“Viable states”

It is no secret that many of the 36 states are economically unviable. Fewer states would be preferable (reduced administrative costs, more land and resources). However, to achieve and sustain economic viability, every state, however large or small, must develop and leverage its own internal resources—agricultural, mineral, industrial and human resources.

It must equip its citizens with modern education, from basic reading-writing-arithmetic to advanced engineering and technical skills.

It must put this educated citizenry to work cultivating the land, manufacturing, constructing, producing for everyone’s consumption the social amenities that define life in modern society—good food, clean drinking water, sanitation system serviced by piped running water, non-stop electricity, good schools, affordable health care, decent paying jobs for every able-bodied adult, solid motorways, public transport, etc.

Each of the present 36 states, using their current federal allocations, can actually achieve this level of development if they would buckle down and get to work developing themselves and their internal revenue resources.