Study: Unfunded Debt 12 Times Higher in Democratic-Run States

LifeZette ^ | 09/19/2017 | Brendan Kirby

[ForYourChildren]

States with liberal one-party control have average liability of $22,214 per taxpayer vs. $1,814 in red states!

The nation’s Democratic-controlled states have unfunded debt that is 12 times greater than the burden on taxpayers in states under total Republican control, according to a study released Tuesday.

The nonprofit group Truth in Accounting published “Financial State of the States,” which analyzes the public finances of all 50 states. The group found that state governments have accumulated $1.5 trillion in long-term debt nationwide, mostly due to unfunded employee pension and retiree health benefits.

In general, the fiscal picture is far worse in blue states. The average unfunded debt per taxpayer is $22,214 in the states that have Democratic governors and Democratic majorities in both legislative houses. That compares with an average taxpayer burden of $1,814 in states with a so-called Republican "trifecta."

States with divided power are in the middle, with an average taxpayer burden of $14,350.

{..snip..}

[ForYourChildren]

Democrat run states $22,214 per taxpayer

Republican run states $1,814 per taxpayer

[17th Miss Regt]

Democrat run states $22,214 per taxpayer

Republican run states $1,814 per taxpayer

But why? Democrat one party states are disproportionately minority whereas Republican one party states are largely white. From the disparity it is clear that the Republican states are not assuming their fair share of the burden and passing it off to the Democrat states. And since Democratic states are disproportionately minority it is clear that

REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO ENSLAVE MINORITIES!

[familyop]

This one doesn’t show the unfunded liabilities, but it’s pretty impressive anyway. It would be interesting to see those liabilities.

http://www.usdebtclock.org/state-debt-clocks/state-of-colorado-debt-clock.html

[adorno]

States with liberal one-party control have average liability of $22,214 per taxpayer vs. $1,814 in red states!

With liberals, that will be interpreted as good news. It means, to them, that they're able to accumulate more debt, because they have the richer economies and therefore hope to pay down those debts via more taxation sometime in the future. Debt, to them, is just a figment of republican imaginations. As long as their debts don't have to be paid, they'll just continue adding more debt. Ask Obama how that works.

[Wuli]

Well it’s fine to say “Democrat controlled states” are the worst, and then the article, and the study behind it, put New Jersey, with it’s Republican governor as THE worst.

The article would do better to leave their own political finger pointing out of it and just present the data including the party identifiers for the branches of the state government, and let the readers make the obvious conclusions themselves.