"Liberal" Massachusetts is an obvious failure, right Smirk?

[fishface]

Study ranks Bay State No. 1 in competitiveness
Annual report puts Hub 4th among cities
By Associated Press | November 18, 2004

A study that measures the competitiveness of states and cities based on ability to generate income and promote growth ranks Massachusetts number one in the nation and puts Boston fourth among metro regions.

The fourth annual report released yesterday by Suffolk University's Beacon Hill Institute moves the Bay State to the top ranking from the runner-up slot it held the past two years behind Delaware. The institute attributed Massachusetts' higher ranking -- and Delaware's drop to 18 in this year's rankings -- in part to improvements in the quality of data available and to a better index used to measure eight categories.

Study authors Jonathan Haughton and Cagdas Sirin define competitiveness as ''the policies and conditions that ensure and sustain a higher level of per capita income and its continued growth."

Massachusetts won number one rankings in two of the eight categories: technology and business incubation. The state was fourth in human resources, seventh in ''openness," 11th in security, 37th in environmental policy, 38th in infrastructure, and 39th in government and fiscal policy.

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2004/11/18/study_ranks_bay_state_no_1_in_competitiveness/

[Sperk]

1. #1 school performance, lowest divorce rate, now this!!

Yup, I'm a proud liberal from Massachusetts!

[Unstuck In Time]

2. In category after category, statistic after statistic, Massachusetts...

... rates as one of the best states in the country.

I've really come to believe that there's an element of jealousy in all the Bay State-bashing. This is a terrifc place to live, by any measure.

And I've seen quite a bit of the rest of the country -- there are lots of fine cities and regions. But let's be honest, there are plenty of other places that have nothing at all to brag about!

[mother earth]

6. Rock on Massachusetts!

Hold your head high Bostonians! The birthplace of Democracy & still going strong! Rejoice!!!! The Red Sox broke the curse & Kerry hails from our home! King George will be going buh-bye real soon... with a little help from our friends in Florida & Ohio!

[SammyWinstonJack]

3. Texas is a miserable failure thanks in large part to the chimp

and still he is loved here. Go figure?

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. Imagine matching up Mass against Texas or Oklahoma or

Utah. The red states are like a third world country compared to the blues. I feel sorry for the smart guys who are stuck living in the red zone.

[ClintonTyree]

5. The Cons have dubbed it "Taxachusetts".................

and in the pea sized brains of most Americans it will stick. They just love those liberal slams and nothing anyone says or does is going to change their perception. It's a crying damn shame, but that's the way it is.
The Cons framed the debate and we're stuck with it until we get someone in the DNC with the balls to turn this crap around. It isn't going to be Terry M. or Donna B.

[Fla Dem]

7. That used to be the tag over 20 years ago.

A lot of reforming since, so I don't know if it still deserves that title. Taxes rates were coming down when I relocated 12 years ago.

[Unstuck In Time]

8. That's ancient history.

Massachusetts is barely above the national average these days, in terms of state and local tax burden:

State/Local Taxes as a Percent of All Income:
District of Columbia - 12.9% (highest)
Massachusetts - 9.9%
National Average - 9.7%
Alaska - 5.5% (lowest)

http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/statelocaltaxes/

[orpupilofnature57]

9. I'm going to hit mega-millions,and hang at Marconi beach t.r.o.m.l