How screwed, going forward, is a state like Louisiana (my own)?

[Goodheart]

An economy very dependent on fossil fuel extraction and refinement... low education standards and attainment....

Great fishing and farming, but even the fish are being depleted and our most fertile acres are threatened by rising sea levels.

Aside from New Orleans tourism what do we have to look forward to?

[Croney]

1. I'm thinking...I'm thinking...

My extended Louisiana family are into huntin' and fishin' and poundin' Bibles. Oh, and hatin' on anybody "different."

I love them and hope things get better. No suggestions on how to make that happen.

[FSogol]

2. Time to open microbreweries, quirky bakeries, strange coffee shops, artisan

distilleries, antique stores, and custom soap boutiques. Of course first, they'll need to learn to love people who are different than themselves.

[GumboYaYa]

4. And convert the farmland to regenerative agriculture.

If they focus on saving the soil they can start to save the state.

[FSogol]

5. +1 n/t

[Mike 03]

3. Louisiana also has "Cancer Alley" to worry about.

Too bad there isn't some way to put people to work cleaning up some of the environmental hazards and maybe rehabilitating the wetlands, if that is even possible at this point. It seems like if you could bring back the wetlands that might help the fishing industry to rebuild.

Hopefully some creative minds can come together on this.

[Ferrets are Cool]

6. Plenty of open spaces for Wind Turbines.

They will just have to adapt. I don't know the answer.

[sarcasmo]

7. Inland migration.

[sfstaxprep]

8. Legalizing Recreational Marijuana Would Be A Start nt

[dutch777]

9. It's an intriguing question but the states have to be willing to make changes...or fall further

...behind. And its a challenge for the Dem party too because these more troubled states tend to be strongholds for the Trumpsters as well. And states like LA, MS and AR are not only hamstrung by their own politics, but hospitals in the rural parts of those states are going bankrupt and closing at an alarming rate. That doesn't bode well for attracting new industries and entrepeneurs, keeping the next generation at home and generally setting up an environment for improvement.

[Croney]

10. In Baton Rouge, where my mother lives, there were 100 homicides in 2020.

2021 is looking no better. New Orleans is worse. There are so many people, especially young people, with no hope for the future, no direction, no lot in life but to kill or be killed. Louisiana needs an education miracle. It can't happen as long as they are down that rabbit hole of right-wing delusion.

[Goodheart]

12. I pay state income taxes, yes, and property taxes, and high sales taxes

Still, Louisiana is a "taker state", although if we did get a fair share of excise taxes from all the oil and gas extracted here or transported through here we'd be much better off. Still, I don't see much future in fossil fuels, anyway.