North Carolina!!!!!!

Tobacco Road, ACC Basketball, football, and baseball(most notably Chapel Hill). Cheerwine and Pepsi!!!! Carolina Blonde Beer!!!! The outer banks. Blackbeards ship was found here(by my sisters boyfriends father). The Charlotte Bobcats, Carolina Panthers and Hurricanes. Oh and I almost forgot, the home of NASCAR!!!!!

On a more serious note, people underestimate North Carolina for its drawing power. You have in NC, the Appalaichians, Piedmont, and and ocean front view. If you live in the middle like I do, its 3 or 4 hours in either direction. What more can you ask for?

Its not a silly topic. Its interesting to think about. To those who say all states are vital: If North Dakota was wiped off the map, are you honestly saying it would hurt our country (not our feelings) as much as New York, California, Texas, or Alaska?


I'm leaning towards New York right now.

Originally posted by WyrdeOne


I disagree. Pretty much everything west of the Mississippi (or 'Ioho' as I like to call it) seems redundant to me. I know people have attachments to their state, and pride in 'their' particular landscape - but really, c'mon...

Nearly half the country is practically unusable, desert and scrub. There's beauty, but if we're talking about integral to the functioning of the republic...

I don't know if there's one state that's invaluable though...

I'll have to think on that. Maybe New York? They've got the greatest city in the world (IMO), ocean frontage, as well as an abundance of fresh water farther upstate - good productive economy that spans numerous industries. It's a good bet in my book, for sustainable living.

I heavily disagree.

Its the states east of the Missisippi that seem redundant and somewhat useless to me.

The states west of the Missisippi are the breadbasket of the country. And that supposedly unusuable desert is where our mineral wealth lies. Not only that, but alot of the most important military bases and defense contractors are west of the Mississippi.

New York would be near the bottom of my list. It is crowded, overpopulated, and really doesn't produce much in the material sense. As far as it being the financial capital of the U.S., that isnt really a necessity. The western U.S. could do fine without the East. Consider the fact that even with all its problems, California alone if it broke off into its own country would be in the worlds top ten.

No, the east needs the west alot more than we need the east.

Arkansas?!?

The 'Yes, we're a state!" state?

There are plenty of states that could be self-sufficient, certainly New York is one of 'em. They've got food production, industry (remnants anyway), commerce, international business HQs, you name it.

There are also tons of farms that are unused or underused due to inflated RE prices and the tyranny of the USDA - fix the bureaucratic nightmare and it becomes a much more viable alternative to city living (farming I mean).

Consider though, that really any state could be self-sufficient in terms of food and water, if the proper infrastructure for hydroponics was set up. It takes investment, but survival is the best sort of dividend in my book...

People don't think enough about how vulnerable they really are. If you depend on the grocery store for survival, that makes you a slave, pure and simple. When the trucks stop running, you steal or starve - what other options are there?

People had best get their priorities straight, with a quickness. Water, food, shelter - none of which are impossible or inconceivable. It just takes a little bit of forethought.

Originally posted by WyrdeOne
People had best get their priorities straight, with a quickness. Water, food, shelter - none of which are impossible or inconceivable. It just takes a little bit of forethought.

I agree with that part.

But then I garden, hunt and fish; not for the sport or hobby of it, but because I am one of the prepared ones.

If the power went out right now, I have enough mesquite to smoke all the brisket and venison currently in my freezer.

And that's saying something.

South Carolina. They (we) have the facilities to produce materials for our nuclear weaponry plus a major port.

South Carolina also train our fighting men in basic training, (Parris Island, Fort Jackson).

Don't underestimate the South.

Originally posted by jsobecky
Massachusetts.

They show you how not to raise politicians.

With the two senators from that state, the disappearance of Massachusetts may be a good thing!