GDP by state, by percent of U.S.

[Heracles 417]

They work for less, though. And when illegal, less than the legal min wage. They reduce the cost of doing business.

That's great and all but the benefits to a business do not make up for the tens of thousands they use in services.

This argument is further discredited by Australia, whose unemployment rate just fell to 5.1%. Evidently having significantly higher paid workers is overall better for the economy and a business, than having 500 million dirt poor people like a certain third world country does.

Edited September 9, 2010 by Heracles

[^_^ 5,021]

That's great and all but the benefits to a business do not make up for the tens of thousands they use in services.

This argument is further discredited by Australia, whose unemployment rate just fell to 5.1%.

You may very well be correct in your argument, but I will point out that the Australia example does nothing to prove or disprove it. It is apples and oranges.

This post has been edited by Heracles: Today, 11:19 PM

Damnit. I need to start waiting 5 minutes before I respond to anything you post.

[mawilson 2,133]

They work for less, though. And when illegal, less than the legal min wage. They reduce the cost of doing business.

There are many illegal activities that can reduce the cost of doing business. Tax evasion, for example.

Should we encourage tax evasion because it creates jobs?

[^_^ 5,021]

There are many illegal activities that can reduce the cost of doing business. Tax evasion, for example.

Should we encourage tax evasion because it creates jobs?

Have you seen the tax code? It is freakin complex as hell and you're telling me we don't encourage tax evasion????

[Heracles 417]

You may very well be correct in your argument, but I will point out that the Australia example does nothing to prove or disprove it. It is apples and oranges.

It does when you contrast and compare immigration policies and workers. They have a limited supply of workers, which means salaries are through the roof. Yet contrary to rhetoric, businesses are still doing well, with many currently more profitable than their equivalents here, yet 14 times smaller.

Australia also has a lot of small businesses, yet these businesses are still killing it. Even with the more expensive worker that is not only paid over $14USD an hour but it includes 4 weeks vacation, 2 week sick, many more holidays and 9% on top of their pay into a private retirement account. Apparently small business would be broke under similar conditions here, yet once again some else has smashed the rhetoric and proven supply and demand does work, especially when you skew it in favor of the worker.

First thing Australia did in 2008 was slash their immigration quota in response to the global crisis. Whereas, we still have people coming here like it's 2005.

Edited September 9, 2010 by Heracles

[Atencio 43]

You could have done a GDP per capita

2009 rankings

Rank State GDP per capita in USD

0 District of Columbia 66,000

1 Connecticut 54,397

2 New Jersey 50,313

3 Massachusetts 49,875

4 Maryland 48,285

5 New York 46,957

6 Wyoming 45,705

7 Virginia 43,874

8 New Hampshire 42,831

9 Alaska 42,603

10 California 42,325

11 Hawaii 42,009

12 Washington 41,751

13 Minnesota 41,552

14 Illinois 41,411

15 Colorado 41,344

16 Rhode Island 41,003

17 Delaware 39,817

18 Pennsylvania 39,578

19 North Dakota 39,530

United States average 39,138

20 Nevada 38,578

21 Vermont 38,503

22 Nebraska 38,081

23 Kansas 37,916

24 Florida 37,780

25 South Dakota 36,935

26 Wisconsin 36,822

27 Iowa 36,751

28 Maine 36,745

29 Texas 36,484

30 Missouri 35,676

31 Oregon 35,667

32 Louisiana 35,507

33 Ohio 35,381

34 Oklahoma 35,268

35 North Carolina 34,453

36 Tennessee 34,089

37 Michigan 34,025

38 Montana 34,004

39 Georgia 33,786

40 Indiana 33,725

41 Alabama 33,096

42 New Mexico 32,992

43 Arizona 32,935

44 West Virginia 32,219

45 Arkansas 31,946

46 Kentucky 31,883

47 South Carolina 31,799

48 Idaho 31,632

49 Utah 30,875

50 Mississippi 30,103

[^_^ 5,021]

You could have done a GDP per capita

I picked population because I anticipated the whining over illegals and I wasn't sure if illegal population counts were included in the denominator of the per capita metric. I do know they are part of the Census population figures.

[Atencio 43]

Yeah I don't know the answer to that either.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

So in other words, Vermont, Kansas, you can suck it.

In other words...we get lots of YOUR money. Far more than we put in. Don't you just love redistribution of wealth?

Some simple math. Vermont has about .0000003% of the US population but produces .018% of the GDP. Pretty darn good. Which is why we come out in the upper half for the GDP per capita. It's all in the maple syrup.

But I will be most obliged if you stay out of Vermont...it sucks anyway.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I picked population because I anticipated the whining over illegals and I wasn't sure if illegal population counts were included in the denominator of the per capita metric. I do know they are part of the Census population figures.

There is only about 3 illegal aliens in Vermont anyway. They came from Canada and are Haitians. They speak French.

We also have the lowest crime rate per capita so we do not generate a lot of GDP fixing criminal damage, alarm systems or even door locks. Crime is big business and we have none.

[^_^ 5,021]

I can't decide which I should envy more, Vermont for having so little crime or Australia for having so little crime.

[SuperDuper! 230]

Poor people are a drag on the economy when they're not being utilized (that is, they're not all employed). Most illegals are poor. None of this is rocket science nor is you pointing it out much of a breakthrough.

Thank you Cap't. obvious!

[TBoneTX 46,294]

But I will be most obliged if you stay out of Vermont...it sucks anyway.

Dude, how in the world could Vermont suck if anyone there gets to wake up every morning next to a hot nekkid FSU babe, huh man?