Crazy States Are Back!
It's been a long time since I've visited my Crazy State Power Rankings. In fact, last I touched them on March 30. It's time to get this back on track. It doesn't seem right doing this now that MOsanthrope is no more, and there might not be quite the strong push for Missouri. But the show must go on.
If you haven't seen my rankings before, I rank states from craziest to least crazy.... the theoretical goal is to some day include all 50 state and the District of Columbia, but I haven't been that ambitious yet.
Salon published an article today regarding six states where there is likely to be voter suppression this year, so that article is weighing heavily in my mind. The six states are Arizona, California, Florida, Missouri, Ohio and Indiana.
So, without further delay....
1. Kansas Previously #1
Kansas has never fallen from it's perch for me at the top. Seriously, can someone tell me a way in which Kansas is not crazy?
2. Missouri Previously #2
One of the Salon Six. I considered pushing it up to #1. I really did. Maybe if MOsanthrope returns, I could be conviced.
3. Virginia Previously #4
Not one of the Salon Six, but we do have electronic voting without a paper trail. And George Allen.
4. Florida Previously #5
One of the Salon Six, and the place where voting is the most screwed up in general (although Ohio is closing in). And while Katherine Harris is getting crushed in her Senate bid, she still lives there.
5. Texas Previously #7
This ranking is all about Dubya, but if they elect Kinky.... well, they'll still be crazy, but in a good way.
6. Ohio Previously #16
The big mover on my list. One of the Salon Six, a horrible offendor in the voting rights arena, and did you see that trade the Reds made with the Nats?
7. Indiana Previously #12
Another Salon Six honoree.
8. Arizona New Entry
One of two debuts on my list, and a strong one for another Salon Six honoree.
9. Oklahoma Previously #3
Nothing new to report here. Just your typical Oklahoma crazy.
10. California Previously #14
Salon Six member, and while his re-election isn't a given, Governor "Jingle All The Way" still runs the place. I wanted to put this higher, but a certain someone wouldn't let me live it down if I said California was crazier than Oklahoma.
11. Alabama Previously #6
Nothin' much to say here.
12. Wisconsin Previously #15
Let me get this straight. Favre is STILL the QB?
13. Washington DC Previously #9
A small drop for DC, because of the same Nats-Reds trade.
14. New York New Entry
Speaking of bad baseball moves, didn't the Yankees see how bad Sidney Ponson was in St. Louis?
15. South Dakota Previously #8
I don't feel like picking on a Dakota so much today.
And the rest of the list...
16. Maryland Previously #10
17. Utah Previously #11
18. Wyoming Previously #13
19. Pennsylvania Previously #17
Comments accepted below.
posted by Justin S. @ 8/15/2006 10:15:00 AM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Does intelligent design stupidity really outrank Katherine Harris and George Allen?
Oh, and D.C. still isn't a state. You might want to add a footnote.
Although, if you think about it, D.C. probably packs the most crazy into the smallest square-footage.
"the theoretical goal is to some day include all 50 state and the District of Columbia"...
It's already in there. And Kansas is so much more than just intelligent design.
But then the title "Crazy States" is misleading. Sheesh.
You're a little too obsessed with this point. Sometimes you have to use a general term to cover things. "Crazy States and a District" is too clunky.
Wow. You make quite a case, Jeff. I'll definitely have to take all of that into consideration on my next update.
I was glad to drop by and catch the return of the crazy state contest.
Unfortunately, MO has a history of these sorts of shenanigans. I've never seen an ounce of evidence to back up the prevailing lore of dogs and dead people voting en masse in traditionally Democratic MO precincts, but the myth is resuscitated to justify some sort of election "reform" legislation in the months leading up to any significant election.
Although I'm not typically the volunteer type (especially post kids), in 2004 I was credentialed as an "Election Watcher-Challenger" and manned a north St. Louis polling place for the Voting Rights Legal Team. Suffice it to say that the experience left an indelible impresion.
The WaPo ran a piece critical of MO's voter ID legislation earlier this week.
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