The best state?

Here’s a poll on the favorability ratings for the 50 states. Which leads me to wonder: is there any state worse than Delaware? I have a hard time coming up with an argument for anywhere else. What do the rest of us get out of Delaware? We get about five miles of I-95, and for the privilege of driving on this road we have to fork over about six bucks. We also get lax banking regulations that mean every financial institution in the country operates out of Delaware (thanks federalism!). That’s about it. Joe Biden, I guess.

At least some of the other terrible states give us a smug sense of self-satisfaction. ‘Sure our state has problems but at least it’s not Mississippi.’ West Virginia has some beautiful geography, as does Utah. New Jersey doesn’t have a lot going for it, but a lot of actual people come from there. How many people have you ever met from Delaware?

Other questions: how did Tennessee end up as the second most popular state? How is Oregon in the top 10 while Washington is in the bottom half? What’s the difference?

And finally, Florida is in the top 10? That is perhaps the most insane thing about the whole poll. Florida is awful. Not quite Delaware-bad but really quite close. C’mon America.