Cover Image: States of Neglect

States of Neglect

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Good information, easy to read and follow. All in all a great book. I definitely made some notes of things I was unaware of. Very educational

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I am very interested in state level politics, so I wanted to read STATES OF NEGLECT. Most of what was in this book I already knew, but it was sickening to see all of it in one place, one example after another. There is so much going on in this country that is unhealthy and simply unacceptable, especially when it comes to environmental and health care issues. This book seems to have been written before the 2022 elections and some of the more recent events going on, but was still good information to have.

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"It is exceedingly misleading to compare the infrastructure of the Sun Belt with that of the former industrialized states. Although the City Journal piece recognized New York and New Jersey's supremacy, it also said that both states had "dizzy-ning property taxes." The North's infrastructure is subjected to extreme subfreezing conditions and more traffic. Texas takes pride in having the nation's fewest bridges that need repair. According to one research, the average age of collapsing concrete bridges in New Jersey is 84 years old.

The federal government is mostly responsible for covering the expense of modernizing the infrastructure in this nation. The federal level of austerity, which started during the Reagan years, is to blame for the widely reported neglect of infrastructure. In the Sun Belt, the negative effects of government austerity are evident everywhere. Two clear examples are environmental preservation and health treatment."

This book explains very well what you should know about the red and blue states, the progressive nature of the red state and the skyrocketing of Donald Trump, it's very important that any serious student, interested in knowing more about politics and having a different political view reads this.

I would give it a four (4) star review, it deserves it.

Thanks Netgalley for giving out this book, I really appreciate.

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It is always hard to feel like I'm not just strapping into an echo chamber when I agree with too many points, and I worry that here. Perhaps the 4-stars is cautionary to avoid making a statement. *insert rolling eye emoji* I find the breakdown present in the title to be compelling as much as it is disheartening. As a bookseller in one of the less mentioned red states, I have to hope for better until I can afford to move or branch out.

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I found this an interesting but unfortunately not surprising analysis of how the US has come to be divided.

This was well-researched and presented in a concise manner.

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A very well documented account of the process by which, with the push of corporations further empowered by Citizen United, states have entered an era of neglect not just for the welfare of their citizen but the very existence of a future for them and of the results of that neglect. From the ongoing dismantlement of the public education system in favor of more expensive for profit dysregulated system to the seemingly ever expanding healthcare deserts that more and more rural Americans have to contend with there's a surprisingly vast amount of topics that are touched upon in a volume which isn't that big.
Kleinknecht does a great job at introducing "key players" when names are needed so that even someone with no knowledge of American politics can understand what he's talking about and he uses an approachable and easy to understand language. That being said, he goes into enough details that even people with a good awareness of the situation might find interesting tidbits and angles of approach.
While this book focuses on republican led states and California (as an example of what dealing with the aftermath of neglect might look like and the illusion that it is a failure) it does not spare democrats who can, and are, also often bought by corporate interests
Lots of sources are cited if you want to read further on any of the topics touched on.

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Wow, this is a great book at looking at how red states got to be where they are, the rise of Donald Trump, and what separates a red state from a blue state.
I found the information presented to be clear, concise, and backed up with research.
I really liked the ways in which red states are not protecting the environment and showing in graphic detail how red states are just about corporations and their interests.
Its sad that people keep voting in politicians who won't better the future for their populace.
I also found it sad that the federal government would institute a plan like the ACA and then have states reject it even though it would mean more health care and more money in the states pockets.

It is mind blowing to believe that most Republican governors are so thick headed to think that they don't need to take care of their citizens.

I think everyone should read this book who is interested in politics and how they shape an individuals life.

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