Which state is more economically left-wing?

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

4 somewhat different states.

[Lucius Quintus Cincinatus Lamar]

If "economically liberal" means "per capita tax burden", the top four states are 1) CT, 2) NJ, 3) NY and 4) Mass.  So to directly answer your question, I say 1) NY 2) VT 3) Mich 4) WV

[All Along The Watchtower]

Michigan wins, by virtue of the UAW.

Vermont=latte liberals and Rockefeller Republicans.

New York..eh, somewhat left-wing economically, especially NYC, but still not as much as Michigan.

West Virginia: the social conservatism usually outweighs any economic left-wing tendencies.

[greenforest32]

Ranking of most economically left-wing to least economically left-wing

1. Vermont
2. New York
3. Michigan
4. West Virginia

[GLPman]

Is West Virginia really that economically left-wing or was it just thrown on here for the hell of it?

[I AM REPUBLICAN]

Definitely Vermont. That all want a single-payer health care system.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Vermont is the most liberal state in the nation on both social and economic grounds.

[Miles]

Is West Virginia really that economically left-wing or was it just thrown on here for the hell of it?

Yes, its pretty liberal economically, 'kinda in a populist sense. Its also fairly unionized.

[Antonio the Sixth]

I think Vermont gets the prize.

[Qwezos]

Michigan.

[Username MechaRFK]

Vermont. They are the most leftist state in the union.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

Vermont.

[I Am Feeblepizza.]

Vermont; it's elected self-identified democratic socialist Bernie Sanders to the U.S. House nine times, and it seems as if he'll stay in the Senate until retirement or death.

Then again, Sanders is from New York...

[minionofmidas]

The definition of "economically left-wing" has become really fuzzy in America, and the answer depends on what kind of definition we're using.

[Person Man]

The definition of "economically left-wing" has become really fuzzy in America, and the answer depends on what kind of definition we're using.

What would people think of someone in the 1960s who ran on increased defense spending, expansion of government perscription programs and subsidies to the oil and steel industry?

[Guderian]

Vermont is socially liberal, secularized and anti-war more than it is economically left-wing, although they do elect the only self-identified socialist in Congress. WV used to be very left-wing economically (it was one of the least Republican states in Reagan/Bush landslides) but that was before environmentalism trumped coal miner unionism in the Democratic coalition.

[Napoleon]

Vermont is the least left wing but most liberal.

Michigan is the most left wing.

[Wonkish1]

Michigan and West Virginia don't even deserve to be on a list with NY and Vermont. Just because they are both Union states with union participation dropping rapidly does not make them economically left wing. You are referring to 2 states that would never in a million years pass an Obamacare or Romneycare type plan in their states. They would never pass cap and trade style legislation in their states. They are not big gov., huge social welfare states like the other 2 listed.

The historical play in Michigan and West Virginia was about the hard working man. States like Vermont, Mass, California, Conn., Rhode Island, etc. their liberalism has always been rooted more in the growth of the state and a never ending focus on the "downtrodden", "poor", etc. a very different form of economic liberalism than of those in Michigan and West Virginia.

I mean keep in mind that a Dem needs an endorsement of both the Unions and the Chamber of Commerce(among other right wing advocacy groups) to win state wide office. So the Dem needs to be significantly economically moderate in order to win state wide office today in West Virginia. That is definitely not true in most liberal states.


I would say the order would look like this
1) Vermont
2) Massachusetts
3) Maryland
4) California
5) Connecticut
6) Rhode Island

[5280]

I voted New York.  Have a friend that lives there and he hates everything about the state (cost of living, taxes, etc.)

[All Along The Watchtower]

I voted New York.  Have a friend that lives there and he hates everything about the state (cost of living, taxes, etc.)

So of course that makes it the most economically left!

[© tweed]

unionization rate:


NY 24.2%
MI 16.5%
WV 14.8%
VT 11.8%


http://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.t05.htm

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

The definition of "economically left-wing" has become really fuzzy in America, and the answer depends on what kind of definition we're using.

This is the question

[Deano1001]

Vermont elected a Socialist...so them.

[All Along The Watchtower]

How about:

Which state has the least amount of private enterprise wealth, relative to government spending?