Here is yet another remarkable map (derived from a trove of statistics) illustrating how conservative/Republican/right-wing socio-economic policies are nothing if not disastrous for the citizens compelled to live under them.
In this case, we learn that life expectancy has declined in nearly 25% of all counties in the United States. The map itself clearly illustrates a stark reality of our Red State/Blue State divide: life expectancy is on the way down in the South, Appalachia, and small pockets of the West. Those would be the Red States. Take a look at Oklahoma, for God's sake! In general, these are locations the lowest median personal income, highest teen pregnancy rates, greatest dependency on government assistance programs, highest dropout rates, highest religious affiliation and greatest number of gun owners.
Conversely, life expectancy is going up along the coastal regions and in the Northeast, Pacific Northwest and much of the upper Midwest. In fact, you can even find pockets of increasing life expectancy in the reddest of states...in the towns that grew up around major universities (e.g. Tuscon, AZ; Austin, TX; and Omaha, NE). These are the parts of the country with the highest median personal income, lowest teen pregnancy rates, least dependency on government assistance programs, lowest dropout rates, lowest religious affiliation and fewest number of gun owners.
Statisticians will often say correlation does not imply causation, but just compare the two maps below...
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