People tell me to move a lot.
Each time I write something that suggests a progressive solution to a problem or criticize the backwards, Alabama-method for addressing issues, I receive the same comments from the same group of dopes.
“Why don’t you move to California or somewhere where people think like you?!?!?!”
Apparently, believing that collective group-think is always right is a thing around here. Which probably explains why certain deplorable biases and other embarrassing beliefs manage to hold on much longer in these parts than in others.
No, independent thinking ain’t our strong suit. Never has been. The majority of our population covets the comfort of the crowd—even if that crowd is hurling insults at the students going through the schoolhouse door—over the satisfaction of solitary decency.
Even when it negatively affects themselves. Our people have what-will-the-neighbors-think’d themselves into some downright awful situations, choosing the approval of an often misguided and ignorant peer group over their own interests and their own peace of mind.
That’s basically the Alabama legacy. And it’s at the root of every problem, every upside-down ranking, every low test score, every embarrassing quality of life measurement that plagues Alabama.
We’ve chosen the wrong path for the wrong reason. And then stuck with it because no one in the group dared question why.
If you doubt this, I have but one word for you, especially if you are a working class Alabamian who’s struggling to get ahead or stay afloat: Economics.
Sometime back around 1900, when the Black folks were gaining ground in business and politics, the rich, white people who led Alabama took a look around and decided something needed to be done. And so, the state’s 1901 constitution came about.
In no uncertain terms, that document lays out the intent of Alabama’s wealthy to put their boots on the necks of every poor person in this state. He creates a tax system and education system that are purposefully unfair, ensuring that the wealthy will maintain firm control and never concern themselves with the upward mobility of the undesirable poors.
Those systems have never been changed.
Yes, there have been tweaks and minor shifts, but the overall goal has remained the same for the past 125 years: To make sure the wealthy stayed the wealthy.
They did it, as con men often do, by making it seem like it was a good, fair deal for everyone. I mean, who could argue with a flat tax for everyone? With a low income tax for everyone?
Those who don’t understand how percentages and income disparities work would certainly have a hard time arguing with either. And, in fact, over time the majority of Alabamians, including the working class and poor folks, have argued for this unfair system. Foolishly believing that an across-the-board tax rate is fair for all.
Forgetting that losing percent of your income hits much harder for a guy making $30,000 than for the guy making $1 million.
It also has created other unfair situations for Alabama’s poorest citizens. For example, it’s now virtually impossible for the bottom 20 percent of earners in this state to afford to file a lawsuit. Traffic tickets are ballooned to unreasonable amounts by an absurd number of fees. God help you if you wind up on the wrong side of an arrest and have to pay those court costs. (I once had a sitting circuit court judge admit to me that he had no idea what several of the fees attached to the court costs actually funded.)
All of these, you see, are extreme burdens on the poor and the middle class. As are incredibly high sales taxes, which Alabama has.
The other day, after a very astute and thoughtful commenter informed me that I should move to California—I get told to go there a LOT—I started thinking about what that would look like. Not just for me, but for people like the guy who suggested—people in Alabama who earn $200,000 or less per year.
I mean, it has to be awful, right? People are always talking about how incredibly high the tax burden is in California.
Not so much. Unless you’re a really wealthy person.
In fact, the tax burden for a family of four earning less than $130,000 per year is significantly less in California than Alabama. Property taxes are roughly equal. Those hidden fees for court costs and registrations are typically less in California.
But you know what is significantly higher in California? Taxes on rich people.
Alabama’s top marginal tax rate is 5 percent. California’s is 13.3 percent.
Maybe that’s why the entire state of California enjoys a higher ranked school system, higher ranked health care system, higher ranked mental health care system. Better infrastructure. More access to high-speed internet. And a prison system that isn’t rated third-world.
Look, I’m not here to tell you that everything is perfect in California. I am trying to show you that things could be better in Alabama if you stopped believing goofy, group-think ideas that were concocted by the wealthy to keep everyone in their place.
If we’re all honest, we know without a doubt that Alabama’s way of doing things is often backwards and harmful to its most vulnerable citizens. We know that other states are doing things better. We know that the tax system here is unfair.
But that’s only if we’re not afraid of what the group might think about all that honesty.
