BEST STATE - TAXES - PREZ ACTING?

Truth Or Consequences?

Listened to President Donald J. Trump address Congress and the nation.  For the first time to my ears and eyes, he actually behaved and spoke like he might be a country’s leader -- but what kind of leader?   Knowing his history, the words that flowed from my television’s speakers accumulated very deep in my room as I waded through them.  Some of them sounded good as I wanted them to be.  Still, when he has so repeatedly violated trust with his mendacity, how do I know much of what he said isn’t more of the same?   

    

When I texted a friend for their reaction, the response I received was:

"He’s acting as if he was on the Apprentice.   Someone else wrote the script -- he rehearsed  -- and delivered!  Maybe he should get an Academy Award.”

I found myself wondering -- has the leopard changed his spots?   

We’ve heard his talk -- now let’s see his walk.     

                

Tax Time

Time for me to go to work on my income taxes.  I’ve been doing them myself as my husband had, when he was living.   I still do them by hand rather than on my computer.  I like math.   I know there are internet programs available, also software programs that can be purchased, or even can hire someone -- the idea of paying money in order to pay taxes just doesn't sit well with me.   Why should a person have to pay money to pay taxes?   That's right!  I'm not a member of the 1%.   

Where do you want to live?   

There are many considerations when we think about desirable places to live: 

Health Care, Education, Crime and Corrections, Infrastructure, Opportunity,  Economy, Government are factors in the following report.

U.S. News and World Report offers a ranking of what states best serve their citizens.

This can be of special interest since expected federal government budget cuts will require individual states to have to assume more responsibility for many services to their citizens (cutting or eliminating services).  Middle class, poor and the less affluent segments of the population in many states may not fare so well, contrary to what citizens are being told by this administration's good intentions wishful thinking.  

As with many such rankings we may not necessarily agree with all their assessments. For many these rankings would be weighed against many other factors, not limited to, but including, cost of living, environment, and climate.   

Rankings Here for the Best States 

--  No.   1  Massachusetts 

 -- No. 23  California

What do you think about where your state is ranked?