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Newsweek
8 hours ago
- Business
- Newsweek
America's Most - And Least
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States' most and least independent states have been revealed in a new study. The rankings, compiled by the personal finance company WalletHub, reveal that the five most independent states are Utah, Colorado, Virginia, Idaho and Hawaii. In contrast, the least independent states are Louisiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, West Virginia and Alaska. The findings compared the 50 states based on five sources of dependency: consumer finances, the government, the job market, international trade, and personal vices. Why It Matters The findings come amid the threat of major benefits cuts as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which has been passed by House Republicans and is currently under consideration in the Senate. The bill in its current form calls for a reduction in federal funding for Medicaid by $863 billion and for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP) by $295 billion over 10 years. The bill could significantly alter to what extent states are able to rely on the federal government for support over numerous years. What To Know WalletHub's analysis revealed that Utah is the most independent state due to its low unemployment rate of 3.2 percent, meaning a low percentage of people rely on unemployment income. It has the second-highest median income in the U.S. (over $88,000) and the second-lowest share of people in poverty. Utah also has very few people who receive government benefits, including only 5.3 percent of people who receive SNAP or foods stamps, and 1.6 percent who receive public assistance income. The state also has the lowest share of recorded binge drinking or smoking across the U.S. Colorado is the second-most independent state, in part due to the good money management of its residents. Only 16 percent of Coloradans spend more money than they make, the second-lowest percentage in the U.S, according to the findings. Colorado also has a very low percentage of jobs supported by exported goods, with exports to other countries making up a very low percentage of its GDP. Virginia is the third-most independent state, in part due its low unemployment rate of just 3.1 percent and the highest median income in the country. Only 9.9 percent of Virginians are living in poverty. The state also has the third-lowest share of binge drinkers, along with low rates of smoking and opioid use. In contrast, the states that are most dependent on the government are Alaska, West Virginia, New Mexico, Mississippi and Kentucky. The states with the highest vice dependencies are Mississippi, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee. And the states that are most financially dependent are Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. What People Are Saying Kenneth F. Warren, political science professor emeritus at Saint Louis University, told WalletHub: "Financial independence for most adults will come from holding down permanent jobs with guaranteed incomes and benefits. Approaching a bank for a loan for a house purchase will likely prove problematic for those chasing gig jobs since future earnings are difficult to predict." Dewey M. Clayton, political science professor at the University of Louisville, told WalletHub: "Some states do not generate as much income as others, and they receive more tax dollars than they send to Washington because they are poorer. This allows the federal government to assist states in providing poorer states with the necessary funding for goods and services for their citizens... the national government has the responsibility of ensuring the well-being of all its citizens, irrespective of their income."
Forbes
27-03-2025
- Health
- Forbes
The Easter Bunny Is On The Chopping Block For Food Stamps
After voting in candidates who they hoped would improve their lot, lower income Americans are now getting the short end in many recent policy decisions. The latest affront: new cuts to food stamps or Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP) benefits from $6.20 a day per person to a paltry $4.80. Adding insult to injury, several state proposals are calling for SNAP to not only exclude soft drinks as has been rumored, but to remove candy as part of the package. This is a blunt instrument approach which does not address how and why consumers are purchasing their treats. Reducing benefits is a low blow to 42 million Americans struggling to make ends meet who rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table. Ironically, 91 of the top 100 counties receiving SNAP benefits are in states that voted for the current administration. But earmarking chocolate Easter bunnies and other confections for expulsion along with alcoholic beverages and tobacco is throwing out the bunny with the bathwater. Cracking down on candy might make for good headlines, but the evidence confirms that candy and chocolate are not the obesity villains they might appear to be. Far from it. At Georgetown University and previously at Hudson Institute, we have conducted detailed studies on how indulgent foods and beverages have been purchased and consumed since 2016. All of our analyses have concluded that chocolate and non-chocolate candy behave differently than other foods and beverages termed 'junk' or ultra-processed. Our latest report noted that, unlike other indulgent products, consumers with obesity don't buy chocolate and candy any more frequently than those at a healthy weight. Surprisingly, the 'healthiest of the healthiest' consumers as defined by Natural Marketing Institute's Health & Wellness Consumer Segmentation buy chocolate and candy at rates 26% more than the general population. We also learned, by analyzing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data, that candy and chocolate contribute only 1.8% of the calories we eat and a nominal 6.4% of added sugars. This latter statistic compares to 40.4% contributed by the beverage category. Another key finding is that chocolate and candy are eaten mostly as an occasional treat, and in smaller portions. You rarely encounter anyone gorging on an entire box of bon-bons. In fact, the National Confectioners Association has leaned into this trend and encouraged it with their Always a Treat Initiative. The industry group committed through the Partnership for a Healthier America to make at least half of its single-serve products available in packages that were 200 calories or less. This commitment was achieved by the end of 2021. While chocolate has a small impact on calories consumed, it has a big impact on well-being. According to the 2024 Getting to Know Chocolate Consumers report, while only 12% of the population consumes chocolate daily, 72% of Americans feel that chocolate belongs in a happy, balanced lifestyle. Perhaps most telling is a finding by the 2024 State of Snacking report that cited that 73% of consumers say they 'can't imagine a world without chocolate,' up 6% since 2019. Chocolate and candy have been associated with giving emotional support to consumers and improving their moods. A 2024 study in the journal Nature reconfirmed that 'cocoa-rich products had a significant short-term effect on depressive symptoms. In a systematic review by Scholey and Owen, 5 out of 8 studies concluded that chocolate or its constituents positively affect mood.' And Americans need all the emotional help they can get. The 2024 American Psychiatric Association's annual mental health poll cited that 43% of adults say they felt more anxious than they did compared to 32% in 2022. Gallup reports that stress has been rising sharply over the past 2 decades with 49% in 2023 saying they frequently experience stress in daily life, up from 33% in 2003. Interestingly, five of the top 10 happiest countries in the world consume the most chocolate per capita each year. Unfortunately, the U.S. doesn't even make it into the top 10 in either category, and in 2024 came in at #24, its lowest ranking since the World Happiness Report launched 13 years ago. Americans need a lift in these tumultuous times. Eliminating food stamp or SNAP benefits hurts those least able to handle financial and mental health burdens. Taking away their candy adds insult to injury despite solid evidence to the contrary. We need policymakers to act more surgically in tackling America's obesity crisis. Banishing the Easter Bunny is just plain cruel.
