.S. history.
- Massive federal land programs (Homestead Act)
- Massive federal infrastructure (railroad subsidies)
- Massive federal tariffs (avg. 40–50%)
- Massive federal banking regulation (National Banking Acts)
- Massive federal industrial policy (WWII mobilization)
Fact check:
This is ideological rhetoric, not a factual claim.
There is no historical dataset showing:
Examples contradicting the claim:
- “Left governments always destroy economies”
- “Right governments always grow economies”
This is political framing, not evidence.
- Scandinavian countries (left‑leaning) → high GDP, high quality of life
- Pinochet’s Chile (right‑wing authoritarian) → severe inequality, economic volatility
- Postwar U.S. (high taxes, strong unions) → fastest growth in U.S. history
T.A. Gardner’s argument uses:
Bias Analysis
It’s not an evidence-based argument — it’s a narrative.
- Cherry-picking (selecting only blue states that are struggling)
- False dichotomy (“government good” vs. “government bad”)
- Historical oversimplification
- Ideological projection (“Left always destroys society”)
- Mythologized U.S. history
- Incorrect political science terminology (“China = fascist”)
For the most part, the Red states presently represent the asshole and armpits of America.
But...he has his dream...and he is going to live with it.
