Massachusetts loses population (and I do a parody)

Boston Globe ^

[Parody]

Massachusetts lost residents for the second year in a row, new federal Census estimates show, underscoring an accelerating population shift from the Northeast to the South and West that threatens to erode the state's political and economic clout...

"Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver
Parody: "Take Me Forth, Any Road"

Almost Hades, Massachusetts;
Land of morons,
Canada-like winters.
Traffic's awful;
Worse than New Jersey's.
"Use" a public bathroom,
You'll catch STDs.

Any road, take me forth
Any place
Better than Massachusetts;
Maybe Georgia.
Take me forth, any road.

Awful memories, Boston Proper;
Must be crazy
Ever to have lived there.
Old and crusty
Cranky leftist guys;
Messed up like all moonbats,
Full of moonbat lies.

Any road, take me forth
Any place
Better than Massachusetts;
Iowa's a
Better home? Maybe so.

They talk of "choice"
Orwellian dread befalls me.
Rainbow flags remind me
That this place is so gay.
Try a random road;
I've got to leave this,
Got to find a better place to stay;
Anyway...

Any road, take me forth
Any place
Better than Massachusetts;
Michigan or
Ohio? Fine, let's go.
Take me forth, down any road.
Take me forth, down any road.

[Parody]

"May I add a verse? :^)"

Add a verse? Why don't you write another complete parody?

[proxy_user]

I would say that Connecticut income and sales tax are quite reasonable at 4.5% and 6%. Lowest in the region.

And I would certainly rather pay that than the 14% dividends and interest tax they had before Weicker. That was for people who don't work, but sure pay taxes.

[JimRed]

Add a verse? Why don't you write another complete parody?

'Cause you used most of the good stuff already!

;^)

[Our man in washington]

Actually, "Country Roads" was written by Bill Danoff and his then-wife Taffy Nivert. Denver did help refine it a little. Danoff sang backup to Denver as part of a group that became known as the "Starland Vocal Band." Danoff later wrote a hit for them "Afternoon Delight."

Okay, I'm getting really geeky here. But the fact that "Country Roads" and "Afternoon Delight" were written by the same guy is interesting. Just wanted to use your post as an excuse to share useless trivia.

Anyway, good parody. Merry Christmas.

[LostInBayport]

I can come up with only two really valid reasons for staying put: job and family.

Yup, those are my reasons, too. I don't know how much longer I'll hold out, though, because I find myself thinking about getting out of this asylum quite often.

But as my tagline notes, there are a lot of sensible, if not conservative, people up here. The main problem (outside of the mentally bereft college-town liberals) is the extremely incestuous state government. I know countless examples of state jobs being granted because someone is either a friend or relative of a friend or relative of the management. This is not a whispered secret, but common practice.

But given the state's oppressive tax burdens (the Legislature refused to implement a voter-mandated rollback even though a budget surplus was available), rogue courts, and increasing illegal immigration, I think Massachusetts is facing a showdown...either those fed up with these things will fight back with their votes, or will move away. If they choose the latter, who will support the governmental excesses, welfare culture and make up for what the illegal immigrants draw out but do not return?

It will be interesting to see...I hope to be watching from across state lines by that time!

[Grampa Dave]

"Nice take------so, so true. When the politicians figure out the votes aren't there, they'll stop sucking up to these types."

These "types" control the rat party and with $oro$ funding them, these anti human mindsets will get worse.

Politicians for the elite rats are hand puppets selected by the elite to push these dreadful agendas.

[SC33]

Actually not many changes. The people who move down here tend to move to expensive coastal areas like Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach. We don't get all that many newcomers in the upstate, except some to greenville.

Also, a large percent of those who move to the coast are retirees, many of whome are conservative, just not "southern."

[SteveSpeaking]

The silver lining!
After reading your post, the entirety of Atlas Shrugged blew thru my mind.
The only problem for me is that I live in Massachusetts.
My family has been here for over two hundred years.
I vote the party line and try to convert as many as I can but it is hopeless. I own a business here, own a number of properties here. Like most card carrying Republicans in this state, my employees are left wing liberal rats. I'm sure they resent me for giving them jobs.
But the ones I can't stand the most are the Academics. The state is filled with them. I loath them. The are so filled with self adulating pseudo intellect that they can't see cold facts.
Once my parents and parent in-laws pass away and the kids are on their own...this Atlas will shrug. What's a nice state for a white conservative to set up shop in?

[Cinnamon Girl]

I have lots of family in Mass. and NH. Mass. is a really pretty state, face it. It's too bad about the liberals.

[chiefqc]

Massachusetts lost residents for the second year in a row. I wonder if teddie the fat drunk had them for supper?

[Liz]

Yeah.......there's a whole lot of sucking-up to voting blocs a'happening

Miz Hillary will be fellating every hyphenated group extant today for her (gag) 2008 bid.

Maybe Dean oughta give her a penicillin shot. LOL.

[HostileTerritory]

People leave Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan for better jobs; they leave New York and New England for cheaper housing and better weather, but not necessarily better jobs. The job market in the northeast is still very strong and tilted toward a good range of jobs for educated people.

[HostileTerritory]

Do you really think this is an Atlas Shrugged situation? What's driven away the people I know is the worry that they'll never be able to afford a house here. It's not the taxes, which are lower than they've ever been here and going up in every other state. And the job market is still strong.

[HostileTerritory]

Many aspects of the culture are wonderful here. Certainly our cities are livelier with better amenities and transportation than you can find down South, and our job market is much healthier with a broader range of jobs. In the South, only a couple of cities have a full range of white-collar jobs--most places, particularly in Florida, there's a big empty gap between lawyering and working as a cashier. I don't golf, so that may be another big factor why I don't want to live in the South. Also, if you grow up in the north, you learn to interact with others in a certain way that makes southern behavior seem superficial and dishonest.

Also, you may find this hard to believe, but some people prefer shivering through winter instead of sweltering through summer. The weather here from Easter through Thanksgiving is the most beautiful in the country.

The politics is frustrating, but I don't let it get in the way of living my life the best way I know how.

[Grampa Dave]

"Whats a nice state for a conservative move to/set up shop in?"

It will depend on the time/years from now, and where in a state you locate.

We love the SW coastal area of Oregon, and Curry county and the key city Brookings/Harbor are very conservative.
The problems is the deviants in Portland, Eugene and some areas around Portland control the state via governors and legislators. So you can be in a conservative part of a state and face the left wing harrassment daily.

As I noted, I think that we are seeing this change as the populations in many of the Blue Cities/areas is dropping and the good people are leaving. This may allow the conservatives outside of a Portland or Seattle to end up controlling state government.

Another factor in the new future will be the impact of the new, large and fast growing metro areas outside of the Blue cities. I think that there 100 such metro areas in the country now. These areas attract hard working couples with good incomes. They want to live in safe areas, nice areas and have good schools or alternatives to public schools. Bush carried over 90% of these areas with large %'s.

While these new conservative metro areas are growing, the rotten blue cities are losing population. That will limit the blue cities control and power re state and national politics.

One of the problems with these newer areas even in the 2002 elections, has been trying to get our message out.
Now thanks to the internet, the success of conservative talk radio and Fox News coming in via Satellites, our message and agenda is getting out to these people. In contrast, the MSM of the Blue Cities are losing impact each day.

That is the good news. Your state, the NE seaboard states, NY and my state, Ca. will continue to be under left influence until the states go into bankruptcy after driving out the good people.

[Grampa Dave]

You are so bad, even during Christmas.

Merry Bushmas to all of the rats in America. GW is still our president and will continue to be.

[Liz]

LOL......bad now.....tomorrow I'll turn over a new leaf.

A Blessed Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[OldPossum]

Also, if you grow up in the north, you learn to interact with others in a certain way that makes southern behavior seem superficial and dishonest.

This was a particularly arresting sentence in your excellent post. I'd be grateful if you would amplify a bit on this; I've never come across anyone say that Southern (we always capitalize that word) behavior was superficial and dishonest.

[HostileTerritory]

It's more of a reflection of how northerners interact. We're very direct with each other, even in situations like stores and asking directions, and this comes across as rude because even though there is no real disrespect or hard feelings behind it, it can be very gruff.

Southerners have more chatty interactions, with all around more words and always a smile and the pretense that you're chatting with a good friend. It is dishonest in the strict sense that you don't know this person and don't really care if they're having a nice day or not, but in that sense it's not a bad dishonesty, just a type of social game.

[rasblue]

Michigan I believe lost population also.