[Jack Hammer]

"It's the cost of living combined with the long winters that drives people elsewhere."

Yes, the long winters are rough and a dollar doesn't go far here. But let's not forget the Marxist social policies and the political corruption as factors driving the exodus.

[HostileTerritory]

I guess it depends on who you know that leaves--the people I know are either indifferent to the politics or actually fit in the mainstream here. Corruption doesn't affect people who don't pay close attention to news and don't own their own homes, besides, it's everywhere in the country and the stuff in Massachusetts is penny-ante compared to what they get away with in New Jersey or Florida. I think that most red Americans know full well what Massachusetts is going to be like and wouldn't move here in the first place.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Well, if you have to put up with New England-style socialism, political corruption, high taxes, high housing prices, and social deviance, you might as well do it in California where the weather is nice and most people remain libertarian-minded enough to leave you alone.

For a young person, that's a no-brainer. ;)