The website WalletHub put together a list of the most and least patriotic states. New Jersey ended up at the very bottom of that list. Not surprising to me, noting the metrics they used and the attitudes in this state. Their method combined scores from "military engagement" and "civic engagement." When it comes to military involvement here in New Jersey, it's looked upon as a last resort, a means to get free college or a way to "straighten out someone's wild ass ways."

Other parts of the country view it in a more traditional way such as family tradition, honor and duty. Also we have a higher rate of college graduates that many other states. New Jersey ranks in the top five of states for college graduates. Many college students get a steady diet of what's wrong with this country accentuating it's missteps more than it's contributions to the world.

The other category of "civic engagement" covers community volunteering like joining the Peace Corps or voting in primary elections. When so much of your hard earned money, and the time to earn it, is sucked out in taxes, it's harder to find the will or the energy to volunteer. New Jersey is really a one party state, the Democrat Party. The party of bigger government.

With a large percentage of people working for the state and federal government, those people are highly motivated to vote. Even if the percentage of the population isn't directly working for government, many are related to someone who is. Therefore if you're not connected in any way, you're outnumbered by those who are, leaving many people to believe that their vote is wasted.

When we talked about this on our show, the people who expressed disdain for the country was as high and depressing as we expected. Some noted historical racial injustices of the past. Some blamed their distaste for the country on the "religious right" and others of course blamed Donald Trump.

Wherever you go in the world, there is no place that offers the freedom and opportunity that this country does. It's dwindling and being stifled by people who want "the government" to have more control to "give" them stuff. But still, people all over the world who want any hope for their future dream of coming here. Every American should travel anywhere abroad and try to live somewhere else for a year and see what we take for granted every day!

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