[mmooss]

Instead of an out-of-state vpn, why not an out-of-state home? Why do people put up with the lack of freedom there? People complain about European countries but then praise states like Texas.

(Realistically, moving is easier said than done, of course.)

[Cider9986]

A VPN is 5 dollars. People are not as privileged as you assume and very few chose their location based on age verification laws.

European countries have restrictions on freedom of speech which is a strongly held value in America.

[mmooss]

I'm not sure what to say that doesn't repeat myself. I can add to my prior comment that many Republican-run states, including Texas, restrict freedom of speech and other freedoms in many ways.

[KPGv2]

Rich people aren't restricted, middle class people want those restrictions, and poor people can't leave.

I assume you're not America, because people outside the USA think literally the exact same thing about Americans.

[mmooss]

I know it's hard to move for most people. People just love to lecture, even when I already addressed that in my first comment.

[KPGv2]

People with my HHI level don't experience any of the negative effects of Republican policies except for the ones externalized to the entire USA.

And people without my HHI can't afford to leave.

You might as well wonder why people still live in Hungary when it's part of the EU and they could all move to Germany or Sweden.

[mmooss]

What is HHI level?

What you say isn't entirely true. Lot's of people are moving to Texas (and Florida), thus they are able to move. Lots of wealthy people go out of their way to praise Texas.

The answer is really politics, I think. The most important states economically and culturally, NY and California, are liberal. Conservatives are looking for a flag-bearer.

[KPGv2]

HHI is "household income" which fits perfectly with your observation that wealthy people go out of their way to praise Texas: because Texas is probably the best state to efficiently make money if you're rich. Property taxes are regressive tax, so they hit the poor more than the rich. Sales tax is the same way. And state income tax is literally forbidden by the Texas Constitution as of a couple years ago.

So you just keep making craploads of money and all you have to do is pay the same federal income tax you'd be paying in any state.

[mmooss]

That doesn't explain all the lower-HHI people moving to and praising Texas.

[KPGv2]

I'm not aware of lower HHI people moving to and praising Texas, nor have I witnessed it. What is happening is wealthy Californians moving to Texas, driving prices of homes up, and pricing out locals.

I don't even know how you have heard the voices of lower HHI people. They're hardly ever interviewed, and they don't write think pieces for media outlets. They're just...poor.