States by Economics and Voting (Investment & Finance Thread)

Weekly investment & finance thread ^ | Sept. 7, 2014 | Freeper Investors

[expat_panama]

Day before yesterday we were checking out this BEA map of the U.S. that was colored/labled by GDP and it got us on to the redstate/bluestate divide. 

 

Naturally (as expected) small gov't low tax policies generally flowed with growing economies but what snagged us were the anomalies --Alaska did so poorly yet West Virginia soared.   Seems we can overcome that by ourselves and get all the state numbers for GDP from the BEA along w/ employment states by state from the BLS --and then toss them into online mapping websites (I used iMapBuilder Online).

Got to just love this info age!!

Starting w/ Wikipedia's table of state voting patterns we can have an index (data here) that gives us the standard red/blue state plot:

       [click image to enlarge]>>>

 

 

For state economic growth, many of us were skeptical of the BEA's 2013 map so this one on the left is ranking two years of growth. 

The econ and voting maps are close but they're definitely not identical.  The left coast economies show up as strong while Alaska comes out as a low growth state. 

OK, so while GDP is important it's not everything --

 

--emploment matters too.

Lots of people have seen this headline unemployment map from the BLS showing unemployment by state, but the shrinking workforce goes by state just like it's gone nationwide  --that low unemployment rate just means folks gave up job hunting.   

We need to see the job market in terms of the total population, so here's state employment as a percent of total working age non-institutional groups.

mho is that while nothing's solid, we've definitely got trends and voting patterns do show up in economic strength.  Don't get me wrong, we all know this is correlation and not causality --it's just as easy to say economies ruined by the right are now making people vote liberal.

Uh-huh.

At any rate the numbers are all out there and this map stuff is easy enough to do --they can even show world maps or state by county maps.   What I like is being able to spot how cultural/regional patterns are going w/ the data; one more edge on knowing where things are going and we all need all the help we can get in that department....

This is the thread where folks swap ideas on savings and investment --here's a list of popular investing links that freepers have posted here and tomorrow morning we'll go on with our--

Open invitation continues always for idea-input for the thread, this being a joint effort works well.   Keywords: financial, WallStreet, stockmarket, economy.

[expat_panama]

cheers!

[doorgunner69]

I think they got the colors for voting patterns reversed?

[expat_panama]

This WSJ piece [hat tip to abb] did a nice job of reviewing the nuts'n'bolts of keeping a portfolio balanced.  Not sure what the copyright limits are w/ WSJ online articles is, so I'm posting a link plus excerpt hoping it's OK. 

Why You Should Keep Your Portfolio Balanced

Want to become a better investor? I'd focus on a single concept: rebalancing.

By itself, rebalancing is remarkably simple. You set target percentages for every investment you own, such as committing to keep 60% in stocks and 40% in bonds. Thereafter, you occasionally buy and sell to bring your investment mix back into line with these targets.

That might not sound like anything special. But by putting rebalancing at the core of your investment strategy, you enjoy three benefits.

1. You're compelled to plan...

Note to Admin --please pull this post if we got problems /w the WSJ on more than a link and I'll just repost using link only.  tx!

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

Dude, don’t burst my bubble. California being republican. It’s like a dream.

[Aria]

LOL!

I was out with some newish friends last night - five of us - we are all conservative - in Oregon. Sadly, we realized how unusual this is.

[expat_panama]

colors for voting patterns reversed

Ya know, back before 2000 there was no redstate = republican bluestate = democrat --the color code was anything they felt like.  During wargames they always had the 'red army' were the invaders and the blue army defenders and most folks like blue more than red so pundits started painting red states as the invading evil republicans.  Personally, I always thought the Democrats were a bunch of left wing reds but they never asked me.

WAIT A SEC --THE MAPS WRONG!!!

[opening up Paint...]

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

Wow. If you’re anywhere near the coast I would suggest buying a lottery ticket. You’re on a roll.

[expat_panama]

ok —click refresh 8P

[cloudmountain]

Dude, don’t burst my bubble. California being republican. It’s like a dream.

The Ronald Reagan dream.
The Arnold Schwarzenegger dream. (the Governator)

Those were the days.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

Reagan yea, Arnie not so much. In all fairness I think the legislature has more to do with it than governor. We are in a bad way here in California.

[cloudmountain]

Reagan yea, Arnie not so much. In all fairness I think the legislature has more to do with it than governor. We are in a bad way here in California.

I guess that might mean YOU. Sorry to hear that.
I live in California, am retired and own my own home. For ME life is good.

All we need is MORE pitching.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

My situation is similar to yours. I was speaking of the political climate here. California would be doing blockbuster business if they had not declared jihad on business here.

[BroJoeK]

"Personally, I always thought the Democrats were a bunch of left wing reds but they never asked me."

Before the 2000 election blue usually meant "Union", "establishment" and "Republican", while red meant "left wing", "communists" & "Democrat".
The left were red outsiders attacking establishment blue Republicans.

But that rule was not consistently applied, and often different networks reversed the colors.
In 2000 they all switched to red = R = Republican, blue = Democrat, and there it has stayed.

We could say that in politics as with military maps: blue = established power, red = challengers.

And, I guess red is OK -- for red-blooded Americans, red necks and even "red light" as in STOP the nonsense.

We might also note that back when red meant Democrat, the Deep South had the reddest of red states.
Now that red means Republican, the Deep South has the reddest of red states.

[88keys]

*ping* for a really interesting post!!

[cloudmountain]

My situation is similar to yours. I was speaking of the political climate here. California would be doing blockbuster business if they had not declared jihad on business here.

Amen to that.

[NormsRevenge]

So if yur color blind, this thread is useless, uhhh, well, not completely, mostly illuminating yet troubling, maybe more adult beverage will help in coping..

Eat drink and chase Mary, yup, live like tomorrow is a distant memory..

I need real estate to stay alive for another couple years, any chances?

My financial adversary uhh advisor is visiting us on 9/11..

I want to sell some defense stock, pay off some condo remodeling debts before we unload it.

Near term, it all looks doable, but stuff happens quick these days, real quick.

Good luck, investors. You need it, You deserve it. ;-)

[expat_panama]

TX —lol, you made my day!

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

[expat_panama]

Eat drink and chase Mary

So that's what the saying really was.  I'd thot it was be Mary which always seemed kind of kinky to me...