Between 2020 and 2022 Idaho, Montana and Florida, all red states, had the greatest population growth among U.S. states. Meanwhile, New York and Illinois suffered the biggest population losses. California saw a population decrease of about 1%, although the Golden State's population rose in 2023.
Some folks would have you believe that there is some kind of mass migration from blue states to red states due to quality of life issues. First of all, the idea of a blue-to-red state exodus is overstated; my very blue home state of Washington has seen continued growth while the very red states of Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia have seen population fall. In terms of raw numbers of people relocating, bluish-purple states like Arizona, Georgia and Nevada are seeing a lot of population influx. Second, people are moving for any number of reasons; I'd say the biggest driver of folks leaving the west coast is to find cheaper housing costs as the increase in remote work options means tech workers no longer need to live near the very expensive urban cores of cities like San Jose.
But the point of this post is to dispel an idea I see a lot in conservative media: that people are moving to red states because life there means more "freedom". Or as Glenn H. Reynolds of the New York Post said of new arrivals to the state of Tennessee, "They come seeking a place where they are free from tyrannical
governments, where their businesses and money are safe from destruction
and confiscation, where they and their families feel safe and included."
I don't know exactly how "businesses and money" are not "safe from destruction
and confiscation" in blue states; Reynolds doesn't say in the Post article, although he does mention migration from blue states, "in favor of red states where taxes are lower, intrusive government bureaucracy is less and political violence is uncommon."
OK, sure, the tax burden in Tennessee is lower than many blue states. But I think it presumes too much to say that what blue state migrants really want is to live in a state like Tennessee where spending per capita on public school students and teacher pay, as well as public health outcomes are among the poorest in the country, and where the public infrastructure is crumbling, only because they base quality of life largely on a slightly lower tax burden.
As for why someone from a blue state would feel more "safe" in Tennessee, I'm sure I can guess. Conservative Americans feel safer in public when more people are carrying guns. In reality, Tennessee is not safer; the violent crime rate there is 45% higher than New York and 65% higher than Washington state. The gun death rate in Tennessee is more than twice that of California and nearly four times that of New York. And as for "political violence", Nashville wasn't spared violence during the George Floyd protests in 2020 any more than other cities. The Metro Courthouse was set ablaze when a May protest became a violent riot.
Onward to freedom from tyrannical governments. Let's look at some hot button issues of the day, and how Tennessee fares when it comes to freedom.
1. Reproductive rights
Abortion is banned in Tennessee.
2. Marijuana
In Tennessee, both medical and recreational uses of marijuana are illegal.
3. Voting rights
"Tennessee has one of the most draconian laws in the country stripping voting rights from people convicted of felonies." "One in five Black residents of Tennessee are prohibited by state law from voting." - The Center for Public Integrity. Tennessee also has a bizarre law, imposing criminal charges and fines on voter registration groups over incomplete forms and missed deadlines. "Voter rights groups contend that the law is intended to prevent people,
particularly African Americans and other minorities, from registering to
vote in a state that has one of the lowest voter registration rates in
the nation." - The Hill
4. Libraries
"Tennessee is at the national forefront of book challenges and book bannings" - The Nashville Scene
5. Transgender care
Tennessee law not only prohibits medical providers from treating transgender youth with evidence-based gender-affirming medical treatment, this year it passed a first-in-the-nation law penalizing adults who help minors receive gender-affirming care without parental consent.
6. Gay rights
In 2023, Tennessee became the first state to explicitly ban drag performances in public spaces. The law was struck down by a federal court.
7. Protest rights
From 2020: "New Tennessee Law May Make Protests Illegal - After more than two months of protests against police brutality, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a new law revising criminal laws surrounding protest-related offenses and making it illegal to camp on state property." - The law firm of Burch, Morrison and Stewart
8. Health Care rights
Tennessee is one of only nine states that have not accepted Medicaid expansion making it possible for low-income persons to obtain health insurance.
9. The rights of people not permanently housed
In Tennessee it is a felony to camp in a park or other public space.
10. Democratic elections
A 2023 federal lawsuit, "charges the Tennessee Legislature, during the redistricting process
following the completion of the 2020 U.S. Census, subordinated
traditional redistricting principles in order to minimize Black votes by "cracking" and "packing" methods of gerrymandering, limiting voter
input and participation".
In conclusion, some folks may be moving to Tennessee because they like the things listed above. But those things do not represent any reasonable definition of freedom.
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Of course for some folks, "freedom" is all about the right to kill oneself and others with covid virus. I'll be covering that next time.
