Governor Greg Abbott?

[Vermin93]

Good stuff there. Thanks LFD2037.

This discussion probably belongs in a separate thread but for now, I will run with it. Vermin93, my "meth lab" comment was merely metaphoric and the definition of moral is not debatable. One can choose to abide by that definition or not but arguing the definition is silly. You lamented the value of morals in society while citing an opioid drug epidemic as evidence to the contrary. HUH??? It can't be both ways. Be careful what you wish for...you just might get it.

I responded to your subjective claim that the Democratic Party is largely responsible for your perception of moral degradation in America.

Of course morality is debatable, and I never lamented the value of morals in society. In response to your meth lab metaphor, I lamented the inability of socially conservative states to get meth labs and opiod prescriptions under control. The Democratic Party, which I generally don't support, would seem to be your root cause of this. If it is, then I find that absurd.

I never suggested the elimination of societal morality and I'm certain that we don't need faith-based politics from Abbott and Patrick to have it. My larger point is that Republicans, and especially conservatives, do not have a monopoly on morality, even though some seem to have convinced themselves they do.

[LFD2037]

I'm not wrong. I responded to a comment on meth labs and I mentioned a metric related to the opiod crisis. You posted the results of a wallethub.com report that was created using a weighting of 15 metrics across 3 categories, including law enforcement. It also included marijuana among illicit drug use. That significantly cheapens the results from my perspective.

1. Drug Use & Addiction – Total Points: 50
Percentage of Teenagers Who Used Illicit Drugs in the Past Month: Triple Weight (~11.54 Points)
Percentage of Teenagers Who Tried Marijuana Before Age 13 Years: Full Weight (~3.85 Points)
Percentage of Teenagers Who Were Offered, Sold, Or Given An Illegal Drug On School Property in the Past Year: Full Weight (~3.85 Points)
Percentage of Adults Who Used Illicit Drugs in the Past Month: Triple Weight (~11.54 Points)
Number of Opioid Pain Reliever Prescriptions per 100 People: Full Weight (~3.85 Points)
Number of Methamphetamine Lab Incidents (population adj): Full Weight (~3.85 Points)
Number of Overdose Deaths per Capita: Double Weight (~7.69 Points)
Overdose Deaths Growth (2015 vs 2014): Full Weight (~3.85 Points)
2. Law Enforcement – Total Points: 25
Number of Drug Arrests per Capita: Full Weight (~6.25 Points)
Number of Drug Arrests on College Campuses per 1,000 Students: Full Weight (~6.25 Points)
Prescription Drug Monitoring Laws: Full Weight (~6.25 Points)
Maternity Drug Policy (Is Substance Abuse During Pregnancy a Crime?): Full Weight (~6.25 Points)
3. Drug Health Issues & Rehab – Total Points: 25
Percentage of Adults Who Needed But Didn’t Receive Treatment for Illicit Drug Use in the Past Year: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
Number of Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities per 100,000 People (12 Years and Older) Using Illicit Drugs: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Number of Admissions to Substance Abuse Treatment Services per 100,000 People (12 Years and Older) Using Illicit Drugs: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)

As for the 2 metrics I specifically referenced -

DEA: 2014 Methamphetamine Lab Incidents (Not weighted by population)

1. Indiana - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
2. Missouri - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
3. Tennessee - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
4. Ohio - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
5. Michigan - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
6. Illinois - Republican Governor, Democrat Legislature
7. North Carolina - Democrat Governor, Republican Legislature
8. Florida - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
9. Kentucky - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
10. South Carolina - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature

Number of opiod prescriptions by 100 residents (average US Rate = 82.6)

1. Alabama (142.9) - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
2. Tennessee (142.0) - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
3. West Virginia (137.6) - Democrat Governor, Republican Legislature
4. Kentucky (128.4) - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
5. Oklahoma (127.8) - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
6. Mississippi (120.3) - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
7. Louisiana (118.0) - Democrat Governor, Republican Legislature
8. Arkansas (115.8) - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
9. Indiana (109.1) - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
10. Michigan (107.0) - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature

These 2 lists are largely comprised of states that are more religious, conservative and Republican than most. In fact, out of the 20 least religious states in the country as rated by Pew Research, only 1 (Illinois) is on the meth lab incidents or opiod prescription list. By comparison, out of the top 10 most highly religious states in the country, Georgia is the only one to not make either list. Hopefully the Republicans who control the governorships and the legislatures in most of these states will find a better way to get their states off the lists because social conservatism doesn't seem to be getting the job done.

Your info is antiquated & incorrect. I don't know I'm wasting my breath w/you, other than to show others you're incorrect, but you can find many, many current sources that say you're wrong.
2 things w/your info. (besides being outdated & incorrect):
1) Just because there's been more raids on meth labs in a state doesn't mean they have higher meth usage. It just means their LEO's are cracking down more than other states.
2) Just because opioid prescription is higher in a state doesn't mean there's more opioid abuse.

Here's you one, of many, current research links:

https://wallethub.com/edu/drug-use-by-state/35150/

(only use this as a reference as it has more info than just raids or LEGAL prescriptions)
Btw, I won't waste any more time trying to show you the error of your ways. Have a good day!

[Ironman]

I'm not wrong. I responded to a comment on meth labs and I mentioned a metric related to the opiod crisis. You posted the results of a wallethub.com report that was created using a weighting of 15 metrics across 3 categories, including law enforcement. It also included marijuana among illicit drug use. That significantly cheapens the results from my perspective.

1. Drug Use & Addiction – Total Points: 50
Percentage of Teenagers Who Used Illicit Drugs in the Past Month: Triple Weight (~11.54 Points)
Percentage of Teenagers Who Tried Marijuana Before Age 13 Years: Full Weight (~3.85 Points)
Percentage of Teenagers Who Were Offered, Sold, Or Given An Illegal Drug On School Property in the Past Year: Full Weight (~3.85 Points)
Percentage of Adults Who Used Illicit Drugs in the Past Month: Triple Weight (~11.54 Points)
Number of Opioid Pain Reliever Prescriptions per 100 People: Full Weight (~3.85 Points)
Number of Methamphetamine Lab Incidents (population adj): Full Weight (~3.85 Points)
Number of Overdose Deaths per Capita: Double Weight (~7.69 Points)
Overdose Deaths Growth (2015 vs 2014): Full Weight (~3.85 Points)
2. Law Enforcement – Total Points: 25
Number of Drug Arrests per Capita: Full Weight (~6.25 Points)
Number of Drug Arrests on College Campuses per 1,000 Students: Full Weight (~6.25 Points)
Prescription Drug Monitoring Laws: Full Weight (~6.25 Points)
Maternity Drug Policy (Is Substance Abuse During Pregnancy a Crime?): Full Weight (~6.25 Points)
3. Drug Health Issues & Rehab – Total Points: 25
Percentage of Adults Who Needed But Didn’t Receive Treatment for Illicit Drug Use in the Past Year: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
Number of Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities per 100,000 People (12 Years and Older) Using Illicit Drugs: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Number of Admissions to Substance Abuse Treatment Services per 100,000 People (12 Years and Older) Using Illicit Drugs: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)

As for the 2 metrics I specifically referenced -

DEA: 2014 Methamphetamine Lab Incidents (Not weighted by population)

1. Indiana - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
2. Missouri - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
3. Tennessee - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
4. Ohio - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
5. Michigan - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
6. Illinois - Republican Governor, Democrat Legislature
7. North Carolina - Democrat Governor, Republican Legislature
8. Florida - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
9. Kentucky - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
10. South Carolina - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature

Number of opiod prescriptions by 100 residents (average US Rate = 82.6)

1. Alabama (142.9) - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
2. Tennessee (142.0) - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
3. West Virginia (137.6) - Democrat Governor, Republican Legislature
4. Kentucky (128.4) - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
5. Oklahoma (127.8) - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
6. Mississippi (120.3) - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
7. Louisiana (118.0) - Democrat Governor, Republican Legislature
8. Arkansas (115.8) - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
9. Indiana (109.1) - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature
10. Michigan (107.0) - Republican Governor, Republican Legislature

These 2 lists are largely comprised of states that are more religious, conservative and Republican than most. In fact, out of the 20 least religious states in the country as rated by Pew Research, only 1 (Illinois) is on the meth lab incidents or opiod prescription list. By comparison, out of the top 10 most highly religious states in the country, Georgia is the only one to not make either list. Hopefully the Republicans who control the governorships and the legislatures in most of these states will find a better way to get their states off the lists because social conservatism doesn't seem to be getting the job done.

Lol! It's going to be kind of hard to find a state that doesn't have a Republican Governor or Republican Legislature, simply because the tax paying citizens are sick and tired of the Democrats illogical bull****.

[Ironman]

I responded to your subjective claim that the Democratic Party is largely responsible for your perception of moral degradation in America.

Of course morality is debatable, and I never lamented the value of morals in society. In response to your meth lab metaphor, I lamented the inability of socially conservative states to get meth labs and opiod prescriptions under control. The Democratic Party, which I generally don't support, would seem to be your root cause of this. If it is, then I find that absurd.

I never suggested the elimination of societal morality and I'm certain that we don't need faith-based politics from Abbott and Patrick to have it. My larger point is that Republicans, and especially conservatives, do not have a monopoly on morality, even though some seem to have convinced themselves they do.

Wait, wait, wait! Let's get to the real nut cutting here. Forget the states, what cities have the biggest drug problems, crime, and social issues, and tell me if they are blue or red.

[LFD2037]

Wait, wait, wait! Let's get to the real nut cutting here. Forget the states, what cities have the biggest drug problems, crime, and social issues, and tell me if they are blue or red.

By a very large margin, blue.
But Vermin will say since more guns are owned in red states that means more conservatives shoot people w/their legally owned guns. That's liberal logic, don't you know.

[sir shovelhands]

Wait, wait, wait! Let's get to the real nut cutting here. Forget the states, what cities have the biggest drug problems, crime, and social issues, and tell me if they are blue or red.

Given that 90% of major cities are blue (most major cities in texas even voted for Clinton)...it's going to be blue.

[Vermin93]

Your info is antiquated & incorrect. I don't know I'm wasting my breath w/you, other than to show others you're incorrect, but you can find many, many current sources that say you're wrong.
2 things w/your info. (besides being outdated & incorrect):
1) Just because there's been more raids on meth labs in a state doesn't mean they have higher meth usage. It just means their LEO's are cracking down more than other states.
2) Just because opioid prescription is higher in a state doesn't mean there's more opioid abuse.

Here's you one, of many, current research links:

https://wallethub.com/edu/drug-use-by-state/35150/

(only use this as a reference as it has more info than just raids or LEGAL prescriptions)
Btw, I won't waste any more time trying to show you the error of your ways. Have a good day!

I'm not sure how you can claim my info is antiquated and incorrect. It's from the same report you've presented as evidence. The 15 metrics I posted are quoted word for word from the report you linked, and the report you linked specifically states the following:

Most Opiod Prescriptions per 100 People
1. Alabama
2. Tennessee
3. West Virginia
4. Kentucky
5. Oklahoma

That Top 5 list is the same as my Top 5 list because it's from the same data. The report you posted identifies the DEA and the CDC as sources of the data used to create the rankings, which is where my lists came from. Below are visual representations of that data. Based on the opiod prescription chart, a significant portion of Trump nation appears to be in a lot of pain.

I'm also not sure why you would post a report as evidence and then write off 2 of the 15 metrics considered in the report. That seems self-defeating, but maybe that's a Trumpism thing.

Meth Lab Locations 2004 -2014



Number of painkiller prescriptions per 100 people

[Vermin93]

Lol! It's going to be kind of hard to find a state that doesn't have a Republican Governor or Republican Legislature, simply because the tax paying citizens are sick and tired of the Democrats illogical bull****.

Fair point, which is why I also pointed out that the most heavily religious states in the country dominate the lists of meth lab incidents and opiod prescriptions. This begs the question....are they simply not praying hard enough for the meth labs and pain to go away? It seems pretty clear that their prayers aren't being answered. Hmmmm......

[Ironman]

Fair point, which is why I also pointed out that the most heavily religious states in the country dominate the lists of meth lab incidents and opiod prescriptions. This begs the question....are they simply not praying hard enough for the meth labs and pain to go away? It seems pretty clear that their prayers aren't being answered. Hmmmm......

No. It's backwoods rednecks that can't afford, or have access to, cocaine, so they improvise. The opioids are because they are legal, unlike marijuana, and they don't want to be considered "potheads".

[Livin'2hunt]

I responded to your subjective claim that the Democratic Party is largely responsible for your perception of moral degradation in America.

Of course morality is debatable, and I never lamented the value of morals in society. In response to your meth lab metaphor, I lamented the inability of socially conservative states to get meth labs and opiod prescriptions under control. The Democratic Party, which I generally don't support, would seem to be your root cause of this. If it is, then I find that absurd.

I never suggested the elimination of societal morality and I'm certain that we don't need faith-based politics from Abbott and Patrick to have it. My larger point is that Republicans, and especially conservatives, do not have a monopoly on morality, even though some seem to have convinced themselves they do.

First and foremost, what is your gripe with religion? And, to boil it down further, Conservatism? Both are a collection of ideas simply rooted in right and wrong. Why do you care what religion Abbott or Patrick profess in their personal lives? They cannot wave a wand and force you into a Church or embed their beliefs no matter how much you fear it.

Your complaint is that Conservatives claim to have a "monopoly on morality". I have not yet heard you dive headlong into the liberal mantle of tolerance and race. Liberals are the most intolerant and racist people in this Country but you fear the conservative family that is only worried about doing the right thing each and everyday. Would you be less fearful of conservatives if they voted for live-birth abortions and free weed for kindergarteners?

Politically, the thing MOST conservatives fear is irreparable damage being done to this Country. If you honestly look at the current Democratic Party platform, that cannot be said for them. What is it conservatives believe that you find so damaging to your freedoms and Rights?

[LFD2037]

First and foremost, what is your gripe with religion? And, to boil it down further, Conservatism? Both are a collection of ideas simply rooted in right and wrong. Why do you care what religion Abbott or Patrick profess in their personal lives? They cannot wave a wand and force you into a Church or embed their beliefs no matter how much you fear it.

Your complaint is that Conservatives claim to have a "monopoly on morality". I have not yet heard you dive headlong into the liberal mantle of tolerance and race. Liberals are the most intolerant and racist people in this Country but you fear the conservative family that is only worried about doing the right thing each and everyday. Would you be less fearful of conservatives if they voted for live-birth abortions and free weed for kindergarteners?

Politically, the thing MOST conservatives fear is irreparable damage being done to this Country. If you honestly look at the current Democratic Party platform, that cannot be said for them. What is it conservatives believe that you find so damaging to your freedoms and Rights?

Your are absolutely wasting your time. Unless that's all you're out to do, then .
He is, well, vermin!
vermin (noun):
people perceived as despicable and as causing problems for the rest of society

[Livin'2hunt]

Your are absolutely wasting your time. Unless that's all you're out to do, then .
He is, well, vermin!
vermin (noun):
people perceived as despicable and as causing problems for the rest of society

I'm 100% sure you are correct but I've always been fascinated in the psychology of those who believe as he does and what tarnished his view on life.

[systemnt]

Pretty ****in' sure it was meth.

[Livin'2hunt]

Pretty ****in' sure it was meth.

Point! Systemnt.

[AZST_bowhunter]

https://mic.com/articles/80091/which-drug-is-your-state-most-addicted-to-this-map-reveals-a-disturbing-trend#.xxp0N4LtZ

Here is a good one, tells most cited drug in each state...those dems sure do like to ride the dragon!!!