States of Neglect asks Americans to consider state politics with the same level of gravity they do the federal level. The author points out the direct impact of state decision-making on citizens' quality of life and asks us to open our eyes to how states can block any social projects attempted by the federal government. Furthermore, preemption laws in red states work in the other direction to prevent cities, which are most often blue, from passing laws that state conservatives don't like. In other words, even if the federal government is trending liberal or even if you're living in a liberal enclave in a red state, you'll still feel the burdens of a Republican state government. The book even touches on the ways that everyone is harmed by some policies whether they live in these places at all. Throughout the book, specific states are provided as case studies to demonstrate the real harm done by Republican governments at the state level in recent years.

While state governments might be considered disparate entities that go their own way to suit local concerns, States of Neglect presents some of the ways that's not quite true. One system that unites states with seemingly different interests is corporate lobbying, such as that spearheaded by the Koch brothers and their ilk. The work of groups like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) extends that reach to include model legislation on topics that benefit their corporate members (i.e. tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy) that can be copied and pasted by states. So what do politicians do when their voter base is working-class white people, but their donors are the wealthiest corporate entities and their leaders? What benefits one rarely benefits the other, so it's a matter of saying one thing and doing another. Talk about abortion while cutting corporate taxes. Boast about creating jobs even when deals to lure companies to a state don't actually end up generating anything. Scare people with immigrant boogeymen while unemployment rises. Take away social safety nets for health care, education, and unemployment while touting low taxes as if they benefit everyone instead of, you know, overburdening those with the least income.

One of the biggest strengths of the book, in my opinion, is the way the author examines the clear and real ways these policies harm the very voters who lifted Republican politicians into state office. In West Virginia, for example, blatant conflicts of interest riddle the state government, keeping the dying coal industry afloat. Meanwhile, it's the poorest state with the most opiate overdoses and has experienced life-threatening water quality issues that have directly followed from lax oversight of the very industry that's running the state government. It's also worth noting that the environmental impacts of such policies quite literally spill across state borders. One red state's disinterest in reining in corporations' pollution has consequences for everyone, which they are unwilling to own.

I would categorize States of Neglect as a good first step on the road to looking at state politics and taking an active interest in them (particularly for those of us on the ground, living within such borders). I think other books might tackle specific issues with more nuance, and I wonder about more complex layers not addressed here, like systems of dependency where blue states rely on some of the very failing systems harming people in red states. I think there are far more people and systems that are culpable than could be covered in one book. However, I think focusing on state governments is a valuable insight in and of itself and not often enough talked about. I think the parallels across red states are present and worth investigating. I'm also interested in the author's proposed solution of progressive federalism, bringing liberal politics to the state level through coalition building. Thanks to The New Press for my copy to read and review!

Good information, easy to read and follow. All in all a great book. I definitely made some notes of things I was unaware of. Very educational

I am very interested in state level politics, so I wanted to read STATES OF NEGLECT. Most of what was in this book I already knew, but it was sickening to see all of it in one place, one example after another. There is so much going on in this country that is unhealthy and simply unacceptable, especially when it comes to environmental and health care issues. This book seems to have been written before the 2022 elections and some of the more recent events going on, but was still good information to have.

"It is exceedingly misleading to compare the infrastructure of the Sun Belt with that of the former industrialized states. Although the City Journal piece recognized New York and New Jersey's supremacy, it also said that both states had "dizzy-ning property taxes." The North's infrastructure is subjected to extreme subfreezing conditions and more traffic. Texas takes pride in having the nation's fewest bridges that need repair. According to one research, the average age of collapsing concrete bridges in New Jersey is 84 years old.

The federal government is mostly responsible for covering the expense of modernizing the infrastructure in this nation. The federal level of austerity, which started during the Reagan years, is to blame for the widely reported neglect of infrastructure. In the Sun Belt, the negative effects of government austerity are evident everywhere. Two clear examples are environmental preservation and health treatment."

This book explains very well what you should know about the red and blue states, the progressive nature of the red state and the skyrocketing of Donald Trump, it's very important that any serious student, interested in knowing more about politics and having a different political view reads this.

I would give it a four (4) star review, it deserves it.

Thanks Netgalley for giving out this book, I really appreciate.

It is always hard to feel like I'm not just strapping into an echo chamber when I agree with too many points, and I worry that here. Perhaps the 4-stars is cautionary to avoid making a statement. *insert rolling eye emoji* I find the breakdown present in the title to be compelling as much as it is disheartening. As a bookseller in one of the less mentioned red states, I have to hope for better until I can afford to move or branch out.

I found this an interesting but unfortunately not surprising analysis of how the US has come to be divided.

This was well-researched and presented in a concise manner.

A very well documented account of the process by which, with the push of corporations further empowered by Citizen United, states have entered an era of neglect not just for the welfare of their citizen but the very existence of a future for them and of the results of that neglect. From the ongoing dismantlement of the public education system in favor of more expensive for profit dysregulated system to the seemingly ever expanding healthcare deserts that more and more rural Americans have to contend with there's a surprisingly vast amount of topics that are touched upon in a volume which isn't that big.
Kleinknecht does a great job at introducing "key players" when names are needed so that even someone with no knowledge of American politics can understand what he's talking about and he uses an approachable and easy to understand language. That being said, he goes into enough details that even people with a good awareness of the situation might find interesting tidbits and angles of approach.
While this book focuses on republican led states and California (as an example of what dealing with the aftermath of neglect might look like and the illusion that it is a failure) it does not spare democrats who can, and are, also often bought by corporate interests
Lots of sources are cited if you want to read further on any of the topics touched on.

Wow, this is a great book at looking at how red states got to be where they are, the rise of Donald Trump, and what separates a red state from a blue state.
I found the information presented to be clear, concise, and backed up with research.
I really liked the ways in which red states are not protecting the environment and showing in graphic detail how red states are just about corporations and their interests.
Its sad that people keep voting in politicians who won't better the future for their populace.
I also found it sad that the federal government would institute a plan like the ACA and then have states reject it even though it would mean more health care and more money in the states pockets.

It is mind blowing to believe that most Republican governors are so thick headed to think that they don't need to take care of their citizens.

I think everyone should read this book who is interested in politics and how they shape an individuals life.