The Southern Health Conundrum

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With the nation's Republican governors gathered in Austin this week for their annual meeting, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour offered his take on current events during an appearance on CBSnews.com's Washington Unplugged. He covered the usual talking points, the basic pitch being that Republican ideas are more in tune with the needs of the nation than the policies offered by Obama & Co. But I had to do a double take after he told Bob Schieffer that "the American people want us focused on jobs, not on health care reform..."

A lot of people obviously agree - and there are good arguments on both sides of the health care reform debate - but Barbour's timing was way off. Only one day earlier, a study funded by UnitedHealth found that Barbour's great state of Mississippi ranked dead last in its ranking of the nation's healthiest states. In fact, the state has finished in last place for the last nine years. When I called up his office seeking a comment, the staffer who answered the phone wasn't familiar with the study. He should be - it's a doozy.

When it comes to a state-by-state analysis of the nation's health, Mississippi is a mess but its neighbors aren't doing much better. The best grade among southern states went to Virginia, which ranked 21. The next highest finish among below the Mason-Dixon line was Florida, at 36. I wonder whether Barbour sees any irony in the fact that eight of the ten worst-ranked states are in the old confederacy, the region where opposition to "Obamacare" is strongest.

Here's how Jon Perr for noticing first that nine of the top 10 healthiest states supported Barack Obama for president during the 2008 elections. Meanwhile, 9 of the 10 of the states ranked with the worst health scores backed John McCain. Perr also noted that "four years earlier, the 15 unhealthiest states voted for George W. Bush for President."

Meanwhile, news leaks this evening say that the Congressional Budget Office has finished scoring the health care proposal sent to the U.S. Senate for debate. If the preliminary reports are accurate, the bill would reduce federal deficits by $127 billion over the next decade and $650 billion in the second decade. It also would leave 94 percent of eligible individuals with coverage. This was what the Obama administration wanted to hear as the cost estimate fell below its $900 billion ceiling. As Talking Point Memo noted, that would be a "good" number for the Democrats.

[Ferrell-2]

I'm a Virginian and we are considered a southern state but actually the top of the south. Fortunately, our geographic location (mid Atlantic) and our repectable medical standing and affluency protects us from a lot of red neck barbs that our southern neighbors incessantly endure. I'm thankful we're not looked upon as a bunch of country bumpkins when we travel to other states.

[mmvale]

I live in the Atlanta area and the weather is beautiful today, sunny and mild. The south is the best place to live. Jobs and money will continue to come here to this lovely area. Come visit us, you'all!

[briannorwood]

If it wasn't for the Civil Rights movement of the 60's which caused mass migration of Dixicrats to the GOP, the South would still be predominently Democratic.

Their predjudice causes them to vote against their own self-interests.

[amerilatino]

Haley Barbour is the Boss Hogg of Mississippi politics, state which held until this year the dubious honor of being the state with the lowest proficiency scores and high school graduation rate in the whole nation, and which lies at the heart of the Stroke Belt. I recently moved to Georgia and you should see the Wollshwein boars and Angus heffers jockeying for position at the front of the parking lot (right by the handicap spaces) and waddling towards the electric carts, gasping and panting while they puff on their coffin nails, at the WhateverMart. Look at Barbour himself. Nope, not much enthusiasm for healthcare or -"ejacashun"- in the South...

[steeepe]

Maybe it's because there are more uneducated people in the South. That's also where the most obese reside. And full of Republicans.

[kenhamlett]

All of that fat works to an advantage for some. If you are obese where you live just move down south and you will look like Adonis compared to the local porkers.

[ranger2930]

Who said that about bible thumping works up an appetite? That's hilarious!

[ranger2930]

Governor Haley Barbour... Christ... He is one of the reasons the south is on dog food. The GOP(and Rove, Bushes Goebels) bought us all on sound bites about the Demos "TAKING AWAY OUR GUNS!!!", "THEY WANT TO KILL BABIES!!!" THEY WANT TO KISS THE TERRORISTS," WASHINGTON IS TRYING TO ROB US!!!" It's all so childish, a cruel twist of the truth and manipulation of peoples weak minds. They want Big Insurance - Big Business to keep their big profits - ********* doling out health care and pocketing the premiums. That's sick - for America in the 21st century it is. I remember when the south was purely Democratic -for a reason. Are you struggling? That's the GOP strategy; Let all the rich entrepreuers in this country have a large base of desperate slobs to work for peanuts. Think about it - have the whole nation as a Labor Surplus Area. They've done it. That statement is not that radical\hysterical. Ok, Ok, I'm just bitter because I need an operation I can't afford. Too bad Bush was playing Strageo for 8 years and let all us poor SOBs go to h*ll on the job front. People despise Obama but it was Bush and his buddies that put us in the dog house. And we'd have this covered 16 years ago if the GOP hadn't crucifed Clinton for trying to reform health care.

[Stop_the_crying]

A national travisty.

[addict42]

True the South is completely backwards and uneducated, unhealthy, and just stuck. However, these bufoons do have national sway as they contimue their quests in Washington to keep their constitucencies poor and uneducated, therefore their corruption and dirty tricks can continue unexposed. The worst states seem to be Mississippi, South Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, and Tennessee and I would never live in any of these places as sure as I'd more to some developing nation. These states are out "Third World."

[lakota2012]

by addict42:
The worst states seem to be Mississippi, South Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, and Tennessee and I would never live in any of these places as sure as I'd more to some developing nation. These states are out "Third World."
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Interesting to note as well, all those southern RED states that you just mentioned along with caribou barbi's Alaska, are the biggest WELFARE states in our nation, receiving $1.50 to over $2.00 back from the federal government for every tax dollar sent to Washington!

These morons talk about their "independence" and how "government is the problem," but are the first ones to have their hands out for WELFARE!

[lakota2012]

by bpai99:
In Arkansas, which is ranked #49 of the 50 states in most measures of poverty, educational level and health issues, their slogan is "Thank God for Mississippi", the state that keeps Arkansas from being dead last.
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Yep....and the ironic part of the sad state of education and health care in Arkansas, is that their people are represented by Senator blanche lincoln, a blue dog Dem, who might still join the delusional republicans in a fillibuster of the health care reform bill. There will be a free health care clinic in Little Rock for those unable to afford health care this weekend, due to the generosity of Keith Olbermann's Countdown viewers.