# If you could get rid of any state... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 15, 2017, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724 "2017-11-15T21:44:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/61 "2017-11-16T16:40:07Z")
> [@Jumpbass](#): > > I say kick out ALL the states except California. The heck with the rest of y’all. The United State of America? ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/62 "2017-11-16T16:45:06Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Holy shit! I’ve seen this written a million times, my family is from RI (I was born there) and I have been reading a non-existent “the” in that name for decades. So, you led me astray. I’m also having doubts about those “magic beans” you sold me… ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/63 "2017-11-16T17:36:09Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > If that’s the criterion, then Ohio. Ohio I-80 mileage, 248. Pennsylvania I-80 mileage, 311. One hour additional boredom, plus western PA\* has rotten snow squalls in winter. I rest my case. Still not as bad as Nebraska’s 455 miles of I-80, which sounds ghastly but which thankfully I never had to drive. \*I never much liked the Falling Asleep At The Wheel From Boredom And Ennui Polka, even when performed by Frankie Yankovic and his Yanks. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/64 "2017-11-16T17:40:00Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I haven’t driven through every state in the country, but I have to agree that, of the states I have driven through, none is more boring than Iowa. It’s terrific in the growing season when [this song is playing](https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=iowa+indian+song+youtube&view=detail&mid=B219DB56A70AE5A76763B219DB56A70AE5A76763&FORM=VIRE). ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/65 "2017-11-16T17:59:16Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Well, if you absolutely have to get rid a state, California gets my vote. They’re self-sustaining, as was pointed out _ad nauseum_ in the “Yes California!” thread(s,) that claim has not been supported very well. Many things which make California as successful as it is _rely on being a US state._ ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/66 "2017-11-16T18:05:31Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > as was pointed out _ad nauseum_ in the “Yes California!” thread(s,) that claim has not been supported very well. Many things which make California as successful as it is _rely on being a US state._ It’ll be a much better surprise if they find that out for themselves after we’ve kicked them out. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/67 "2017-11-16T18:13:07Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Huh. I assumed we’d all universally agree that New Jersey has to go. Four years ago I may have said NJ but now that Diggerland is open its a whole different ballgame. I say California. I have been there several/many times and I can’t think of a native I liked or a good time I had. Its one of those places where I’m much happier leaving than I usually am arriving. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/68 "2017-11-16T18:21:38Z")
California seems like the clear winner. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/69 "2017-11-16T18:29:24Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > California seems like the clear winner. I would have guessed Texas ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/70 "2017-11-16T18:40:07Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I would have guessed Texas I count five votes for Texas (#21, #32, #34, #37, #39) and eight for California (#3, #20, #24, #25, #31, #58, #60, #67). Admittedly, I may be trying to pull some Gore-2000-campaign-esque recounting shenanigans to achieve my desired result, so YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/71 "2017-11-16T19:24:13Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > It’ll be a much better surprise if they find that out for themselves after we’ve kicked them out. 😉 It’d also be a nice surprise for the remaining U.S. when they realize they just lost most of their Pacific ports… ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/72 "2017-11-16T20:32:28Z")
Please don’t get rid of Mississippi. The other states need them to hold the bottom place. We could evict Florida but nuking them (OP doesn’t specify what “get rid of” means) would mean our weird news pages are that much less interesting. Nothing against these states, but I think Nebraska or Connecticut could go missing and it would be at least a month before anyone noticed. Delaware is at least the first state, so it has exactly one trivia point. And Fight Club probably took place there. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/73 "2017-11-16T21:21:57Z")
> [@Darwins\_Finch](#): > > It’d also be a nice surprise for the remaining U.S. when they realize they just lost most of their Pacific ports… My vision for this involves California sinking into the Pacific, and we build new ports in Arizona and Nevada. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/74 "2017-11-16T21:23:09Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > … We could evict Florida but nuking them (OP doesn’t specify what “get rid of” means) would mean our weird news pages are that much less interesting. … Florida Man is indeed the “most interesting man in the world”. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/75 "2017-11-16T21:25:02Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I count five votes for Texas (#21, #32, #34, #37, #39) and eight for California (#3, #20, #24, #25, #31, #58, #60, #67). Admittedly, I may be trying to pull some Gore-2000-campaign-esque recounting shenanigans to achieve my desired result, so YMMV. Well, if you want to be like _that_, I’ll change my vote to Texas. Honestly, while California talks a good game nowadays about wanting to be independent, Texas is _committed_ to talking a good game about wanting to be independent, and I think they’ve earned the chance to go down in flames on their own. Losing all that republican representation in government is just a bonus. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/76 "2017-11-16T21:55:35Z")
> [@CastletonSnob](#): > > Which one would it be, and why? Queensland. The world doesn’t need another Florida. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/77 "2017-11-16T22:19:11Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > My vision for this involves California sinking into the Pacific, and we build new ports in Arizona and Nevada. How’s that going to work exactly with the 10,000 foot mountains on the border? And things are getting expensive enough, I’d rather not have beachfront property people coming in. > [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Florida Man is indeed the “most interesting man in the world”. I guess Germany would have to step up its game! ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/78 "2017-11-16T22:21:17Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > How’s that going to work exactly with the 10,000 foot mountains on the border? … I’m still working out the details, clearly. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/79 "2017-11-16T22:43:43Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Well, if you absolutely have to get rid a state, California gets my vote. They’re self-sustaining, and the influence/money of Hollyweird-types will be gone. They’ll do fine on their own. And if they get bored, they can annex/return to Mexico. Maybe the Golden State’s influence can create a better run Mexifornia government? Seriously? You want to get rid of them because whomever they join winds up governed better? Do you see anything illogical or poorly reasoned about this strategy? ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724/80 "2017-11-16T22:47:52Z")
I’d be willing to pitch the most electorally overrepresented red states. Alaska, Wyoming, North Dakota, looking at you. No reason your electoral vote should count 3x as much as mine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-get-rid-of-any-state/801724.md?page=5)